THE HIT LIST: April 23, 2018
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L to R (top): Joanna Ke, Kyle Murillo, Ruben Maldonado, Jason Elwood Hanna, Cassandra Ebner L to R (bottom): Nik Pelekai, Aline Mayne, John Soares, Erin Haus, Johnny Gao |
Most of these shortfilms have also appeared online before being set exclusive to the event, including Jason Satterlund’s The Force And The Fury which was a great find for The Hit List last May. The showcase kicks off on Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and April 29 at the Monica Film Center and runs about 85 minutes. Check out the posters for the subsequent line-up and the available trailers I managed to scavenge for the week, and then click here to get tickets!
FIRST SAMURAI IN NEW YORK– SHORT NARRATIVE: In the late 1800’s, a Japanese samurai family, who recently immigrated to New York, clash with local Irish gangsters out for blood. Adult themes. Maho Honda; Kyo Kasumi; Gabe Fazio; Mike Houston; Justin Ambrosino, director. Sword violence. Fight action. F-lang. Subtitles. USA
PROTECTRESS– SHORT NARRATIVE: During battle, a healer duels with her mortal enemy in an unsettling form, facing an impossible choice that will forever forge her destiny as a warrior. Joanna Ke; Charlotte Bjornbak; America Young, director. Fight action. USA
SHIELDMAIDEN– SHORT NARRATIVE: In medieval Norway, a defiant young Viking woman named Sigrid is thrust into a fight for survival when a violent raiding party invades her homeland. Olena Medwid; Aaron Harrison; Jackson Berlin; Richard Wasnock; Shawm McKinney; Benjamin Janicki, director. Fight action. USA
TRIALS OF EMBER STAGE ONE – SHORT NARRATIVE: A warrior fighting to escape a virtual world is forced to relive the death of her only brother. Amy Schumaker; Jayme Woscjechowski; Steve Lamorte, director. Fight action. USA
THE ZONE- SHORT NARRATIVE: A young woman turns to sport hypnosis to improve her boxing skills and faces the challenge of an underground fight that may change her life. Denisse Bon; Anthony Ray Parker; David Tirado; Sarah Brown; Monica Azevedo, director. Boxing. USA
LOST IN TRANSIT – SHORT NARRATIVE: A martial arts teacher gets caught up with the possession of a briefcase being protected by a girl he knows. Cassandra Ebner; Ken Do; Osric Chau; Berlin Lu; Simon Chin, Stanton Chong, director. Adult. Fight action. Canada
RFLKTR- SHORT NARRATIVE: A pilot crashlands on an alien planet where she faces an unexpected enemy. Breeda Turner; Mark K. Turner, director. Sci-fi action. USA
THE FORCE AND THE FURY- SHORT NARRATIVE: A Jedi crash lands on a barren planet and is pursued by a mysterious Sith who seems to know him. Aris Juson; Deborah Lee Smith; Jason Satterlund, director. Sci-fi sword action. Family. USA
The fights and films section is literally packed with amazing gems and the first of which brings us to content exclusively available for a limited time courtesy of Comicbook.com. The first episode went live for Bat In The Sun’s new series, Ninjak VS. The Valiant Universe, following the last two years of production and comic-con hype-building. Michael Rowe stars in the title role who is forced into a battle royale with other superhero when his weakness is exposed. Check out the trailer below, and then head to Comicbook.com and enjoy the show!
Rounding out the playlist are two delightful additions to this week’s roster, and first up is a project that comes by way of one of Film Combat Syndicate’s latest contributors. As most of Nicholas Ortiz’s time is dedicated to keeping the engine running over at Deviant Children Productions, this site is happy to proudly present Krystal “Honey” Pizzaro into the mix and all-smiles and beatdowns in Ortiz’s new neon-lit, hard-hitting thriller, Black Betty.
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L to R (top): Javier Lezama, Jonathen Pantera Wallace, Tatiana DeKhytar, Phil Soulides, Joe Chacon L to R (bottom): Kate Angus, Bryan Dodds, Alfredo Sanchez, Kai Young, Olena Medwid |
Native New Yorker. Lover of all things pizza, chocolate, pets, and good friends. Karaoke hero. Left of center. Survivor. Fond supporter of cult, obscure and independent cinema - especially fond of Asian movies and global action cinema. Author of the bi-weekly Hit List. Founder and editor of Film Combat Syndicate. Still, very much, only human.
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