On the precipice of my second film festival coverage-loaded summer, The Hit List will be taking a brief hiatus until further notice. Alas, I’m happy to be able to put together this tentatively last hoorah while I get things in order on the writing end.
The newest installment of The Hit List is now live for the week of June 1 through the next few weeks, and heading out of the starting line is Tamiko Brownlee for this week’s stunt playlist, followed by reels featuring Sean Gallagher, Justin Robinson, Sierra Heuermann, Ivan Forlani, Kenny Lorenzetti, Beth Williams, Gerard Mármol, Jesse Frietze, Liparit Ambartsumyan, Jamie Chambers, Nino Deys, Eric R. Lim, and a stellar reel hosting the work of one Brad Allan!
The Hit List back for another week of impressive finds from around the world in stunt performance and indie action short content. This was particularly down to the wire as I fell short on time a bit but I’m happy to have pulled through on this some.
Writer and producer Mark Wiley’s Made In Chinatown is firmly planting its feet in for its freshman premiere at the third annual Newark International Film Festival which kicks off its 4-day event in September.
The last several years have been provenly ripe with the rollout of forefront Asian feature film talents, and I’ve proudly hyped them all up on this platform. As of Wednesday, I couldn’t be any prouder to add the name Jay Kwon to the list now with the first promo trailer online for upcoming martial arts comedy, Made In Chinatown, a project long shepherded by author and screenwriter Mark V. Wiley, and directed by martial arts legends, co-stars James Lew (The Perfect Weapon, Rush Hour) and Robert Samuels (Red Wolf, Yes Auntie!)
I have to say, the past week has been a real test for me, but I look forward to having a better year than how things have been of late.
Having been in touch with a few people in the last several weeks since the year started, it’s got mw pondering my possibilities a bit as we approach the summer. Provided things look up for me this year, I should be getting some more outdoor minutes with friends and new faces, so we’ll see..
The good news is I’m getting back a little bit more into a steady viewing of anime. Finished season 3 of My Hero Academia and caught up with the latest in the Silver Soul arc of Gintama, plus I’ve just started picking back up on features I’ve been missing out on so expect some more reviews if possible.
2018 saw the proud partnership of action directors Art Camacho and Robert Samuels for the production of martial arts action comedy, Made In Chinatown. With the film currently in post-production, we now have our first official poster which you can check out below.
I definitely wanted to hit the snooze button a bit this weekend, but I eventually found myself busy reviewing stuff and even catching up on Netflix’s latest Shaw Bros. additions (and frankly I couldn’t be happier)…
Production is currently underway for upcoming martial arts action comedy, Made In Chinatown, with scenes currently being filmed in Philidelphia. The film is being directed by Art Camacho and Robert Samuels (H.K.S.C.), the latter who plays a supporting role in the new film from Tambuli Media and R4 Films L.L.C.
The next several months should get interesting with a crew of knowledgeable action cinema favorites backing the next generation of burgeoning screen stars and stunt professionals. Such would be the latest pairing between acclaimed martial arts cinema stalwarts Art Camacho and Hong Kong stuntman/trailblazer, filmmaker Robert Samuels for independent martial arts comedy, Made In Chinatown from R4 Films L.L.C. and Tambuli Media.
Executive producer Mark V. Wiley penned the screenplay that now offsets action actor Jay Kwon in his debut role as Vinny, an underdog Asian whose identity crisis and romantic interest in a mafioso’s daughter inspires him to win her heart by becoming a “Made” man in the Italian mob. Kwon shares several TV and film stunt performance credits as well as a number of online shortfilms assembled together with some of today’s best finds I’ve sampled in our weekly Hit List column.
Actress Michelle Procida also stars along with Tony Sirico and Vincent Pastore, Joseph D’Onofrio and Raymond J. Barry with Puerto Rican martial arts action star José Manuel, and kung fu cinema mainstays, legends Lo Meng and Hwang Jang Lee, as well as Norman Chin and Wai Hong. Emmy winner James Lew will also co-star is shepherding action direction along with choreography and performance duties from Team One Take’s Hector Soria and Luis Candelario.
Cameras are expected to roll in New York City and Philidelphia from now through the remainder of July and likely in August with a 2019 release – such is my own estimation seeing as how independent productions are usually in almost constant flux. Definitely keep your eyes peeled!
This update comes from left field for me, but the word now is that up-and-comer Jay Kwon has been cast for the lead role of Made In Chinatown, from Tambuli Media and R4 Films L.L.C.. Martial arts stalwart and filmmaker Art Camacho (Half Past Dead 2) will helm the martial arts mob comedy with venerable H.K.S.A. member Robert Samuels (The Red Wolf) serving as co-director in addition to producing and co-starring.
Kwon, who replaces actor and martial artist Alfred Hsing in a robust, last minute recast, will make his feature acting debut in the role of Vinny Chow, an underdog Asian American living New York City’s Chinatown. Chow’s biggest goal is to be with the girl of his dreams, Michelle (Michelle Procida), and so with the help of a ragtag group of friends and the aid of his wise Sifu, he will rise in the ranks of the Italian mafia and become a “Made” man to do it.
Kwon has cut his teeth in both online as well as mainstream TV production; With select stunt performance credits that partly include FX series Lucifer, Marvel’s The Punisher and Iron Fist, he has been an oft favorite here at our site having been featured in many a Hit List entry on Monday evenings with prolific appearances at Bryan Sloyer’s YouTube channel, Sloyerstunts, and even in a Lumix GH5-shot action short from director Sam KJ titled Unmasked which you can view here:
Kwon will be joined by a bevy of screenfighting talents for Made In Chinatown including premiere Puerto Rican martial arts action sensation José Manuel, in addition to the local stunt performance talents at Team One Take who will be intergral in coordinating the action. Shaw Bros. legend and Ip Man franchise co-star Lo Meng further adds to the list of heavy-hitters next to Emmy Award-winning action director James Lew (Marvel’s Luke Cage, Big Trouble In Little China, Timecop, The Perfect Weapon) and Hwang Jang Lee (Drunken Master, Magnificent Warriors, No Retreat, No Surrender II: Raging Thunder), as well as Eric Kovaleski and Chuck Zito (The Martial Arts Kid) and Grandmasters Norman Chin and Wai Hong to name a few.
Rounding out the cast of principles are Tony Sirico, Vincent Pastore and Maureen Van Zandt, Goodfellas and upcoming Brawler co-stars Tony Darrow and Artie Pasquale, and actress Shuya Chang (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, Snakehead, Revenge of the Green Dragons). Screenwriter and magazine editor Mark V. Wiley wrote script and is executive producing.
Last and far from least by way of Vimeo is my birthday tribute to Vlad Rimburg, an independent filmmaker and fight choreography auteur who has been able to expand his horizons over the years assisting a number of industry professionals around the world. His craft, however, lies in the interests that many like myself share dating back to his online roots, notably with the acclaimed 2011 shortfilm, Yo Soy Un Hombre Loco.
So…how was your weekend? I spent mine reviewing a few titles – one which apparently led people to think I was picking a fight with a martial arts expert who lives thousands of miles away from me, which is…STILL hilarious.
Anyway, I also got to look at some great shortfilm items in the past week and I’ve gladly collated them for this week’s installment of the Hit List, kicking off with another round of awesome stunt reels and other cool film bits from around the web. Stuntwoman Ellette Craddock gets a spotlight twice over this week, beginning with her new stunt reel, followed by reels from Brady Jo Merriman, Josh Schmitt, Michael Hartwick and Beni Alexander with action actor and filmmaker Jarrod Crooks, stunt players Tom Caserto, Girvan Bramble and Anton Guryanov, and 3Run Ambassador, stuntman and traceur Bogdan Pascal trekking the terrain in Bilbao, Spain.
Promotional bits are few this week, but ample enough to serve your needs and first up is a trailer from Gunsavior Pictures’s latest action comedy short, Iron Jade which made the rounds this weekend at the Action On Film Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. Angela Lynn and David Norton star while an online date remains pending.
The other is a cool, new and inventive offering from award-winning short film director Daniel Vogelmann who, after earning his acclaim with projects like Dubois (2005) and Welk (2011) makes his return to fray with Hard Way: The Action Musical. Produced by Sebastian Bandel and Florian Gengnagel, Hard Way chronicles the story of Jake, a S.W.A.T. officer bent on vengenace for the death of his partner at the hands of notorious terrorist, The Mother, and with an arsenal that isn’t the usual song and dance for an action movie venture.
The project hails from Fireapple in association with University Of Television And Film Munich and Bayrischer Rundfunk and with funding by Filmfernsehfonds Bayern. The film is now available through Vimeo On Demand with more information and goods pertaining to supporting the project at its official website.
Before we get to this week’s action bits, stuntwoman and staff professor/extraordinare Michelle Christa Smith just made her most stunningly badass appearance in the past week in a new music video featuring recording artist Jackson Harris for the new song, “All Your Love”. Links to purchase for downloading or streaming are in the description, but more importantly, for as long as I’ve been following Smith since the launch of her Facebook, it makes me proud to see her showcase herself in such high-energy and filling fashion. If nothing else, this video is three minutes and fifteen seconds of sexy and sweet!
The action is where its at this week and you’re more than welcome to pay a visit to the aforementioned Ellette Craddock’s official website where her latest judo-themed mix-up, Date Fight, can be spotted in the videos section. Also on deck are Film Combat Syndicate favorites Felix King and Tony Vittorioso in a gem of their own called New Approach, and a brief fight practice short from Ieisha Auyeung with David Van Le and Mig Buenacruz – all viewable exclusively on Vimeo before we commence with this week’s hit-loaded YouTube playlist starting with a quick minute-long fight piece by Daniel Nelson and Ebony De La Haye, and a couple of cool concepts by Team STAMA‘s own Tanguy and Anthony Guinchard.
Continuing the momentum is Mikko Löppönen with a little night time fun featuring Jessica Wolff and Judit Sziva, and a late entry I found titled Dispute with Craig Canning opposite Andy Whitmarsh, and with Ashley Beck lensing before The Beat Down commences for helmer Jennifer Li with Keanu Lam, Matt Kennedy and Oshima Haruka.
Devin Supertramp returns to the Hit List this week with freerunner Calen Chan to bring Sonic The Hedgehog to real-life in 4K before we meet up with vlogger, stuntman and filmmaker Federico Berte in a new experimental comedy bit involving rapiers for The Duel (his intro explains it all by 1:55).
Rounding off the playlist is something truly, awesomely special from actor and filmmaker Jay Kwon who puts morsels of depth, artfulness and energy into his latest piece, Fixed Cost, centered on two partying women lured by a group henchmen against their will, ensuing a deadly fight for freedom from their captors. Katie O’Donovan is another prospect re-emerging once more in the weekly Hit List and if she keeps this up, I may end up becoming a fan!
Also starring are Hester Jean Lee and Oscar Leiva along with Anisha Gibbs and Nick Krawiec.
Enjoy the hits!
Last week’s treats still a blast. If this is your first stop via the Hit List, take a gander and get an even greater whiff of what we collect every week and then subscribe to the channels for your show of support. And, if you or someone you know is an equally talented filmmaker or stunt performer with a solid new reel or a project they’d like to either promote or present, run it by us at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com and let us be the judge!
From there, Stanton Chong – by way of this weekend’s festivities at the Film Fu Fight Festival – makes his return to the Hit List this week representing Eunoia Creations with a ‘Game‘ of his own and with none other than stunt player Sean Kohnke beating up a LOT of Canadians…and all for a good cause!
Needless to say, I have somewhat returned to normalcy and, preferably, in kickass fashion with The Hit List. Actor, stuntman and stunt coordinator John Kreng lights things up this week with an illustrious new work reel chock-filled with stunt action and interview segments he’s done over the years with the likes of Cynthia Rothrock, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez and Keith Vitali. Rounding out the Hit List are reels by Jade Dregorius, Bruce Concepcion, Ariel Lee, Connor Dunn, Malin Kirjonen, Simon Potter, Rosslyn Luke, Gaetan Geloen, Natasha Paul, Noah Schultz, Alli Dunn, Narayana Cabral, Katie O’Donovan and all-around stuntmascot, Zoltan Berencsi.
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