film of the week

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Film Of The Week: RIDE ALONG (2014)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: Kevin Hart and Ice Cube lead the lineup in Ride Along, the new film from the director and the producer of the blockbuster comedy Think Like a Man. When a fast-talking guy joins his girlfriend’s brother—a hot-tempered cop—to patrol the streets of Atlanta, he gets entangled in the officer’s latest case. Now, in order to prove that he deserves his future bride, he must survive the most insane 24 hours of his life. For the past two years, high-school security guard Ben Barber (Hart) has been trying to show decorated APD detective James Peyton (Cube) that he’s more than just a video-game junkie who’s unworthy of James’ sister, Angela (Tika Sumpter). When Ben finally gets accepted into the academy, he thinks he’s earned the seasoned policeman’s respect and asks for his blessing to marry Angela. Knowing that a ride along will demonstrate if Ben has what it takes to […]

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Film Of The Week: THE WORLD'S END (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: Director Edgar Wright and actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reunite for a third film following the successes “Shaun of the Dead” (2004) and “Hot Fuzz” (2007). In “The World’s End,” 20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hellbent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by Gary King (Simon Pegg), a 40-year-old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their hometown and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub – The World’s End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind’s. Reaching The World’s End is the least of their worries. REVIEW: The World’s End was my first experience watching any of the “Three-Flavors Cornetto Trilogy” movies on […]

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Film Of The Week: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (2011)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: Meek U.S. Army soldier Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) takes part in an experimental military program that infuses him with super-human powers, and uses his newfound strength to battle the villainous Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) in this comic-book adventure from director Joe Johnston (The Wolfman, The Rocketeer). Tommy Lee Jones, Neal McDonough, and Stanley Tucci co-star in a film written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley (who previously collaborated on The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). REVIEW: My review here for Captain America: The First Avenger may be a re-visit for most of you FCSyndicate readers out there who have already seen the movie. For me, as it stands, I’m still one more film short before finally catching up to Marvel’s second phase in its second cinematic universe leading Thor: The Dark World and the April 4, 2014 release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. So this was as pretty good an opportunity as any before than […]

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Film Of The Week: ESCAPE PLAN (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: One of the world’s foremost authorities on structural security agrees to take on one last job: breaking out of an ultra-secret, high-tech facility called “The Tomb.” Deceived and wrongly imprisoned, Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone) must recruit fellow inmate Emil Rottmayer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to help devise a daring, nearly impossible plan to escape from the most protected and fortified prison ever built. ESCAPE PLAN is the first pairing of action legends Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in leading roles, and co-stars Jim Caviezel, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Vinnie Jones, Vincent D’Onofrio and Amy Ryan. REVIEW: I was surprised to see how fresh and full of action Escape Plan was when I saw it. I guess it was mainly because I had seen so many Stallone and Schwarzenegger movies my whole life that just when I think they’ve reached their limit, they take themselves a few extra steps of awesome further. […]

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Film Of The Week: EXTRACTION (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: A major feature exclusively for digital, EXTRACTION follows a U.S. Black Ops team member who finds himself the only survivor of a botched prisoner extraction mission. Forced to fight his way out of a maximum-security Chechen prison, he must keep his target alive in order to catch a terrorist arms-dealer who is a threat to thousands of lives. EXTRACTION features Danny Glover (LETHAL WEAPON, THE COLOR PURPLE), Vinnie Jones (SNATCH), Sean Astin (THE LORD OF THE RINGS franchise, RUDY), John Foo (TEKKEN), Joanne Kelly (WAREHOUSE 13) and Falk Hentschel (KNIGHT AND DAY). The movie is written and directed by Tony Giglio (CHAOS, IN ENEMY HANDS), and produced by RANGER 7 FILMS, founded by executive producers Mike Callaghan, Reuben Liber and Justin Bursch. REVIEW: Executive producer, writer and director Tony Giglio‘s latest feature thriller, Extraction, arrives with the start of Crackle’s latest slate of online-content for the Fall season of 2013. The film stars Jon Foo in his newest leading role since […]

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Film Of The Week: BATTLE B-BOY (2012)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: “Da-Fi all odds!” Da-Fi (pronounced “defy”)[noun] 1. Short for Dance Fighting 2. Hand-to-hand combat using dance moves When MIKE discovers his father needs money for heart surgery, he and his B-Boy friends solicit the help of JIMMY, a professional gambler, and enter the world of “Da-Fi,” an underground fight-club where B-Boys and B-Girls physically battle for money and reputation. Rules are simple: fight to the beat of the music and the last team standing at the end of three song changes wins. If you can’t take the heat, you better tap-out before you get knocked-out! As the fights get more dangerous, Mike must learn to work with his team and hold everyone together, or he will lose his father forever. REVIEW: I initially learned about Battle B-Boy earlier this year upon the film’s entry at the Vietnamese International Film Festival back in April. The film has since garnered some […]

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Film Of The Week: KICK-ASS 2 (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: Kick-Ass, Hit Girl and Red Mist return for the follow-up to 2010’s irreverent global hit: ‘Kick-Ass 2.’ After Kick-Ass’ (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) insane bravery inspires a new wave of self-made masked crusaders, led by the badass Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey), our hero joins them on patrol. When these amateur superheroes are hunted down by Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse)—reborn as The Mother Fucker—only the blade-wielding Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) can prevent their annihilation. When we last saw junior assassin Hit Girl and young vigilante Kick-Ass, they were trying to live as normal teenagers Mindy and Dave. With graduation looming and uncertain what to do, Dave decides to start the world’s first superhero team with Mindy. Unfortunately, when Mindy is busted for sneaking out as Hit Girl, she’s forced to retire—leaving her to navigate the terrifying world of high-school mean girls on her own. With no one left to […]

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Film Of The Week: ELYSIUM (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: In the year 2154 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes, a government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds. REVIEW: I’m going to be straightforward and to the point to kick this review off. Or a commentary if you will. Whatever. Prior to this week, I have noticed that there are some people who were already pissed off at Neill Blomkamp‘s latest film, […]

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Film Of The Week: REDEMPTION (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: Homeless and on the run from a military court martial, a damaged ex-special forces soldier navigating London’s criminal underworld seizes an opportunity to assume another man’s identity — transforming into an avenging angel in the process. REVIEW: Prior to a few other movies I ended up seeing recently in the past month after drafting this review, I got around to watching the North American release of Steven Knight’s directorial debut, Redemption. It is a much quieter action film and doesn’t take on many of the characteristics of your favorite Jason Statham-casted typical blockbuster popcorn flicks. Rather, the film is more poignant and character driven in the telling of its story about a fractured former soldier, Joey, wandering the streets among London’s homeless community with girlfriend, Isabel, played by Victoria Bewick. The film continues as Joey is injured while fighting back against a gang of thugs and seperated from Isabel […]

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Film Of The Week: THE WOLVERINE (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: Based on the celebrated comic book arc, The Wolverine finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysteriousfigure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed. REVIEW: One of the best things I can possibly say about the longstanding X-Men film franchise, is how it has remained mostly consistent over the years. I largely put this on the count of some really brilliant acting and screenwriting, put forth in a setting I almost never thought I would see as a live-action property. The amount of creativity it takes to help bring this comic book story to life is such that it’s definitely a challenge, especially when fans so desperately want to see a good film that reflects so heavy on their favorite lifelong heroes. For actor Hugh Jackman, it is a challenge he […]

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Film Of The Week: ONLY GOD FORGIVES (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS Ten years ago in Bangkok Julian killed a cop and went on the run. Now he manages a Thai boxing club as a front for a drugs operation. Respected in the criminal underworld, deep inside, he feels empty. When Julian’s brother kills a prostitute, the police reaches out to retired cop Chang, known as the Angel of Vengeance. Chang allows the father to kill his daughters murderer, then restores order by chopping off the man’s right hand. Julian’s mother Jenna, the head of a powerful criminal organization, arrives in Bangkok to collect her son’s body. She orders Julian to find his killers and raise hell. Increasingly obsessed with the Angel of Vengeance, Julian challenges him to a boxing match, hoping that by defeating him he might find spiritual release but Chang triumphs. A furious Jenna plots revenge and the stage is set for a bloody journey through betrayal and […]

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Film Of The Week: PACIFIC RIM (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: As a war between humankind and monstrous sea creatures wages on, a former pilot and a trainee are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse. REVIEW: I’m not sure if there is anything else I can add to what has already been said by critics in the past few weeks regarding director/co-writer Guillermo Del Toro‘s latest film, Pacific Rim. I think I’ll give it a shot though here, and not only because of the rave reviews it is getting as a summer blockbuster, I also love Del Toro‘s films. Some critics have their opinions when comparing this latest feature to the preconceived genres off of which this film is based, mainly Godzilla, Gamera and all things tokusatsu involving giant man-operated robots with high-tech weaponry. Personally, I had fun watching this film, if not merely for the […]

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Film Of The Week: THE LONE RANGER (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: The Lone Ranger rides again with this big-budget Walt Disney Pictures production starring Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as the famed gunman. The story centers on Tonto’s recollection of the adventures that found lawman John Reid transformed into The Lone Ranger, legendary hero of the Old West. I didn’t grow up watching a lot of Westerns, but I am familar with the genre in my own years as a film follower. So, in coming out of producer/director Gore Verbinski‘s latest film, The Lone Ranger, I was not too familiar with the original source material, but I liked it. The film has its good and bad moments, some stale moments that leave you waiting to want more, and some moments where it definitely counted to stay for the finale. Gore applies his usual penchant for comedic high jinx and spectacular stunts, such is what he is known for […]

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Film Of The Week: SPECIAL FORCES (2003)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: An American journalist is kidnapped by rogue Eastern European forces while committing ethnic cleansing. A US special forces team headed by Major Harding and Talbot, a seasoned SAS operative attempt a rescue. after the attempted rescue is thwarted, the team members, except for Talbot, are either killed or captured. Armed with lethal martial arts ability, Talbot steps in to assist Harding in completing the mission. Actor Scott Adkins is one of the most major milestone figures in action cinema history. I first discovered him in an an action scene for the television show Mutant X, though he was mostly an unknown at the time. Eventually his career would lead him to future roles in TV and film spanning from the U.K. to H.K., including films like Extreme Challenge and Black Mask 2: City Of Masks. Fast forward to 2013, where his talents in acting and screen fighting have granted […]

FILM OF THE WEEK: THE LAST STAND (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: Sheriff Owens is a man who has resigned himself to a life of fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction after leaving his LAPD post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with failure and defeat after his partner was crippled. After a spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy, the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the hemisphere is hurtling toward the border at 200 mph in a specially outfitted car with a hostage and a fierce army of gang members. He is headed, it turns out, straight for Summerton Junction, where the whole of U.S. law enforcement will have their last opportunity to make a stand and intercept him before he slips across the border forever. At first reluctant to become involved, and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately accepts responsibility for […]

FCSyndicate's Morning-After Review: MAN OF STEEL (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: A young itinerant worker is forced to confront his secret extraterrestrial heritage when Earth is invaded by members of his race. When news about Man Of Steel initially came out, I’m pretty sure some people had their doubts. People are always weary of remakes and reboots. And I’m not innocent of that sentiment, because I, too, worry about how a particular property is handled in its adaptation. So when Superman Returns was released in 2006, there were some mixed reactions and it obviously didn’t get a sequel. Personally, I enjoyed it since it felt it paid tribute somewhat to the classic films starring the late-Christopher Reeve. And while some of those movies were popular at the time, I imagine it was a bit tricky to help bring back the franchise in a continuation of that story, particularly since the character and his etymology have been explored several times before […]

FILM OF THE WEEK: PARKER (2013)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: Parker is a professional thief who refuses either to steal from people who can’t afford the loss or hurt those who are innocent. On his latest heist, his crew double-crosses him, stealing his cash and then leaving him for dead. Parker sets out to get his revenge, tracking them down in Palm Beach where they are planning a heist to end all heists. Parker takes on a disguise and a savvy partner, Leslie. Together they come up with a plan to foil the heist and get away without a hitch. I’ve reported a lot about actor Jason Statham in recent months, as he is also one of the busiest people working in his industry between now and next year. He’s got a few gems rolling out soon enough, which include Redemption, Homefront, Heat, a possible appearance in The Expendables 3, and his explosive entrance in Fast And Furious 6 going […]

FILM OF THE WEEK-5/27/13: THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS (1998)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: John Lee is a hired gun who must pay a debt to Asian crime boss Terence Wei. His final mission is to travel to Manhattan to kill the 7-year-old son of the cop responsible for the death of Wei’s son during a drug buy. However, Lee develops a conscious and cannot pull the trigger on the child. He knows this will make him a target and that his mother and sister in Shanghai are living on borrowed time. Trying to return to China, Lee enlists the aid of master forger Meg Coburn to construct a phony passport. But before the job is done, Wei’s trigger men attack and Lee and Coburn begin their long flight, pursued through New York City. A little over a week ago, actor Chow Yun-Fat celebrated his 58th birthday. And looking back on his career, like many American film fans at the time as other […]

FILM OF THE WEEK (5/13/13): THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: It is a dark time in the universe. Planet after planet is falling to an unholy army of Necromongers–conquering warriors who offer ravaged worlds a simple choice–convert or die. Those who refuse their rule hope in vain for someone or something that will slow the spread of Necromongers. But rebels are short-lived and saviors, it seems, are in short supply. When things get bad, weary survivors turn to myths for comfort–murmured propheciesm, vain hopes, legends of good vanquishing evil. But good isn’t always the antidote to evil and legends can be wrong. Sometimes the only way to stop evil is not with good–but with another kind of evil. So an unlikely figure is summoned from exile and asked to join the fight: Riddick, who couldn’t care less who’s in charge of the universe, just as long as he’s left along. Since leaving a god-forgotten (and creature-ridden) planet in the […]

FILM OF THE WEEK-5/6/13: ARAHAN (2004)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: A naive yet passionate Sang-hwan becomes a downtown policeman to help the good and punish the bad. But when it comes to gang crime, he is nothing but a coward. One day he gets discovered by a martial arts master and his training to unleash the true power within him begins. Meanwhile, the Ultimate Evil, Black Cloud, is set loose. Now Sang-hwan, who possesses the absolute power, becomes ‘ the one’ who must save the world. Jong Doo-hong is one of the most beloved and well respected martial arts action directors in Korean cinema history. The first film in which I caught onto his work as an actor and fight choreohrapher was director Ryu Seung-wan’s 2004 science fiction martial arts fantasy action comedy, Arahan: Urban Martial Arts Action. By this time, lead actor Ryu Seung-bum had already appeared in a few other films, including one I still haven’t seen […]