99 Cent Movie Network Launches!

Brand new streaming movie site goes online today! 99 Cent Movie Network has now officially gone live!

Navigating the site is easy, you get three movies for 99 cents. If you want to buy the whole collection of movies it is $1.99. You stream them on our site www.99centnetwork.com (not live yet). It goes under your personal collection - every time you log in you have those movies to watch forever.. for no extra costs. You can even share your collection with a friend to watch too. 

The initial collection will grow as time goes on, and 99 Cent Movie Network offers a new way to stream content, check it out. 

In the coming months watch for reviews of some the 99 cent films on Dan's Movie Report!

Like the site on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/pages/99-Cent-Network/1510883565837399

Salvation (2014) Movie Review (Short Film)

Before I start this review I must apologize to Ross Boyask the director. I watched Salvation and sort of dismissed the film, and said I would write about it. One thing lead to another, and now it is almost six months. Actually upon first watching imitially my thoughts were a bit negative, but with a fresh approach, and 5 viewings of the 10 minute short, Ross, I get it. In fact usually I watch short films multiple times prior to reviewing. That said, my thoughts...

The 10 minute film opens with Jackie( Cheryl Burniston ) tied to a chair, suffering from several bruises from being roughed up. Rather than spoiling the plot or undertones, Salvation paints Jackie as a merchant of Salvation, and the film cleverly leaves the viewer to decide if she is good or bad. 'Salvation' has religious and righteous overtones, without being preachy.

The film has copious amounts of action, but the story and dialogue are the highlight because the film sets up what potentially could be fleshed out to a TV series of Trilogy movie series. Actually I watched another film shot back in 2011 but reviewed this year called 'Bloodtraffick'. Though the plot of the two films were a bit different, they had the religious themes centered on woman in peril, yet Bloodtraffick concentrated more on story than action, with the action taking place toward the end after setting up the lead character, thus structurally, a bit of a better film flow and concept.

Direction and editing by Ross Boyask is tight and unwavering.  The film takes place in a dark enclosed space, yet the viewer is able to see the action with clever lighting and shading. Ross has experience with action with Warrioress and 10 Dead Men, and knows the tricks of the trade to make the fights pop. Writer Chris Regan deserves a special mention for crafting a pretty cool and complex story for a 10 minute film, i am looking forward to new material from him!

My one complaint with 'Salvation' is Cheryl, while a good actress, seems to force the issue with the action sequences, and although a stunt double is used, I wanted to see more of  her character Jackie in the philosophical rather than the physical. Just a matter of personal preference, but having watched so many action shorts, one can get jaded. Positively, Cheryl has a warm likable quality, and I am sure she will be offered film and TV parts in the future, in 'Salvation' she has some adaptive facial nuanced expressions, and a rather adorable British accent. (ed note. Wait for beating from Cheryl, haha)

'Salvation' admittedly gets better with multiple viewings, and surely this is a stepping off point of reference for all parties involved. I do recommend checking this film out when it becomes available on the film festival circuit (Salvation already premiered in the Action on Film fest earlier this year.) 'Salvation' rates a 6.5 out of 10.

The Official Facebook Page is @ https://www.facebook.com/salvationfilmuk/timeline

Game Of Assassins (2013) Movie Review (AKA 'The Gauntlet' 2013)

Above Piv

Originally titled 'The Guantlet', and released to the festival circuit in 2013, 'Game Of Assassins' follows a band of unsuspecting people abducted for the pleasure of a twisted human group who are destined to punish those who have taken a life, by putting them in a crazy 'Saw' like situation with the exception is that in 'Game of Assassins' they must traverse a medieval type labyrinth maze wrought with peril. Incidentally, the review is for the Lion's Gate home DVD release, with screener provided by the director Matt, for Dan's Movie Report.

After the opening montage 'Game of Assassins' begins with David (Warren Kole) sitting on a, for lack of better words "mound of death" thrust into an unfamilier dungeon in an unsuspecting manner, The first person he encounters in his new found hell is Jin (Dustin Nguyen) The two scuffle for a bit, quite good action, then realize they are trapped down in a private hell. 

Director Matt Eskandari makes sure we see the surrounding vision of Adam Lawson 's screenplay. The audience is treated to both the hear and now, showing the atmosphere and physical horrid qualities of the toturous realm. Each character we meet along the way of this sordid adventure has a unique story of terror on how they ended up, this is told through a short flashback montage. For a film that runs appx. 80 total minutes including credits. the characters are rather well developed, along the fly. 

Next in 'Game of Assassins', David and Jin come across Emma (Jaime Ray Newman ) and Tyler (Nick Lane) The two represent the "younger crowd" stating they were on vacation prior to being trapped. A bit further along in the film we learn, and no it is not a spoiler, as it is 14 minutes in,  the true nature of the story. 'Gideon's Escape', four levels one way in and one way to move from level to level is the private hell the group are encased in. The remainder of the film, I will not spoil, has the four of them plus a few other characters they meet along the way trying to survive and escape, ah to what end?

Perhaps the highlight of the film for me is the complex character Kim Lee (Bai Ling). By actually introducing her a bit later in the film as a mysterious type of combination protagonist and antagonist, the story gets more philosophical and forces the other characters to examine their own philosophical values. Bai does a great job of delivering enigmatic and mysterious lines trying to play on Jin's fears and playing her own brand of survivor haha, trying to be friends, and trying to be deceptive to the other characters. Bai has come a long way since becoming clean and sobre, her positive zeal for acting has definitely returned. Back in 2011, I was lucky enough to conduct a short interview with Bai, Click on this link (http://dansmoviereport.blogspot.com/2011/08/bai-ling-raw-and-unfiltered-c-2011.html )

There is action, suspense, and a pretty cool payoff in the end. 'Game of Assassins' is tightly filmed, no wasted time filler. The characters move from level to level, and go on the combination treasure hunt and deception all as a means to survive. Overall I really liked 'Game of Assassins', the film rates a 9 out of 10, on the buy because of Bai scale! Seriously though, everyone involved in the film did a great job, the film is full of twists and turns!.

Finally special mention to LionsGate for releasing many films that would perhaps not see a wider audience, as an independent writer, I enjoy their zeal for the under ground film community, while releasing big films. For more info: http://www.lionsgate.com/

The film is available on Amazon @ 

Ratchet Point Movie Review

Above Photo: (C) 2014 Chamia Lane from 'Ratchet Point'


Greetings my fellow readers, and the multitudes of purveyors who revel with insanity. Today my friends we take a short film trip into the twisted mind of Chamia Lane. Apparently Chamia wants to have a throw down fight with sexy Sachiko Ishida and the parameters of the fight are quite interesting!

Poking fun at some stereo types, 'Ratchet Point' gets down and dirty, haha, the ladies a ready for fighting, but first the set up. The girls are ready to fight, of course and the boyfriends are just window dressing! "Here Pookie hold my lolly" proclaims Chamia, as she prepares for battle. Ah what battle would be complete without the obligatory removal of the large hoop earrings! Of course Sachiko has to remove her gum, and purse and states "Come on bitch step to me" Haha,

More articles of jewelry come off, as does a wig from Sachiko, hahaha etc... and trust me it gets funnier with each one. They ladies begin to tussle, and eventually we are treated to an odd black and white slow mo fight, with the boys in the background assessing the action, you know, the way guys just seem to back off when women fight. Chamia, the writer, has the astute vision to recognize that particular fact. Constantly showing the guys' reactions to each and every combat or simulated combat move, with gestures and provocative facial expressions. In fact, all of the actors in 'Ratchet Point' do a stand up job, haha, selling the action.

The fight gets kind of sexy and silly at the same time, fun to watch, a clever take on the absurdity of fighting, I kind of look at it as a Jerry Springer spoof type thing, 'Ratchet Point' pokes fun at the lurid level of combative realty TV, without the idiotic story set up. Basically, 'Ratchet Point' cuts through the bull crap, and gives viewers just the 5 minutes of action, and boom, the crowd cheers! HAHA!

The filming quality is solid for an outside shoot, some spur of the moment style fight choreography, nothing wild and crazy, just the flailing arms and legs things, with a few martial arts material thrown in. Jason S. Williams directs 'Ratchet Point, and blends Chamia's story on screen with ease, seamlessly melding the physical comedy with sardonic action.

Overall I really liked the film, never taking itself too seriously, and showcasing rising talents of Chamia Lane and Sachiko Ishida. 'Ratcher Point' rates a 7.5 out of 10.

The entire film is on Youtube @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZYRfww1_EU&feature=youtu.be

Watch for more exclusives from Dan's Movie Report including an interview with Sachiko soon!
Follow Sachiko on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/ishidasachiko

(Thank you to Elizabeth for correcting Jason S. Williams as the director of Ratchet Point, review has been updated 12-15-2014.)