Writer/director James Couche is still in post-production on his independently-made feature debut, Lost Phoenix. The action adventure thriller, starring Wan DraL, Eliza Kelley, and David Norton, was filmed during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and hails from Couche’s longstanding independent film banner, Gunsavior Pictures.
Independent filmmaker James Couche is moving forward with efforts to bring his feature debut, Lost Phoenix, full circle in the new year. It was last month when we showcased the first major stills of the project, building a story off the backdrop of 2020 through a palpable lens and vision with a touch of escapist thrills, and you can check those out here. As for all else, read on:
It’s been several years since some of our readers got to acquaint themselves with contributor James Couche’s ramblings on this website. Fact is, when he’s not publishing here or focused on other projects or important matters, he’s at the helm for his own independent film endeavors as he’s been for the better part of the last fifteen years since serving in the U.S. Air Force a few years earlier.
I’ve written all this on three hours of sleep after an awesome Saturday evening. Still in recovery, yes, but nonetheless willing and able to keep the Hit List action going for another week!
Setting out to cover independent action cinema eventually brought me in the throes of then film duo, Dylan Hintz and James Couche. That was about three or four years ago and both have since gone their individual ways with Hintz currently traveling whilst overseeing his own stunt and training facility in Washington, D.C..
My weekend was a total blank so any weekend fun will have to wait until further notice. The Sense8 finale was great though and I highly recommend it.
TOP: Vanessa Cater, Nick Clapuci, Brendon Huor, Cameron Early, Taylor Krasne
Bott: Rustic B., Gee “Lil’ Bomb” Jay, Marie Fink, Wilson Sze, Jon Alagoa
The Hit List, however, remains priority this week and so it goes with a nifty round of the latest reels from some of today’s best and burgeoning action actors and stunt performers, starting with Blindsided: The Game star Eric Jacobus who just rolled out his latest reel on Monday via Vimeo. Following that is a playlist comprised of reels from Marie Fink, Rustic Bodomov (a.k.a. Rustic B.), Glenn Chow, Joshua Romeo, Thomas Watson, Jen Bennett, Cameron Early, Wilson Sze, Alexander Kushch, Taylor Krasne, Spencer Davis, Kyle Murillo, Chad Mason, Vanessa Cater and co-star of the newly released action thriller, The Debt Collector, David William No!
Promotional goods are light this week but they now come in the form of stills from an upcoming threequel of shorts titled Kiwami, inspired by the Ryū ga Gotoku video game franchise. Stunt performer Jon Alagoa shared a few stills from the project which also enlists Sabine Kviste, Ishigaki Shinji, Cameron Sam and Danny Darwin among the cast. Beneath that is a teaser for Oliver Hollingdale’s John Wick: Prologue following an announcement last October from the Sunnymeade Films channel, and Sugar Crash, the latest brainchild film production from Devon Doyle and filmmaker James Couche and said to promise a whole lot of noir and action scenes – something I think we can all accommodate here, methinks.
KIWAMI 3: STILLS
The action gets a hard and heavy start with Vlad Rimburg. Having proven himself to be one of the most respected and dedicated fight choreographers and filmmakers of his craft for close to two decades, he continued to show his chops with the third and latest installment of the Osu series – one that artistically explores the esoteric philosophies that often bode as universal, hereto otherwise in a realm where hard-hitting, epic battles between Karatekas are both the foundation, as well as the message.
Rimburg’s Osu trilogy kicks off the playlist prior to Andy Whitmarsh‘s latest 30-second bout of experimentation with Jimmy Burgoa Chocó Coco and James Rapson, followed by a newly revealed group fight concept by Tolga Degirmen, and one featuring Nick Clapuci with Christopher Lewis Dunston, Film Combat Syndicate favorite Joseph Le with Cina McKenna and Daniel Son, Lazy Fox Productions’ Justin Antero with shoot ’em up thriller Datastream, some of Nepal’s best in stunt performance with Rohan Jirel, Pema Dorje Lama and Samir Jung K.C. for Kidnapper, and Art School Dropouts’ latest ode to Tokusatsu and legendary dad-heroics with Homemade Hero G starring Gee “Lil’ Bomb” Jay.
Rounding it all out is an extended version of Rising Tiger Films’ Yokosuka Blues: A Shenmue Story. The group released a 10-minute version of the Sega Dreamcast game-inspired fan project back in January and now they’ve gone and doubled down for a twenty-minute offering for more character development leading up to Leroy Nguyen in the role of Goro-san hitting hard and fast in the fight finale to redeem himself against a trio of usupers led by none other than Joseph Le. Rising Tiger Films, the team behind award-winning feature action drama, Black Scar Blues, is certainly one of many groups I’ve kept my eye on in all of nearly fifteen years with independent action and they’ve always entertained.
Enjoy the playlist below and be sure to visit last week’s Hit List for more amazing online indie action content.
TOP: Tolga Degirmen, Joseph Le, David William No, Spencer Davis, Andy Whitmarsh
BOTTOM: Alexander Kushch, Christopher Lewis Duncan, Cina McKenna, Nate Hitpas, Tony Vittorioso
…And, if you or someone you know is a staunch, talented filmmaker with a wealth of knowledge in action on film who has a project that needs either promoting or sharing, run it by us at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com!
The second poster hails from the inner workings of UK-based Decoded Theory with upcoming shortfilm survival thriller, Eden Grey, starring Mhairy Calvey as soldier-turned-fugitive on the run from a military black ops facility in the ultimate fight to expose the truth of her base’s dark experiments. Writer and director Tyrone Samuels produces with R.E. Wolfe and Christopher Jolley, and with a cast that includes Marco Torrens, Keith Porter, Timothy Hofmeier, Gately Freeman, Hannah Chalmers and Al Roye.
Isaac Florentine: It all goes back to the dance movies of the 1930’s and 40’s. When you see Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire dancing, you see them from head to toe with no cuts. When you are working with talented people like Scott Adkins, Michael Jai White or Marko Zaror and you’re working with great stunt performers and a cinematographer that you trust…. you say “why cut?” Let’s push the envelope! Make a fight like the old days!
Decades have passed since the great apocalypse destroyed civilization. The world has now become a reincarnation of the dark ages, warlords rule and fight for domination. Firearms are now scarce and held only by a few who use it to maintain power; hand to hand warfare has returned as the dominant form of control or liberation against tyranny.
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