Lots of stuff to explore this week! Congrats to the winner of the drawing! (Be sure to e-mail me your address a kmiller.mamj@gmail.com)
Donnie Yen and Wilson Yip Depart Ip Man 3
The Forge Gives Strength to Those in Pain
Leeder and Law Join the Berandal Cast
Fight of the Week: Yo Soy Un Hombre Loco
Details on Swelter and Justice
Martial arts fights can be used to convey a number of different messages. Many simply shrug it off as a simple form of entertainment, but there are some special exceptions to the case. Videos can be created that strike a blow to a person’s heart, lingering in their thoughts for days to come. The Forge is such a video.
Eric Lim is an up-and-coming filmmaker with a lot of passion. He’s made creative shorts in the past, and has proven his talent time and again. However, his life was shaken when his sister took her own life back in 2011. People cope with loss in a number of different ways, and Lim struggled to find meaning of it all. Eric’s sister left her savings behind for him to use, and he tried to come up with a method that would use the money in a proper manner.
He eventually turned to friend Stephen Reedy, who interviewed Eric and his family to get a better grasp of the emotional struggle each member faced. He watched home videos, paying attention to the funeral eulogy video as well. It was then that Reedy recalled an idea that he had but on the back burner. Coming from a metal art background, he had always wanted merge fighting with Blacksmithing. This became the concept for the Forge, a project that gave Eric Lim a way of expressing himself while extending a hand out to those who are in a personal hell themselves.
The funding helped start the idea, but several miracles made this video something even more special. The Forge took a year to make, and the list of helping hands is impressive. Talented people like Dennis Ruel and Vadislav Rimburg used their martial arts filming expertise to create a believable fight sequence. Director/writer Stephen Reedy was able to take Eric’s message to the next level, creating a visual style and story that fit Eric’s message perfectly and filming it accurately with his knowledge of fight choreography.
Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory, singer Malukah, and renown cellist Tina Guo created the soundtrack for the Forge. Visual effects were created by Chris Saul and Lincoln Smith, while the monster’s look was created by Alex Pardee. All of these people worked on this project for free because they believed in Lim’s message. The video was also hosted by the Youtube Channel SoulPancake, which was created by Rainn Wilson (frequently known as Dwight from the Office) at no charge because they were moved as well.
Give the video a look and see what moved so many people:
The Forge – For Anybody Hurting
The Forge set out to convey a message to those that are in pain, and it hits very emotional notes in the process. If you would like to make an impact as well, you can download the soundtrack to the Forge for any price you see fit. You can also learn more about the Forge by visiting the official website.
Lastly, check out the BTS video to see how much really went into the creation of this passion project.
The Forge is a video that will have a different meaning to everyone who watches it. Those that are in a dark place may see a glimmer of hope while those that have lost someone might feel the pressure lessen slightly. Regardless of what it means to you, the Forge is a stunning work that needs to be seen by everyone.
Hope you guys are having a good week. Check out the Fight of the Week!
(I don’t know why some of the images are squished. Sorry about that.)
Cast Announced for Badges of Fury
Fight of the Week: Triple Dragon
It’s finally Tuesday, and I have some new content for everyone. Welcome to the Fight of the Week, a weekly segment where I showcase some of the most unique and interesting fights I’ve come across. It’s a way for you to see the work of hardworking stunt teams, and learn more about them in the process.
This week, I feature Triple Dragon by the Stunt People!
Fight of the Week: Triple Dragon
Did you enjoy the video? Like the new feature? Be sure to sound off in the comments and let me know what you want to see next.
Learn more about the Stunt People by visiting their official site and Facebook page. Otherwise, subscribe to them on Youtube for the most recent releases!
A lot of great stuff this week. Check them all out!
Reel Deal Site is Up and Running!
Full Trailer for the Grandmasters
Johnny Nguyen Goes to Chinatown
It’s been a bit since I’ve written about Unlucky Stars, but the guys behind the film have been hard at work making sure everything is perfect. Since the fundraiser came to a close, they’ve added more action, more names, and more fights. Of course, this was all made possible by everyone that helped the film out by donating.
In order to show their appreciation and get everyone excited, a second teaser of Unlucky Stars has been released. Trust me, it was worth the wait. Check it out now!
Unlucky Stars Official Teaser 2
For those of you that missed out the first time, let me catch fill you in on what Unlucky is about. The story revolves around Peru’s biggest action star and Jordan’s newest talent, both of which find themselves being chased by a notorious bookie. When this happens, two private investigators are forced to choose between their jobs and their conscience.
What makes Unlucky Stars standout from the rest is simply how big of a project it is. There are so many talented people working on this film, all with the same goal to create something exciting and unique. The film was written and directed by Dennis Ruel with Vladislav Rimburg handling the choreography. Each fight is different and creative, making it a showcase in its own way.
Of course, the movie features the hard work of a number of talented people. Some of the names attached to Unlucky Stars include Ken Quitugua, Sari Sabella, Jose Montesinos, Giovannie Espiritu, Steven Yu, Sam Hargrave, Emmanuel Manzanares, Roy Chen, Shawn Bernal, Ed Kahana, and Troy Carbonel. Each of these fighters has their own range of skills and talents, making the cast of characters varied and unique.
I can’t wait to see and learn more about Unlucky Stars, since I think it has a lot to offer. Be sure to follow the film on Facebook or their official page for the most up-to-date information.
Tons of new things to look at, so feel free to click around.
Trailer and Info on Cage Fight
8 Days Left to Donate to Unlucky Stars (Well, now 4 Days)
Special Identity: What Could Have Been
Jackie Touches Down in Vanutau
The Four Trailer, Black Dynamite 2 on the Way, and Jet’s Birthday
It’s been a while since I’ve talked about Unlucky Stars, and I wanted to bring it to everybody’s attention one more time. Those of you that read my previous article know that Unlucky Stars is an ambitious title by a number of talented people. It lives off of the pulse that classic HK films used to give, resulting in some very fast and thrilling action sequences.If you don’t believe me, check out this trailer:
However, Unlucky Stars isn’t a movie that can be made on its own. In fact, it needs the help of fellow fans in order to see it all the way through. Everyone has been great in donating, but the time to donate is running out. There are only 8 days left to do your part in making this film possible. In other words, this is for all the procrastinators out there.
If you still need some more convincing, check out some of these videos featuring the talent in Unlucky Stars:
Part 1 Chapter C (Fight Choreography by Vlad Rimburg)
Rival Grocers (Featuring Director Dennis Ruel and Star Ken Quitugua)
Fievel Throws Down (Featuring Director Dennis Ruel)
Hopefully you guys can see how talented this group is, and don’t forget that they’ve constantly evolved and grown with each following project. Please do what you can to help this movie become the best possible!
A TON of stuff for this week. Be sure to support Unlucky Stars by posting or donating, it’s very much appreciated.
You can donate by clicking this link!
Also, Josh, this is the first video that is over 15 mins, you’re welcome…and I’m sorry.
Chinese Zodiac contains a 4 min stunt?
Gareth Evans Answers Questions about the Raid
Unlucky Stars Brings Back the Old School
It’s getting harder and harder to find action movies that have convincing fights in them. Most of the time, trick cuts and edits are used to hide an actor’s lack of skill. Sadly, this seems to have become a standard of sorts, and fight sequences are now riddled with fast edits that hide action instead of letting the audience enjoy the beauty of a fight.
Thankfully, there are people out there that feel the same way, and they want to make a difference. Enter Unlucky Stars, a film that takes pride in its strong choreography and action as well as fun characters. You may also recognize the title as a reference to an old Golden Harvest movie, and those with a keen eye for detail will see several homages throughout the film.
Of course, nothing is possible without the right people, and there are a TON of talented people working on this film. These people love the industry, and put everything they had into the project. The cast includes Dennis Ruel, Ken Quitugua, Sari Sabella, Jose Montesinos, Roy Chen, Edward Kahana, Giovannie Espiritu, Steven Yu, Vladislav Rimburg, Sam Hargrave, Emmanuel Manzanares, and Shawn Bernal.
I’d love to go in-depth as to how each of these people are awesome, but I’ll just let the trailer speak for itself.
Unlucky Stars Official Teaser Trailer
The choreography was done by Vlad, and hopefully you guys have seen his work before. Some of his more recent fights include Part 1 Chapter C, and Yo Soy Un Hombre Loco. If you’re looking for awesome choreography and gritty realism, Vlad is your man.
However, like any other indie project, it’s difficult to find funding for such an ambitious film. This is where the second part of the article comes in, which is the Indie Gogo Fundraiser project. You can choose your donation amount, and different amounts will net different rewards. For example, 20 bucks will get supporters a special edition DVD while 50 will also get them a signed poster.
There are too many times where viewers simply complain about the industry and where it is heading, but very few where we can make an impact. These guys are doing what they love, and need our support to see the project through. If you love martial arts films, show your support! If things go well enough, they can even use the attention to make bigger and better projects in the future.
Also, here is a more behind the scenes look at what has gone into the film, and how you can help finish it:
If you want, you can read even more about Unlucky Stars from their website, which can be found here.
Help make a difference and show your love for the art form we all appreciate.
