My weekend was a little adventurous. Nothing major but I do have a few things going on right now that may involve a little less activity here at Film Combat Syndicate, so I can’t guarantee the usual amount of content like always. That won’t stop me from procuring the weekly Hit List as per each Monday evening, because there’s more action to entail along with a small announcement on a project I will be making a cameo in, and you would be wise to keep up!…
First up, as always in our weekly series of playlists is a reel loaded with various training and professional stunt and fighting footage from some of today’s upscale players, including Shaun Finney, Ross Kohnstam, Matt Berberi, Corbin Reinhardt, Aston Crabtree, Shane Yan and Leandra Giese.
And now, onto some short fight videos with a vimeo-exclusive from Tyler Williams in Canada. His latest piece is called Tears with action actress Orphée Ladoceur-Nguyen delivering a brutalizing performance worthy of more screentime. Seriously, bring her on board some more projects, because she has the goods.
The next kicks off the new playlist of shorts this week from performers Taylor Tai, Mig Buenacruz and Cassasndra Mariah with stuntwoman Jennifer Li behind the lens, followed by the second from Rustic B.‘s latest in a series of stop-motion themed action skits now centered on Street Fighter V with actor Tim Neff in the role of Nash.
The third is one that I’m resurrecting from several years ago when Team Ryouko’s own Chris and James Mark were producing a small series of Ultimate Fan Fights. It’s Samantha Jo and Irma Leong in Chun Li VS Tifa, and it’s one video that especially stands out when browsing for these kinds of videos online. It’s earned over a million views via IGN, and for darn good reason, and I’m happy to present it to you if this is your first look at it.
And, the last in the playlist comes from none other than Eric Jacobus, a martial artist, actor and stuntman currently championing characters from the hit game franchise, Tekken. His latest is a dual performance of respective moves of characters Marshall Law and Forest Law, further echoing the fact that Jacobus has these moves down to a Tekken-T!
Enjoy the shorts below!
Just a heads’ up regarding a few projects mentioned in several previous Hit Lists with the first from filmmaker Noel Braham whose latest return to the director’s chair for the new fan film, Star Wars: Exile. Produced by Braham along with co-director Pokey Spears, the short follows a fugitive Jedi Master and her Padawan forced to take their fight to the outer rim planetary systems and face the evil Galactic Empire’s minions. As stated last week, Star Wars: Exile will make its debut at the Historical LA Vista Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday March 5 between 11:00am and 12:30pm, followed by an Atlanta premiere on Saturday, March 12 between 1:00pm and 2:00pm at the Midtown Arts Cinema before digitally premiering on Sunday, March 13.
The next update hails from Canada with a poster and trailer debut for the new action short, Vendetta: Blood Money. The film is the latest collaborative effort from Black Ice 140 and Wuji Films. Kyle Wong and Joshua Zacharias star as two warring assassins vying to be the best at their trade, and that’s not to suggest there won’t be any collateral involved. Wee Johnny’s Irish Pub in Winnepeg is the place to be to catch its February 19 event premiere before its subsequent online debut the following Monday where it will eventually be seen on Film Combat Syndicate’s evening Hit List.
The last trailer is a repost from my earlier piece on Riccardo Gabrielli R.’s new shortfilm proof, Zambo Dende, a fantastic introductory mini-movie which boasts pure potential into new territory for an indigenous Latin superhero. Marko Zaror is the proud star of this gem and deservedly so with all the talent to make this project a fine creation for martial arts and superhero fans alike.
Check out all three posters and watch the trailers for Vendetta: Blood Money and Zambo Dende now.
And now for the amazing shortfilms this week, all to the tune of about an hour and twenty-six minutes of some of the best action film and series content you’ll ever see as of late.
The first one up comes Noah Fleder whose friendship with actress and stuntwoman CC Weske grants us her appeal as a really convincing Daisy Ridley lookalike for the new short Rey Returns, directed by Josh Yadon. Obviosuly this one follows in the footsteps of its box-office predecessor Star Wars: The Force Awakens as Rey, formerly a slave scavenger on Jakku and now swept into a new, epic chapter of her life, Force training under long lost Jedi master Luke. (Pro-tip: Click here to get a glimpse at what’s about to happen next for Force Storm).
The second video hails from none other than industry stunt coordinator Wally Garcia who has been under the radar for a few years now whilst still working in film as his most recent attractions will be seen this summer in Paul Feig’s new movie, Ghostbusters. In the meantime, Garcia has easily become one of my favorites in independent action, playing with fight choreography and stunts all to his own design under his Enso productions banner, now with his newest experimental First Person Shooter short, House Extraction, in which two hitmen are assigned to acquire and return priceless treasure for their employer. The action is as grussome as you would expect with Garcia and fellow performer Mike Jamorski lending a touch of their own unique and charm to their characters, making for quite an entertaining feat in the process.
Third in line is a new little action skit which aired online last month inspired no less by the hit game franchise, Tomb Raider. Actress and cosplayer ShiveeeJam leads the way this season in Boom Raider from the inspired creatives over at Fury Fingers, and delves right into heroine Lara Croft’s unfortunate scrap with enemy soliders when an opportune moment to take her best shot is consistently foiled. This is actually the second time I’ve covered Fury Fingers and they’ve proven to have quite a knack for implenting an adequate hook with their comedy, thus driving the action forward and making Anthony Rinna’s fight choreography truly worth watching.
Fourth up is a shortfilm from Frenchman Godefroy Ryckewaert who has easily become one of my most anticipated filmmakers of the martial arts genre as of late 2014 when I first met him online. His latest, Hiro, stars action actor Alex Duong in the story of a man who abandoned the Yakuza ten years ago, only to be forced into one last job to fight for his new lease on life, although it may already be too late. After winning Best Action Film in the Shorts Block late last year at the Toronto Independent Film Festival, Hiro was finally released online as of Sunday featuring stunt sequences by Ryckewaert along with Louis Paquette and Goran Stjepanovic, and if you ask me, Duong shows plenty of potential here to be an actor as measurably good as he is in stunt performance. He’s going places.
The next video marks more than two years since I’ve begun following filmmaker Philip R. Forteza who intially came under my radar with his own DC-attributed short piece, Beyond: Rebirth. He’s returned now since debuting his trailer last summer for the new webproject, Ghost Ops, and whether or not a series is to come remains to be seen, but Forteza himself is planning five of these puppies, and the first episode is out and in stunning fashion with actress Stef Valencia leading this installation.
The program hails from Truly Indie Studios, the same company that brought you Piccinino’s award-winning 2012 action thriller, The Lackey. Joining the two are are the incomparable Vernon Wells with Anthony Apello and Bat In The Sun’s own Aaron Schoenke, and at least nine more episodes are in tow provided funding comes through which will guarantee more intriguing characters will enter the fray with actresses Tatiana DeKhtyar and martial artist Michelle Lee.
You can view the first episode now online in the playlist below as well as over at 6feetdownunder.com where you will find more info about the brand new show and its amazing cast, including Piccinino whose portrayal as a villainous former IRA militant-turned-hitman for hire proves equally stellar.
The next piece you’ll see is a repost from Friday for director Daniel Malakai Cabrera’s latest shortfilm success, Two Bellmen Two which you can read more about here. And lastly, filmmaker James Campbell’s plans to release his newest Batman fan film, Ripper, fell short of releasing late last year following an Indiegogo push last summer. Thankfully, the project has arrived in all of twenty minutes with no action, but pure and intense drama and look that puts a never-before-seen spin on the famed DC property, and performances by Donald Standen and Bruce Payne. Yes, THAT Bruce Payne.
Watch and enjoy all!
Lead visual artist Marcus Silvera can be seen from time to time live-streaming the completion process through his Twitch.tv account where he will also share some gaming and take questions from viewers.
And last and far from least, and as surreal as it is in writing it, it’s not everyday you get to write about a director’s shortfilm on your name in the news. For me, that day is today with word that stuntman and filmmaker Alex Chung, now in the throes of finishing his newest threequel action comedy short, Hit Me: Apocalypse, has cast me for a small CAMEO appearance! It won’t be a fighting character but will definitely have a place in the comedic backdrop for Chung’s own performance inspired by a cult character trio comprised of those in Fight Club and Evil Dead 2, and all things Jackie Chan.
I have to say this is quite an honor as I’ve written about a few of the folks cast in this project in the past decade off and on. These are some of the most talented folks I know and I’m proud to share the screen with them in my shortfilm debut.
If you missed the first two installments, you can watch them in the player below along with a Hit Me: Apocalypse teaser.
Last week’s Hit List is accessible by clicking here. Otherwise, subscribe to all the channels, and if you or someone you know is a fantastic performer or director with footage you think is a Hit, hit us up at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com!