Saturday, May 9, 2020

Round 2- AaronToney's 2nd Quarantine Action Short Is Unlesashed! (C) 2020 Dan's Movie Report - Danny Templegod

Above: Aaron Toney starts things off in 'Round 2'! Quarantine Fight Challenge!

Below: Full 5 minute film on YouTube




Greetings valued Dan's Movie Report and Action-Flix.com readers, Aaron Tony over at Zero Gravity has created a brand new quarantine video with many of his action friends! This one has high production values and just amazing editing! Many of the actors dressed in the costumes of people they double. This one has studio quality editing and action and could easily be in film festivals when they get started again. It is really amazing what Aaron and his buddies have come up with. Most of the earlier action videos, while amazing and creative, are simple shot on Iphones or phone cameras, this one really is high quality with stellar audio!


Special mention to the entire VFX team! Miguel Fernandez, Dave Macomber, Brian Ho, Caine Sinclair, Omar Zaki, and Chris Clements. You guys did a really pro job, I say get the team together again on a feature action flick! 

Amy Johnston becomes a sultry Sonya Blade with a sword in 'Round 2'
 

Aaron used four people as stunt coordinator, Including Brian Ho, Chad Bellamy, Monique Ganderton, and Noon Orsatti. All amazingly creative pushing the limits of human action. Stunt Coordinator Monique Ganderton has an equine action sequence including jumping off as Laura Croft from Tombraider! See photo below:


My friend Lauren Mary Kim is of course The Mandalorian! Hah!


The 5 minute short, has some seriously high production values, and of course it can not be monetized as the actors are dressed like various superheroes! Aaron made this short to keep his skills and the skills of the various performers in the video sharp. Plus in this new real of social distancing, experiments have to be made and tested to see what sort of entertainment will be allowed. I see more of this, and yes drive In movies and concerts!

The entire short film is available to watch for free now on YouTube @ Aaron Toney's ZG YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YukYRhCDyN0


Monique Ganderton Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MoGanderton
Amy Johnston Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyejohnston



https://twitter.com/amyejohnston


Thursday, May 7, 2020

Gangs of London (2020) (TV Series) Review (Season 1) © 2020 Dan's Movie Report - Danny Templegod

Above: Gangs of London Poster from IMDB (C) 2020 Sky TV Used for promotional purposes only not monetized.


Greetings valued Dan's Movie Report and www.action-flix.com readers. I could not wait, NowTV and Sky networks have unleashed what I call, the finest action series ever. It happened. Gangs of London checks every single box in the action/crime drama saga, skirting a level only the first two Godfather films could hope to achieve. Even as amazing as the Sopranos was, it left many questions unanswered, and ambiguous characters. Gangs of London defines the players, defines the good and bad characters, then tells you not to believe what is shown. 

Above: Colm Meaney the bad ass gangster! (C) 2020 Sky Networks, for promotional use only not monetized.
 

What happens here is with a proper budget, Gareth Evans (The Raid) along with fellow co-directors Xavier Gens and Corin Hardy, have fleshed out literally a gangster tale where the story is not implied, but unfolds in front of us, the audience. We do not hear about people getting tortured and killed, we are thrust into each scene with an fervor unmatched. I refuse to spoil any of this series as so many events happen that a crucial to the development of the intricate story. I will say this, the series is NOT for the faint at heart as, there are limbs being severed, heads being drilled and a water torture scene. Gangs of London, is shockingly intense in violence, but there is such a detailed story to back it up. Keep binging and re-watch.

Above: Michelle Fairley (C) 2020 Sky Promotional use only not monetized


Essentially there are several factions. You have the Wallace family with Mother Marian Wallace, played by Michelle Fairley ('Game Of Thrones'), and her two sons Sean and Billy, who are part crazy and part scared, but always aggressive. Michelle Fairley's Marian is perhaps my second favorite character, she is given a lot to do and say and she has some motherly instincts yes, but being around my age ha she has a wily veteran aggressive streak that is quite refreshing! The second big family is the Dumani family lead by Ed Dumani, deftly portrayed by Lucian Msamati. The family is an enigma, as the father is a big crime lord yet his son is up to be mayor. There is a group of mercenaries seemingly going rogue and working for whoever is paying them. Kind of like a paramilitary force. The basically go in an leave no survivors. Incidentally, Wallace family also includes in an extended cameo, Colm Meaney from Star Trek fame, he plays like the uncle and OG violence patriarch. My favorite of the lot is Narges Rashidi as Lale, she portrays a part that is worth exploring further. Overall some very memorable character development and dialogue in 'Gangs of London'

Here is an excellent short documentary on the female characters of 'Gangs of London'

 (C) 2020 Sky Network

Above: Narges Rashidi as Lale, just being her aggressive and tormented self! (C) 2020 Sky Network for promotional use only not monetized.

The character of Lale would in ever other movie or TV show be some bearded stereotypical Middle Easter man, and more often than not, a nondescript throw away character. Kudos to the entire show production team to recognize the extremely high level of talent Narges possess, and really develop an aggressive yet sympathetic character. No spoilers of course but there is a scene in which Narges basically goes on a killing rampage, and in real life Narges hard to escape the horrors of the 80s Iran/Iraq War. The powerful scene, is not just random killing, there are emotional scars on her face, and as her character goes further into the series, she becomes the anti hero. The crap she has to put up with, and being a leader of men, even though she is not a man, is truly astonishing. I say EMMY!

Finally of course there are the police officers, who actually are integrated into the story as some are corrupt, yet some are just a step behind. Although she has a smaller role, I kind of liked Jing Lusi as Detective Inspector Vicky Chung. Even though she is often late on the scene she knows what is going on and warns her fellow officers. My only small gripe is she was just not given enough to do, but hopefully she will be back for season 2.

Actor Lee Charles has a crazy fight in Gangs of London and look for a future interview on Dan's Movie Report, I wish he was in the show longer. Many of the what I call single episode or minor characters actually are quite entertaining.

The accouterments of the show are very solid, lighting, acting, scenery musical score, yes it is a BRITISH crime drama, I am USA based and I can understand it, not that hard, I see people complaining. I say get headphones and turn up the volume and be non distracted watching it. Don't play on your phone, put the dogs and kids to bed. And watch it. I would say watch it two episodes or three per day for the duration, do not stop an episode halfway through let it play out, they are 53-58 minutes in length and the season of Gangs of London is 9 episodes. I mean, during this Covid situation, no real excuse not to binge the show in a two week period.

Overall, the series is just excellent, having all of the elements in action of 'The Raid' with the quality story telling of 'The Godfather', and the character intricacies of 'Goodfellas'. Gangs of London season one rates a 10 out of 10, it is my third perfect score in my 11 years writing on Dan's Movie Report. Binge, binge, and binge again, watching out for the ladies of Gangs of London, they are the crazy ones!

The show is available for streaming on NowTV @ https://www.nowtv.com/ie
Watch for the series in the USA on Cinemax later in the Summer: https://www.cinemax.com/

Check out Narges Rashidi Facebook Page @ https://www.facebook.com/nargesrashidiofficial/

Dazzler Media have the DVD of the first season available for pre-order coming out July 27th, 2020.

Keep it locked for exclusives on Dan's Movie Report and your home for action action-flix.com!

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Debt Collectors 2020! Director Jesse V. Johnson Interview Upcoming! (C) 2020 Dan's Movie Report

Above: Poster from IMDB (C) 2020 Samuel Goldwyn Films



Greetings valued Dan's Movie Report and Action-Flix.com readers. Director Jesse V. Johnson has sent back his interview for the second installment of the Debt Collector series!

Check out the Synopsis: Debt collectors French and Sue get to work doing what they do best _ cracking skulls and breaking bones _ as they chase down the various lowlifes who owe money to their boss, Tommy. They're summoned to Las Vegas to collect from a dirty casino owner, who happens to be a vicious ex-lover of Sue's. Meanwhile, a notorious drug kingpin is on the warpath to kill French and Sue to avenge his brother's death. Facing danger from all angles, the pair will have no other choice but to fight their way out of an explosively dangerous situation. Written by mehradkins


Below: Jesse V. Johnson and Scott Adkins on set in the first Debt Collector film!

 

Watch this space for exclusives! In the meantime please check out my feature interview with Jesse for the first Debt Collector film @ http://dansmoviereport.blogspot.com/2018/05/director-jesse-v-johnson-interview-debt.html

Above: Mayling Ng with a big sword!

Actress Mayling Ng is also in the film playing Britt, I look forward to a second interview with her, her first interview, and first U.S. Interview is @ http://dansmoviereport.blogspot.com/2015/10/mayling-ng-interview-c-2015-dans-movie.html

Above: Luke Lafontaine from Life of Action!


Stunt Coodinator Luke Lafontaine has done a couple of interviews for my site @  http://dansmoviereport.blogspot.com/2018/07/stunt-choreographeractor-luke.html


Watch for a third one later in 2020!

Jesse told me that Marina Sirtis from Star Trek fame is also in the film! Should be fun and full of action!

For more information head over to the Samuel Goldwyn Films Website @  http://www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com/films/

Like Jesse V. Johnson on Facebook as he has some exclusive merchandise as well: https://www.facebook.com/actionjessevjohnson/



https://www.facebook.com/ngmayling/

Sunday, May 3, 2020

The Room – 2019 Review © 2020 Dan's Movie Report – Danny Templegod

Above: Poster of The Room, from IMDB, used for promotional purposes only not monitized


Greetings valued Dan's Movie Report readers and lovers of very odd thriller films. Although 'The Room' came out in 2019, the service Shudder, has it now for streaming and I thought during these crazy times, what else could I possibly do than watch this off the wall flick. 'The Room' is at the core a film about dreams. A young, well relatively young, couple buy a fixer upper home to start a new life together.

The couple, Matt played by Kevin Janssens and Kate played by Olga Kurylenko are cautiously optimistic when they purchase their new home in a lovely countryside. Once settled in, they stumble across an unusual room. This room is a seeming gateway to endless wishes, and boundless wealth. All is not what it seems as the couple wishes for more and more outlandish items, including million dollars and priceless artwork, sadly once these items leave the house, they turn to dust.

I mean the plot concept is pretty amazing, but some of the execution is a bit flat, I wanted to see more of the couple's lives prior to getting in the house and some more day to day interplay. That said, I did enjoy the acting of Kevin and Olga, both actors had to really go through a serious amount of emotions. Anger, fear, frustration and Olga's uncanny motherly power comes to fruition in the third act of 'The Room'. Olga straddled the line of mother and protector, while Kevin Jame's Matt came across as a man descending into madness as the time in the house wears on.

The big wish, and I will say (SPOILER) is the couple wishes for the one thing they cannot have, a child, although I refuse to spoil what happens after they get this star/miracle baby, I will say you will not see this coming. The plot thickens and even becomes delightfully convoluted and confusing. Normally I would hate this, but in 'The Room' it works. The pacing becomes frantic, rules are broken and nothing is conventional, and Olga proves she deserves to be in these high quality acting films not just action flicks like Bond, Centurion, and The Courier.

I actually watched 'The Room' a second time to see what director Christian Volckman wanted to do from the original Idea he had to the collaboration of other writers. I mean there are some great ideas here, I kind of wish the team had a bit of a higher budget for the house, but, the film works as basically a single setting entity save for an insane asylum of a John Doe, who apparently lived in the house prior.

Overall I will recommend this film especially on the Shudder streaming service, and rate it a strong 7 out of 10! If you have Amazon Prime it is a 4.99 monthly add on. Either that or go to https://www.shudder.com/

Watch Dan's Movie Report for more Shudder releases in 2020!

Follow Olga Kurylenko on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/OlyaKurylenko
For more info on the Room check out the imdb page @ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8485364/