Martial Arts Movie Junkie

14th Apr2013

Images for Man of Tai Chi

by kmiller

It’s been a while since we have heard about Keanu Reeves’ directorial debut film, Man of Tai Chi. The film has a lot of hype surrounding it, and many are clamoring for the latest on this project (including me.) Thankfully, some new images as well as a poster for the film have been released.

For those that don’t know, Man of Tai Chi stars Tiger Chen, a stuntman on the Matrix team. Choreography will be handled by the legendary Yuen Woo-Ping, who also worked on the Matrix.

In addition to these stars, you can also expect to see Iko Uwais, Simon Yam, and Karen Mok. Reeves has a lot to prove with his debut film as a director, but his understanding of the industry and genre may prove to be a fresh breath of air for audiences. If you don’t believe me, check out this fantastic camera demo that was created for the film last year.

Man of Tai Chi Video

I think that this movie has a lot of potential, and it will be interesting to see how Hollywood responds to this type of film. Man of Tai Chi comes out later this year, so the wait won’t be too much longer. I can only hope a trailer is headed our way soon.

Category : News, Upcoming Movies

Tags : Iko Uwais, Keanu Reeves, Man of Tai Chi, Tiger Chen, Yuen Woo-ping

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11th Apr2013

Mel Gibson to Direct Expendables 3?

by kmiller

A lot of stars take to Twitter to announce different things or gauge fan response to certain ideas. Sylvester Stallone has used his account to see how fans would react to the idea of Mel Gibson directing the next Expendables film. Yup, you read that right. Check out his tweet below:

but seriously , what about Mel Gibson directing EXPENDABLES 3? Opinions anyone ? Curious…..

Personally, I don’t see Gibson as a strong contender for this category. I mean, he’s done a couple action films, but does he really have what it takes to direct the film? If that’s the case, why not John Woo, who’s expressed interest in the franchise anyways?

Will these 2 meet once again!?

I’ll be curious to see if this really happens, but I’m guessing Stallone is pretty serious about it. I’ll let you know when we hear a definite response, but take this for what you will right now.

Source: Screen Crush

Category : News, Upcoming Movies

Tags : Expendables 3, Jet Li, Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone

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10th Apr2013

Trailer for Idharammayilatho

by kmiller

You gotta give Tollywood credit for blending different genres together. Idharammayilatho has action, music, dancing, romance, and violence. Seriously, check out this trailer!

Idharammayilatho Trailer

The title can be translated to “with two girls” but it’s clearly putting action in the forefront. Allu Arjun plays the lead role, and it’s clear that he’s not afraid to stab a few people. The fights look pretty solid and well done, with is impressive. I doubt we’ll ever see a US release of this film, but sometimes it’s cool to see what other countries have to offer and what they are doing.

Source: Twitch

Category : News, Upcoming Movies

Tags : Allu Arjun, Idharammayilatho

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09th Apr2013

Images of Jaa and Lundgren for A Man will Rise

by kmiller

Well, it looks like Tony Jaa is keeping himself busy these days. In a rather interesting set of images, it appears that Tony Jaa and Dolph Lundgren will be sharing the screen together for A Man will Rise.

There isn’t a lot of info regarding the film, except that it was originally the film that JCVD was supposed to do ant that it will be a Thai action/comedy film.I’m not sure why JCVD backed out, but this will surely bring Jaa back onto people’s radars. Another bit of bad news is that the production of this film will push back the release of Tom Yum Goong 2, though I doubt it will release before Jaa’s big comeback film.

That being said, I’m partially worried about the “comedy” aspect of the film. A lot of Asian films are very slapstick and don’t translate very well. If they want to appeal to an international audience, there needs to be a different approach to the comedy. Needless to say, I’ll be keeping a close eye on this one.

Category : News, Upcoming Movies

Tags : A Man will Rise, Dolph Lundgren, JCVD, Tom Yum Goong 2, Tony Jaa

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08th Apr2013

Kickstarter for Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist

by kmiller

Some of you might have seen a little video called Street Fighter Legacy. It was created back in May of 2010, and it quickly became an online hit. Fans of the franchise were excited to see their favorite characters exchange blows with good choreography and strong effects. If you don’t believe me, check it out for yourself.

Street Fighter Legacy

Well, it seems as though the creators of the film are ready to gear up and take everything to the next level. Director Joey Ansah revealed that Assassin’s Fist will be a series and focus on the relationship of a core set of characters.

After the success of ‘Street Fighter: Legacy’, we decided that we would put the ‘World Warrior’ scripts on the shelf, to be used down the line as a bigger-budget sequel, and instead work on the origin story of the Ansatsuken characters: Ryu, Ken, G?ken, G?ki/Akuma and G?tetsu. It is this Japanese-centric storyline that really grabs me the most. It is a true warrior’s tale; a coming of age story for Ryu and Ken as boys become men; told in parallel with the dark tale of the generation that came before them, filled with tragedy, loss and heartbreak.

This story really contains all the elements of universal, classic, conflict based story telling; father vs. son; brother vs. brother; a love triangle; betrayal; revenge; and the ultimate question: ‘Can a man change his destiny? Or will the inevitable catch up with him?‘.

About 2/3 of the funding has been acquired, but the kickstarter is needed to ensure that the series can be greenlit and get everything needed to make it the best possible. Learn more about the project by checking out this video created for Kickstarter:

If you are interested in donating to this series, click here to go the the Kickstarter page. I wish the guys the best of luck and hope they are able to get the support they need to make this dream a reality.

Sources: IGN and Street Fighter Assassin’s Fist Kickstarter Video

Category : News, Upcoming Movies

Tags : Assassin's Fist, Joey Ansah, Kickstarter, Legacy, Street Fighter

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07th Apr2013

Trailers for Tai Chi Hero and 1 LAWAN SATU

by kmiller

It’s the beginning of a new week, and a lot of great stuff has been floating around the internet. Two new (and very different) trailers have been released for some highly-anticipated films.

The first film to have a new trailer is Tai Chi Hero. This sequel to Tai Chi Zero picks up right after the sudden ending of the first one, and will tie story together. Be sure to check out the recap and new footage below:

Tai Chi Hero Trailer

While the first film didn’t amaze me the way that I had hoped, I’ve heard that the sequel corrects a lot of the missteps the original made. Plus, you’ve got Yuen Biao in the film, and that’s never a bad idea. Well Go USA will be bringing this film to us in a matter of weeks, as it will be shown in select theaters on April 26th!

Next up is a teaser for the Malaysian film One on One (or 1 Lawan Satu.) This movie got a lot of people talking because of the gritty take on fighting that is has. I’m sure that it was inspired by the Raid, but that’s not a bad thing to aspire to be. Check out the teaser below:

Teaser

This movie may help Malaysia get itself noticed and prove that it has a lot of talent to showcase. I’m interested in seeing how this film does overall and if it gives the genre a push like other films have in similar situations. You can never have too much talent in the industry, and new faces are always welcome!

What are you most excited for? While both films are different in tone, I think that they cater to fans of all types. Hopefully they will both be able to impress and prove that this year is indeed a great year for action fans around the world.

Sources: Twitch and City on Fire

Category : News, Upcoming Movies

Tags : 1 lawan satu, One on One, Tai Chi Hero, Well Go USA

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04th Apr2013

Choose a Weapon with the Stunt People

by kmiller

The Stunt People are one of my favorite action teams out there. They are always trying to raise the bar and do something new and different. Many of you will remember them from the FPS Lightsaber battle. If not, click the link! This new video is the next evolution of that type of fight scene.

I give you, the “Choose Your Weapon” Round 1

Choose Your Weapon Round 1

I know what you are thinking, it’s “banana!” Ok, maybe not, maybe it’s “nunchucks.” Either way, you can have an impact on what weapon is used in the next sequence. It’s a fun little idea that urges people to be vocal and have fun doing it. From a fight choreography perspective, I’m really impressed with how the whole fight flows. It appears to be all in one take, and the part where the fighter catches the knife was really awesome.

I’m guessing that most people will go for the banana in this fight, but I’m hoping future rounds will really be tough decisions. Make sure to visit the source video and let your voice be heard so that you can see the outcome in the next video!

Category : News, Videos

Tags : Choose Your Weapon, Eric Jacobus, Fight, Stunt People

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03rd Apr2013

Trailer for Arena of the Street Fighter

by kmiller

It’s been a while since I’ve talked about Mike Moeller. but I’m happy to let you know that the man is still hard at work and beating people down like the best of them. You may remember a film he was working on called Urban Fighter. If not, that’s fine, since it’s been retitled to Arena of the Street Fighter now.

No matter what you want to call it, there is a sweet new trailer up for it now. Give it a look:

Arena of the Street Fighter Official Trailer

I’m really impressed at how Moeller was able to get so many big names in the trailer, as they can vouch for his credibility and talents. The film was also written and directed by Moeller, so he’s a man of many hats. I’ve been looking forward to this movie for a while now, and hopefully the wait is almost over. My fingers are crossed that we’ll be seeing this movie stateside sometime this summer.

Also, be sure to click here to read the bio I wrote about Mike

Source: Film Combat Syndicate

Category : News, Upcoming Movies

Tags : Arena of the Street Fighter, Mike Möeller, Urban Fighter

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02nd Apr2013

Images for Berandal and News on Chinatown

by kmiller

It looks like I’ve got some good news and some bad news today. Let’s start with the good news. Berandal is right on track and filming is going well. Director Gareth Evans was kind enough to upload a few pics of what we can expect. In case you don’t know what to expect, it’s gory.

It’s easy to see that the bigger budget is being used very well. However, that doesn’t mean money is just being thrown away. You can read Gareth Evans’ twitter to learn how to make a squib by using some condoms. Yup, you read that right. I hope that we are able to see some sample rehearsals or fights in the weeks to come.

Ok, now on to some more disheartening news. If you’ve been looking forward to Johnny Nguyen’s Chinatown (or Cho Lon) you might have to wait for a while. It’s been reported that censors have not approved any version of the film and the movie has been put on hold.

I’m not sure what’s causing the issue. It could be the violence or a specific sequence, but it seems like more than one version was submitted and shut down. If the film does not get approved, it won’t get international clearance either. It’s sad to know there are still countries that have to pass censorship laws (especially when I talk about Berandal in the same article) but it makes me realize that creative freedom isn’t equal in all countries.

Hopefully we will hear good news about Johnny Nguyen and learn when his film will be released.

Sources: Twitter and Twitch

Category : News, Upcoming Movies

Tags : Berandal, Cho Lon, Gareth Evans, Iko Uwais, Johnny Nguyen, The Raid

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01st Apr2013

Short teaser for Mortal Kombat Legacy Season 2

by kmiller

Mortal Kombat Legacy sure knows how to get people talking. The first trailer was shown online, and now it’s time for the TV audience to see what’s in store for them. A TV spot was released yesterday night, and you can check it out right here.

Mortal Kombat TV Spot

So, why on earth would I want to show a shorter trailer than the one we’ve already seen? I mean, it doesn’t show anything new, so what’s the big deal? Well, I think this is pretty big news because of when the teaser was shown. Apparently, it was shown during the airing of the Talking Dead. In case you don’t know, the Talking Dead is the show that airs right after the Walking Dead. Now, I’ve never seen the Walking Dead, but I’m not oblivious to how big of a hit the series is and can understand the potential this one commercial can create.

I think that this is a huge win for the franchise in order to bring in new fans and get people interested in the first season as well. I’m sure that if things go well, we can expect a full-feature film after this season is complete. I’m really glad to see that there is a lot of faith in the series and that there is a serious marketing effort behind it. I mean, think about it. It’s a web series that’s getting airtime as a commercial on television. That’s pretty big.

Here’s the original trailer in case you missed it: