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PicsArt_11-30-09.01.21

FIVE-A-DAY ROUND-UP XIV: Aquaman, Deadpool 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, Alpha

I haven’t seen Justice League yet but I heard it was another mixed bag for some fans. Going forward, Warner Bros. still has a stake in the DCEU and will be ramping up efforts to promote James Wan’s own contribution, Aquaman, to the masses ahead of its December 21, 2018 release with Jason Momoa reprising as the Atlantean king now forced to deal with internal woes of his own Kingdom while fighting to preserve peace with people on land. I’ll see Justice League soon enough to garner an opinion here. Beyond that, let’s hope it’s not too late for the studio to pull itself together on this. A quick Google search reveals that Deadpool 2 is actually supposed to have a much less generic title…unless it’s Deadpool 2 then I really have no complaints and Fox shouldn’t really overkill on this one. Ryan Reynolds is back as well as select […]

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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 […]

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INUYASHIKI: Sato Shinsuke’s New Anime Adaptation Takes Flight In The First Teaser

Anyone looking toward another year of ambitious live-action and manga adaptations can assure their current hopes in director Sato Shinsuke. He has two coming in the new year, one of which includes Inuyashiki, starring Kinashi Noritake an old man forced to face a looming threat in the form of a vindictive high school student following an explosion that renders them with extraordinary abilities. Inuyashiki Ichiro is an elderly man, working for a company. One day, Inuyashiki Ichiro is involved in an explosion. When he regains consciousness, he discovers that he is now a cyborg with incredible powers. He decides to use his powers to help those in need. Meanwhile, Shishigami Hiro is a high school student. He was also involved in the same explosion and has gained the same the powers as Inuyashiki Ichiro. Shishigami Hiro decides to use his power to kill off all those who are hostile to […]

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GRINGO Red-Band Trailer Is Absolutely Wild!

Amazon Studios rolled out their first official trailer in fine form for Nash Edgerton’s new road action comedy, Gringo. David Oyewolo leads and teases a hilarious fish-out-of-water narrative for this one with actress Charlize Theron milking the heck out of another boss role alongside Joel Edgerton fetching his best American accent to date. Mild-mannered pharmaceutical company executive Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) takes a business trip from Chicago to Mexico with his cutthroat bosses Richard (Joel Edgerton) and Elaine (Charlize Theron).  At the company’s Mexican lab, Richard orders manager Sanchez (Hernán Mendoza) to stop selling the bioengineered marijuana product Cannabax to a brutal, Beatles-loving cartel kingpin known as The Black Panther. Meanwhile, straight-arrow Harold learns he’ll be out of a job as soon as Richard and Elaine sell their newly cleaned-up company to a conglomerate. And when he turns to his wife Bonnie (Thandie Newton) back home for comfort, she confesses […]

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FIVE-A-DAY ROUND UP XIII: The Commuter, Hard Powder, Kickboxer: Retaliation, Sinners And Saints: Vengeance, And Incoming!

Liam Neeson starts it all off today with a look at The Commuter. By now a lot of us are already familiarized with the new contained action thriller seeing Neeson’s latest team-up with Jaume Collet-Serra about a man forced to play a dangerous game on a high-speed train. As unassuming as she is, Vera Farmiga stars as our villain this time around and with a release date now set for January 12 and 19 in the U.S. and U.K. respectively. Hans Petter Moland sets things two for two today with a look at Hard Powder also starring Liam Neeson. Taking cues from his own 2014 crime comedy about a humble snowplow driver who sets out to investigate his son’s murder only to offset a turf war between two gangs, a release date remains pending while Neeson is joined by Emmy Rossum, Julia Jones, Tom Bateman and William Forsythe. The remake […]

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SICARIO 2: SOLDADO – Brolin And Del Toro Wage War On Everyone In The First Official Trailer

Where the war on drugs gets dark and dirty, Denis Villeneuve got even darker and dirtier with the 2015 hit, Sicario. This time with director Stefano Sollima, it’s every man for himself with actors Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro striking back in the upcoming sequel, Sicario 2: Soldado and an official trailer has arrived to make its most explosive case yet! After discovering that drug cartels are smuggling terrorists across the US border, the CIA sends Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and former undercover operative Alejandro (Benicio del Toro) to eliminate the problem. Along the way, Alejandro revisits his old nemesis to settle scores. Set your calendar reminder for June 29 when the film releases with Catherine Keneer and Matthew Modine also starring. Peep the trailer below now!

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HARB KARMOOZ: Scott Adkins Joins Amir Karara-Led Egyptian Period Actioner

With a swathe of projects coming in through next year, actor and martial artist Scott Adkins is adding to the list having headed to Egypt for his latest endeavors, Thus, advancing the production of the new movie, Harb Karmooz (Karmooz Wars), is director Peter Mimi who also rejoins Amir Karara, the star of Mimi’s recent framed fugitive TV series drama, Kalabash. Details on Adkins’s role remain hidden while the overall plot sees our setting during the middle of the 20th century under the reign of Egypt’s last royal, King Farouk. Mohamed el Sobky’s script sees Karara starring as Youssef el Masry, a police officer living in the district of Karmooz in Alexandria where he fights and fends off numerous villains and at one point saves a girl from being raped. Karara is joined by a predominant cast of locals including Mostafa Khater, Ghada Abdel Razek, Bayoumy Fouad, Fathy Abdelwahab and […]

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FIVE-A-DAY ROUND-UP XII: Proud Mary, Plan B, Mrs. K, Triple Threat, The Green Ghost

The bold and beautiful Taraji P. Henson leads this one with a look at Proud Mary which stands to gain amply as a milestone effort at the top of the new year, especially since we nary see a black female lead in an action vehicle. London Has Fallen helmer Babak Najafi directs this, the story of a hitwoman who crosses paths with a young boy after a hit job gone awry. January 12 is the date! We were the first to bring you a North American review of German martial arts action comedy, Plan B: Scheiss Auf Plan A, since its summer release and news of U.S. acquisition still awaits knowing. The film debuts German stunt, film and screenfighting design troupe, Reel Deal Action, center stage for the story of four friends caught in a dangerous game involving the search of an infamous safe hidden somewhere in Berlin. Martial arts […]

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Michael Jai White: ‘Expect BLACK DYNAMITE 2 Announcement In Early 2018 And Much More’

The last eight years have been especially stirring for actor and cult martial arts superstar Michael Jai White. The continued appreciation and sequel hopes for films like Blood And Bone, Ernie Barbarash’s Falcon Rising and White’s Never Back Down: No Surrender, remain unwaning, and the same especially goes for the instant favorite, Black Dynamite, Scott Sanders’s 2009 homage to blaxploitation from Destination Films and Apparition. Whatever the case may have been or will be, if any sequels will arise then it’s best to follow the word of individuals close to the material, and as it stands, none other than White himself was the man to go to in a recent interview at The Action Elite while promoting Cops And Robbers. Much with what White states is ado with mentions of television series continuations, particularly with respect to Barbarash’s film which White at one point cited as a film with a […]

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Paramount Scores Dates For Third G.I. JOE Film And Three Other Titles

It’s been about four years since the protracted 3D post-production and release of Jon M. Chu’s highly-received sequel adaptation, G.I. Joe: Retaliation for Paramount Pictures. Prospects have since remained lagging for the film franchise itself since launching in 2009 with The Rise Of Cobra under Stephen Sommers, albeit upward nonetheless with actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson having all but ascended his way through to having his own star etched on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. With that in mind, Hasbro has also been busy in the last few years with the advancement of its own Hasbro-based movieverse in which to include the G.I. Joe saga along with its other properties: namely Micronauts, Visionaries, M.A.S.K. and ROM. Akiva Goldsman was tapped to lead a writers’ room as of Spring 2016 to help manifest the CU with Hasbro and Allspark Pictures and all has since been quiet with respect to these efforts. […]

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MORTAL ENGINES: London Goes Hunting In The First Official Teaser

MORTAL ENGINES: London Goes Hunting In The First Official Teaser

Phillip Reeve’s award-winning inaugural fantasy novel, Mortal Engines, breathed new life into its fandom upon the announcement of a live-action adaptation from the team that brought loyal movielovers The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit. Here and now rejoining acclaimed Peter Jackson serving in a writing and producing capacity is Oscar-decorated VFX wizard Christian Rivers in his first major debut at the helm for a what looks to be a reverent, lively cinematic transition for the start of a new franchise going into 2018. Thousands of years after civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, humankind has adapted and a new way of living has evolved. Gigantic moving cities now roam the Earth, ruthlessly preying upon smaller traction towns. Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan)—who hails from a Lower Tier of the great traction city of London—finds himself fighting for his own survival after he encounters the dangerous fugitive Hester Shaw […]

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ANG PANDAY: Catch The Trailer For Coco Martin’s Fantasy Action Adventure

Steve Gan’s eponymous 1981, Ang Panday, a comic centered on a blacksmith destined to defend the Earth from evil with a majestic sword forged from supernatural ore, saw its rise to popularity and continued lifespan over the years. Having segued into a series live-action films, spin-offs and TV shows to date, folks can now expect its return to the big screen with Rodel Nacianceno (best known as Coco Martin) donning the title role for his latest solo debut at the helm from Star Cinema. Lizardo, the immortal evil nemesis of Panday comes back from the world of darkness to once again bring havoc to the human race. With Flavio III not knowing that his bloodline is the only one capable of destroying Lizardo, he will have to scour different worlds to be able to gain the trust of the mythical power of the legendary sword. Martin is joined by Jake […]

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Simon West’s TSUNAMI LA Sets Korean Movie Star Gang Dong-Won’s U.S. Debut

South Korean actor Gang Dong-Won (Kundo, Master, The Priests) is one of his region’s most popular actors. That said, if you were to ask me if he would be on par for a Western debut, I’d say your guess is as good as mine…or in this case, Stratton, Gun Shy and The Expendables 2 helmer Simon West’s.   Per Variety’s exclusive over the weekend, Tsunami LA is the title of Gang’s American debut with international reps Hannibal Classics and Foresight Unlimited producing through a $55 million dollar budget. The film is currently in pre-production for a 2019 relese with a story telling of a massive tidal wave that hits Los Angeles. “I found the script very interesting when Hannibal first showed it to me. Also, people of my generation all have a special reminiscence about West’s ‘Con Air’,” Gang told Variety. “And it is a rare opportunity obtain a leading role […]

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FIVE-A-DAY ROUND-UP XI: Creed 2, Ready Player One, The Last One, Tomb Raider, X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Lest we stray too far from Stallone, we can’t continue from yesterday without mentioning Creed 2. Ryan Coogler shepherded the 2015 spin-off near perfectly with Michael B. Jordan starring, and host to a bevy of talent as well as a spry and impressive one-take boxing match midway in the film. Stallone and attached filmmaker Stephen Caple Jr. will commence production in Spring next year with Jordan joined once more by Tessa Thompson along with the long-rumored, expected return of Rocky IV antagonist Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago, and bearing rumors in mind, an actor slated to play Drago’s son, whoever that is.  Shooting a commercial with Dolph today… Getting ready for working with the big man in CREED 2 A post shared by Sly Stallone (@officialslystallone) on Dec 14, 2017 at 4:59pm PST With Ernest Cline’s 2011 publication of Ready Player One.. I never even read the book. All I […]

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Review: MEMOIR OF A MURDERER Deliniates A Solicitious, Compelling Profile With Ferocious Resolve

Won Shin-Yeon landed a healthy crowdpleaser in 2013 with the Gong Yoo-led espionage fugutive actioner, The Suspect. The former stuntman-turned-director has dabbled sufficiently in years prior with other genres like horror, comedy and suspense and for this, his latest novel adaptation, Memoir Of A Murderer, should generally prove a worthy blend of each for Won’s audience among others. Pacing overall wanes midway into the film to a small extent as Won extracts as much narrative as he can from Kim Young-Ha’s 2013 publication. Accomplished in wake of this are a mulitude of things that help supplement the film’s progression without losing its identity or energy, including solid performances from the cast led by Rikidozan and The Merciless star, actor Sol Kyung-Gu who compels as Kim Byeong-Soo, a stoic former serial killer-turned-veterinarian now struggling with dementia and looming Alzheimers. True to its film title, Memoir Of A Murderer dives right in […]

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‘Annabelle’ Helmer’s Dystopian Invasion Thriller, THE SILENCE, Sets At Global Road

Global Road Entertainment recently announced its U.S. acquisition to author Tim Lebbon’s forthcoming 2018 novel, The Silence. Chairman and CEO of Global Road Entertainment Rob Friedman made the case last week to the press with the goal of ramping of the company’s film production slate this year, and with Annabelle helmer John Leonetti to direct. THE SILENCE is the story of a family struggling to survive in a world terrorized by a deadly, primeval species who have bred for decades in the pitch darkness of a vast underground cave system, hunting only with their acute hearing. As the family seeks refuge in a remote haven where they can wait out the invasion, they start to wonder what kind of world will remain when they’re ready to emerge. Leading the cast will be Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones, Spotlight), Miranda Otto (Showtime’s Homeland, Annabelle: Creation), Kiernan Shipka (AMC’s Mad Men) and […]

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STRIKE BACK Calls For Payback In The First Official Series Trailer

Hit Cinemax series Strike Back is making a stellar return amid a slate of fresh new serial content for the network in 2018. A new cast sets things in order for the rebooted show which has already begun airing in the U.K. at Sky One and will succeed its rollout for North America on February 2. Disavowed and disbanded, the Section program is restored in order to track down a notorious terrorist following a brutal prison break. Tasked with covert military intelligence and high-risk operations, the resurrected unit embarks on a lethal manhunt that will uncover a vast web of interconnected criminal activity. As the team journeys across the Middle East and Europe, they uncover a deadly conspiracy that threatens to overwhelm them all and change the face of modern warfare forever. Headlining are actors Warren Brown and Daniel MacPherson, and actresses Roxanne McKee and Alin Sumarwata with Nina Sosanya, […]

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Vincent Zhao-Starring INVISIBLE TATTOO Inks A Stimulating Action Teaser

Much was ado earlier this season for actor and martial artist Vincent Zhao whose latest with director and co-star Lu Yitong now spawns the retitled period pic, Invisible Tattoo. The project is a 1935-set actioner that takes place in a southwestern salt industry town and there’s no doubt that some thrilling martial arts action will ensue per recent stills and an official teaser now online. Xu Dongdong, Li Mincheng, Sang Ping, Sawada Ken, Juliet Gama and Wang Shengdi also star along with none other than actor and freerunning stunt extraordinare David Belle in his latest stint in China since last year’s Super Express. That’s all there is to document for now about this movie while the teaser itself is ripe and yours to watch and rewatch to your heart’s desire. Peep it.

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KILL OR BE KILLED: ‘John Wick’ Team To Tackle Image Comics Adaptation

Stunt veteran and second unit director-turned filmmaker Chad Stahelski has his plate full going into 2018. With John Wick: Chapter Three currently in pre-production and a reboot of sword-swinging immortal saga, Highlander, still cooking under the pen, Stahelski is reportedly attached to another project as of this week with word from The Hollywood Reporter on Ed Brubaker’s Sean Phillips-inked 2017 Image Comics publication, Kill Or Be Killed. The project tells of a depressed college student who attempts suicide. He survives due to unlikely events but is soon visited by a demon who explains that he was the one who spared the student’s life. But there’s a price to be paid: Going forward, the young man will be allowed to live one month for every person he kills. Stahelski is reteaming with John Wick franchise producer Basil Iwanyk who will produce Kill Or Be Killed with Erica Lee at Thunder Road along […]

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FIVE-A-DAY ROUND-UP X: Showdown In Manila, Savage Attack, Maximum Impact, Escape Plan: Hades, Escape Plan: Devil’s Station

There’s no way we’re not including five more beefed up reasons to look out for more action titles to come in 2018. Here’s the latest Five-A-Day round-up!… Keep in mind what lies ahead from multifaceted actor and producer Alexander Nevsky who made a steady and feasible effort in the past year with Black Rose. His biggest project thusfar, Mark Dacascos’s Showdown In Manila aims to top it having already been a reported hit in Russia and now stakes a U.S. release from ITN with Nevsky and actor Casper Van Dien who summon a team of badasses to tackle a terrorist organization upon uncovering a murder. January 19 is the limited theaters date followed by a Digital and VoD rollout on January 26. Romeo Must Die and Cradle 2 The Grave helmer Andrzej Bartkowiak’s new film, Maximum Impact, is still a bit of an anomaly. The project doesn’t yet have a […]

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