Marvel's Inhumans Review (Museum IMAX) Episdes 1 & 2

Above photo: IMAX premiere of Marvel's Inhumans!

Roel Shout out! 

Greetings fans of Marvel and fans of museum based IMAX! If you did not see the first two episodes of the series on a museum screen, I actually will kindly ask you to discontinue reading this review. Executive Producer Roel Reine was kind enough to do an exclusive Inhuman's Interview on Dan's Movie Report, rather than dropping the interview so early, I have decided to wait for a bit in order for the series to be viewed by more people on museum IMAX screens

Admittedly not knowing much about the Inhumans, I treated my trip to the mods.org museum as an excursion taking in the exhibits prior etc, they had a human body experiment complete with a Noomi Rapace like robotic surgery thingy hhhaha, sadly missing Noomi!... Recently The Mods.org museum was outfitted with the 52,000 watt sound system with 12 distinct channels and 114 speakers strategically placed for immersive sound. The only one in the state of Florida, a dual 4k 65mm laser iMAX projection system two projectors yields quality so hard to believe, for example in a particular rain forest style scene we see droplets of water, hairs underneath the droplets, and the splitting of the hairs. Obviously a mall based IMAX, home TV, or any other way of watching will be a huge letdown.

As for the stand alone story, I enjoyed the development of the characters, learned their back story, and by the end of it was immersed in the concept. Roel is a master with the camera, using lush location, tight shots, incredible action. Again though, Roel shot only the first two episodes, and there in lies the problem. As a stand alone film, yes the budget was far lower than Marvel movies or for that matter probably the Netflix series. Roel, exceeded my expectation for the series, with the look, feel, and sound of the film coupled with a lengthy story, with copious dialogue.

The big question lies will it work as a TV series, my guess is buried on Friday nights, and running only Eight Episodes, sadly the is a very high probability it will fail. The intellectual mindfulness, coupled with the dialogue makes for better stand alone 100 minute films rather than a series. The action of course is top notch with Vlad Rimburg in fight choreo, coupled with the supercharged blast of Serinda Swan as Medusa, let us just say she rolls heavy even when ears lowered! Roel gets it when coming into the action with the ladies, he lets them fight hard like the guys, case in point with Scorpion king 3, Selina Lo and Krystal Vee, and Hard Target 2 with sultry Ann Truong and a extra muscular Rhona Mitra! Just wait until you see the sultry Sonya! https://www.facebook.com/alohasonyabalmores/ she brings some real violence, to the cast!

Roel is a master in action, but bases his action around the dialogue. The King cannot speak as his last words killed his parents, yet those around him try to push the narrative. All forms of human foibles are explored. Actually due to the fact that he essentially produced and directed the first two separately , and tied together as one film, will be a big changed when the next person steps in. Never one to spoil the story, I will let the viewer decided, if you can handle intellectual films I would say that the lower budget did not matter as much.

Hard to put my finger on the grade for this probably a 6.5 out of 10, I wish more money was spent. That said, the grade jumps up to a solid 7 in museum IMAX due the filming techniques and ideas, and enhanced character development, with the high powered cameras showing emotion, action and lush scenery up close. 

Read the exclusive director interview with Roel @ https://dansmoviereport.blogspot.com/2017/09/director-roel-reine-exclusive-interview.html

Behind the Action On Savage Dog!!!! Exclusive!! Ladies of Savage Dog Contest Complete!

Greetings fellow action fans, what do we have here, Mr. Scott Adkins has unleashed a Behind the Scenes video on YouTube describing the action! In this cool documentary, we see Adkins, Keith David, Marko, and Cung Le chat about their experiences in the film, in addition to the actiony parts actress JuJu Chan who plays Isabella, chats about her role as caring lady who sees the good in Tilman's character.

Sadly all of the Ladies of Savage Dog photos are gone! Thanks for playing! Watch for a Marko Zaror contest soon!

Check out the video @

 

Please buy the film to support indie!  https://www.amazon.com/Savage-Dog-Scott-Adkins/dp/B07476X5WM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504049253&sr=8-1&keywords=Savage+Dog+Amazon

Kindly read my 3 detailed interviews with cast of Savage Dog  @ 

JuJu Chan, first worldwide interview on film:  http://dansmoviereport.blogspot.com/2016/08/actress-juju-chan-interview-savage-dog_16.html

http://dansmoviereport.blogspot.com/2016/08/actress-sheena-chou-interview-c-2016_25.html

Sheena Chou first worldwide interview on Savage Dog

 http://theactionelite.com/2017/07/marko-zaror-talks-savage-dog/

Interview conducted in December 2016 held until release of German Blu-Ray!

Actor Marko Zaror Chats Defenders (A Dan's Movie Report Exclusive) Danny Templegod

Above Photo: Copyright 2017 Netflix-- For promotional use only, All rights reserved, this entire interview will also run on The Action Elite

In a special interview, the amazingly humble and hard working Marko Zaror sits down with Dan Templegod, and chats about his role as Shaft in the sensational Netflix series: Marvel's The Defenders. Watch for more on Marko Zaror in the near future including an autographed photo contest. Please read his two other in depth interviews on The Action Elite, for more additional information on Marko and his film career.

Part one: http://theactionelite.com/2017/01/marko-zaror-interview-part-one-exclusive/

Part two, Savage Dog: http://theactionelite.com/2017/07/marko-zaror-talks-savage-dog/

DT: How did you become involved with the Defenders series, and had you watched the four shows leading up to it on Netflix prior?

MZ: I knew that they were looking for an actor/martial artist for the Defenders series, and then I realized it was Matt Mullins. He is an old friend of mine we used to train together. I sent him my material and he contacted me. He sent me to the audition, I got the audition and I was thrilled to be working with an old friend. After so many years as friends working out and training together since the time we were youngsters. Having seen how everyone has grown up and how they are making a living with it. It is very nice to see how people accomplish their goals and dreams. There was a charged energy on the set, I The entire cast and crew were very professional on set and I was excited to work with them. I was very thankful for him to recommend me for this. As for the shows, I watched Luke Cage, a couple of episodes, I saw Jessica Jones a couple of episodes, and I watched the entire season of Iron Fist. It was thoroughly enjoyable and thankful to be a part of the Marvel Universe!

DT: Chat about the initial arrival in New York, and the rehearsal, looks like you got to work with an old friend of mine Lauren Kim.

MZ: When I arrived at the gym in New York Matt and his team had the choreography done. The action sequences were ready for me to learn. I was so happy that Lauren (Kim) was there because not so long ago we were training together at a Gymnastica Olympia in the Valley. Because we shared some training together we got to know one another. Lauren is a very cool lady, and an incredibly talented lady. It is truly astonishing what she can do, the explosiveness, she has and the ability she has is amazing. I was very happy I had the opportunity to work with her. Of course we did the rehearsals, but I added some ideas, making sure of course to show Matt and see if he liked them. Basically adapting the choreography to focus on your strengths as a performer. That gives you an idea of the action structure, and yes it was arranged prior to my arrival. The choreography was great, I just had to learn it.

DT: Describe the day of the shoot, perhaps share a story from the set of Defenders.

MZ: The day of the shoot it was very intense, we had to repeat it many times it was raining, and the conditions were not ideal, hard challenging location, but we of course adapted, and that made it all the more realistic. The shoot was demanding and we were running on Adrenalin and we had to stay warm as it was pretty cold on location. Ultimately it was a lot of fun, I was so happy to see the way it turned out. I realize that I had a rather small appearance in the opening show but it was so cool to be a part of this amazing series.

DT: You mentioned you would love for Shaft to be brought back for future series in the Marvel Universe, what are some of your ideas?

MZ: Yes of course I will like to have a little bit more appearances, haha. The most important thing for me as I know it was a short stint on the series, is for me to explore my abilities and to work with a wide variety of experienced people. The film business for me is like a marathon, a long run, showing my passion and showing how much I love what I do. This also allows me to meet more people and to expand my circle of connections and people who know my work. Working on Defenders was a fantastic experience.

Of course if they want to bring Shaft back you never know in the Marvel Universe. The world of Marvel is massive, they have so much content. Maybe they travel back to the past in future episodes so we see the character's life before the first episode of Defenders. Ultimately Marvel and Netflix are great companies and I was so happy to work for them and display my abilities, sharing with the talented people who work on the series and the loyal fans.

DT: Chat also about your working relationship with Robert Rodriguez, seems like an amazing guy, and very supportive.

MZ: With regards to Robert Rodriguez, of course he has been extremely supportive of my career. He is a great guy and a tremendous inspiration for me. He has been and inspiration and influence since the beginning of my career. Being able to work with him and develop a work friendship and relationship is so important. I am always honored and excited to work with him I am really excited about Alita: Battle Angel. Of course I am thrilled to be able to be a part of the Dusk Till Dawn series. I had a really bad ass role as the Aztec warrior. Definitely check it out, it is available on streaming platform now, really cool show. The Man at Arms show was really cool and exciting, I got to use weapons. Robert always has cool ideas of putting the actors in fun and interesting situations I really enjoy working with him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX0FLR3lYcM Interview about Dusk Till Down

DT: What is in the immediate future for you, I know you recently completed work on Man At Arms, are you working on new material for El Rey Network?

MZ: My immediate future is every day, wake up, be thankful, positive, and train. It is important for me to be ready and stay ready. As far as projects I want to be honest with what I do. That is why I am creating projects now. I have some which I am shopping them around to different networks. I am excited about the impending release of Alita: Battle Angel which will release in 2018. Every project I do I commit 200 percent, so it is of the utmost importance to stay honest and focused with my dreams. I want to be ready to be adaptive to what ever life puts in front of me.

For more information on Marko please connect with him on his official social media outlets:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markozaroroficial/?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/markozaror
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1047252/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8WA1e3oEDaCOCEN4wd33zQ

Make sure to subscribe to the amazing El Rey Network on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaVwpbqM8dkhQvbL8XileAA

Female Fight Squad (2017) Movie Review (Dan's Movie Report)

Above: Female Fight Squad IMDB poster




The fantastic, and amazing Amy Johnston heads up this cast in yet another action film. Martial arts luminary Dolph Lundgrin portrays her father and is wrongly locked up for a crime and she vows to help him. Director Miguel A. Ferrer provides action and enough of a story along with co-writer
Anastazja Davis to engage the audience and push this low budget film slightly above Lady Bloodfight in terms of concept and execution. Actress Courtney Palm is a pro, and it shows, Dolph has some material but he is far from the focus. Sexy and talented Levy Tran provides some violence and many sultry tattoos for your viewing pleasure!

Bottom line on this flick is Amy Johnston has a real likable quality. She is fighting for her sister and she just has to go through many trials and issues. Amy has real skill when fighting and to the many reviewers who may pass this off as another women in skimpy clothes flick, step the hell down, cause Amy is the real deal. Sadly in order to sell these types of films, and not sure why, the ladies have to be in skimpy outfits. I mean if it is Summer in Thailand and 100 degrees fine. This is indoor action and, not sure what is up with that.

When Jesse V. Johnson's Accident Man unleashes sometime in 2018, the audience will witness an emergence in Amy, she will be a villain, no skimpy BS costume, just an ass whippin' for those who cross her. As stated before this film is actually better than Lady Bloodfight, mainly because it is story and character driven, even on the minimal budget.

I am not going to spoil this flick as I hate reviewers who wax on for 1000s of words, but what is important, is witnessing the emergence of a new action star that has moxy, grit and determination to be better, constantly striving at her craft. Female Fight Squad is another notch on her development belt, and when that belt is ready for a real whipping next year, someone will feel her wrath! 

It is quite amazing how many exclusives Amy has done for Dan's Movie Report, and I feel that she will continue to create new concepts. She currently is producing her own film, details will follow shortly on your home for exclusives Dan's Movie Report

As for Female Fight Squad, it is a bit better, at 6.8 out of 10, still some more polishing to go, but Amy has her skills ready for the next adventure with a smile and speedy fists and kicks!

The film is available on Streaming platforms now in various territories.

Please search my site and The Action Elite for various Amy Johnston posts, sadly all of the current autographed photos are given away in the various contests,  sorry kids!

Director Kenneth Mader Interview (2017) A Dan's Movie Report Exclusive! Copyright Danny Templegod

Conversation opened. 4 messages. All messages read.

Above photos and all photos copyright Displacement Partners LLC 2016. Used exclusively for this interview

Greetings valued readers of Dan's Movie Report, today we have an epic interview from the creative mind of Kenneth Mader. Mr. Mader chats in depth about Displacement, detailing the trials and triumphs of his lengthy odyssey to complete his opus to his mom. Displacement brings to light a unique creativity as rare as lunar rock, yet as accessible as a new day over the ocean. Displacement was my top pick for the 2016 year. Mader exudes talent, class, and a work ethic, that will no doubt see his status rise over the coming years. Grab a seat, sit back, relax, adjust your watch, bend time and get displaced! Kenneth Mader shall infuse wisdom and quantum theory in your brain, and a textual lashing of inverted reality, coupled with a deep knowledge of the inner workings of independent film making... 3-2-1- GO!

DMR: How long after your mom passed did you write the script for Displacement, or was it started while she was alive?

KM: I had begun noodling with notions for the script while she was alive, but it didn’t really coalesce until she passed and I decided to incorporate what happened when she got sick, which was her desire to see the ocean one last time. Unfortunately she had cancer and it progressed so quickly that my Dad and I weren’t able to fulfill that wish, so that became essentially the heart of the story, and the issue my lead character is dealing with that drives the entire narrative. It still took about three years after that of on-and-off writing to finish the script -- especially after I complicated things for myself making it a looping time travel story! Then in early 2013 I jumped off the cliff to start production.

Above Mader directs Bruce Davison and Courtney Hope


DMR: Chat about some of the limitations of filming over a few years and having only at times some weekends to shoot around scheduling of performers and crew?

KM: Yeah shooting a film piecemeal over the course of two-plus years is extremely challenging on a number of levels, not the least of which is continuity. Little things like: imagine having to keep you hair exactly the same over that extended period of time... and you have Courtney’s hair! (she was great and had an excellent stylist who was able to match it shoot-to-shoot). There was also the fear of losing Courtney to a big movie or tv show. We actually had a couple of scares like that along the way, but thankfully everything worked out. (She didn’t land on The Bold and The Beautiful until just before our release.)

Conversely there were also some benefits to the extended shooting schedule, mainly the ability to shape and improve the film as we went along. Something we captured in one scene would instruct and change things in scenes we had yet to shoot. For example, Courtney’s level of intensity entering the hotel room after experiencing the timeslip on the beach inspired a complete rewrite of that timeslip sequence, which hadn’t been shot yet. In fact in the original script it was a completely different and smaller scene that took place at the hotel vending machines. But her performance felt like we needed a stronger motivation than what was written, and I also wanted to expand the scope a bit and show what was happening in the world around her. So in this case taking so much time to get the film in the can worked to our benefit, and I believe the benefit of the movie.

DMR:Share a particularly challenging shoot day on Displacement, and describe what went on to make it hard on cast and crew?

KM: The one that comes immediately to mind was the café scene. Two days of complete Murphy’s Law misery. It began with a key piece of camera equipment breaking down which rendered our Steadicam useless. We were in a location that was a 2-hour drive in traffic one way to the nearest camera house, so as an AC jumped in a car to make the 4-hour round trip for the part, I had to adjust and adapt my shooting plan to compensate for the lack of Steadicam. Then the patrons remained in the restaurant longer than expected and we couldn’t kick them out because we couldn’t afford to buy out the place as we were being allowed to film there mainly as a favor. As a result we ran out of sunlight and had to light the patio area outside the windows to simulate the sun, which put us further behind schedule. Then, running all those extra lights off of house power since on our scout we didn’t feel we needed a generator, of course we blew out the breaker box. And not just tripped the breakers, but literally burned out the box. We were lucky we didn’t start a fire. Had to call in an emergency electrician to repair it before they reopened in the morning, which cost a small fortune in overtime. Needless to say it would have been much cheaper to just rent a generator. At the end of day one I was certain and terrified the owner was going to throw us out and not allow us back the next day. I had to eat a lot of crow that night. Fortunately he let us return to finish the scenes, which ultimately turned out fine, but that was one of the worst filming experiences of the entire production.

Kenneth Mader lines up a tricky shot


DMR: Did you have everything planned out from the start with regards to budget, crew, and script to screen dialogue, if not what are some adjustments along the way that were made.

KM: It was planned, but with a definite plan to also remain flexible. I like to give my actors the freedom to make the dialogue their own, so unless there were specific scientific or quantum physics speeches that required accuracy, they were free to play and improvise a bit. I joke that when I direct, I throw the writer me off the set. That’s not entirely in jest. I don’t want to be so rigidly married to my words that we lose spontaneity and the potential for magic to happen in front of the camera.

Also, at one point Courtney tore a tendon in her foot and was on crutches, so I had to completely throw away my shooting plan for those days and improvise around the fact that she couldn’t walk! I think that was actually even more terrifying and challenging than the café scenes.

DMR: Chat about wearing multiple hats, was it always planned that you write direct and produce or was it supposed to have additional partners helping you?

KM: On the one hand, I’m a bit of a control freak, so wearing many hats is a choice. But on this type of film it is also a necessity. I had always planned to write, direct, produce, and also edit, in large part to maintain the creative integrity of the story, but also because I didn’t have the budget to hire anyone else. I’m also a cinematographer, so when my DP wasn’t available I would take on that hat as well. I did bring in my colleague Zander Villayne to help produce as it was just too much for one person to manage. I also had a lot of great co-producers and line production help that eased the burden.

Above Picture: Director Mader with Sarah Douglas on the first day of shooting on Displacement

DMR: Regarding the finished product of Displacement, I know you have two versions of the film, an extended cut and a lifetime movie network cut, are their still plans to do an extended cut on blu-ray or theatrical?

KM: Yes, I definitely want to release the extended cut on blu-ray, as well as a full-length making-of documentary. Some of the deleted and extended scenes are available as Bonus Features on the just-released DVD, but I think it’s more fun to watch the extended cut uninterrupted. Also, the DVD/VOD version is actually slightly longer than the Lifetime network cut, so it’s really three versions – and the other two don’t contain commercial breaks! Boy that was a challenge with a movie like this, figuring out where to break it. And Lifetime has very specific timings for each segment. There’s a bit of wiggle room, but not much. A good problem to have I guess.

DMR: Chat about your thoughts on the just amazing rise of Courtney Hope with the huge video game series of Quantum Break and The Bold and the Beautiful, have you noticed more of a demand for Displacement now that she is on top of Daytime TV as Sally Spectra?

KM: It’s pretty much every filmmaker’s dream to cast a rising actor and have her break large right at the moment your film is coming out! That is exactly what happened with this. It’s been pretty remarkable. I’ve known Courtney and her family since she was 15 and just starting out in the biz after moving to L.A. from Texas. In fact I helped her put together her first demo reel, where I saw just what a terrific young talent she was. Even then, she was a solid actress already booking guest star roles on major television shows. I knew she would be a star if she persisted and got offered the right opportunities, and vowed that I would cast her in something one day. Nine years later that became Displacement, and her rise throughout the making and release of the film has been really cool to watch. She actually couldn’t make our Premiere because she was presenting at the Daytime Emmy’s! Crazy. She’s a great gal and very dedicated and totally deserves all the success she’s enjoying. I’m very proud of her and excited to watch her star continue to rise. Can’t wait to see what’s ahead.

As for how it’s impacted Displacement, it certainly helped our publicity push during the release. I won’t know for another month how the film is doing online as there’s a 90-day delay before the platforms report their numbers. But I’m sure her popularity on Bold hasn’t hurt.

Director Mader with Susan Blakely and Bruce Davison


DMR: Chat about casting the amazing and talented luminaries in your film, an amazing get for an indie, I know you have secrets, but how much light can you shed on casting Bruce Davison, Susan Blakely and Sarah Douglas?

KM: I had met Sarah Douglas a number of years ago at a Science Fiction convention after being introduced by a mutual friend. We discussed working together, and after a couple of other projects we tried to get set up didn’t go, I wrote the part of Dr. Miles with her in mind. To my delight after reading the script she said yes. Then over a year into production of the film, I saw a post she shared on Facebook with a photo of her and Susan Blakely at lunch together. I had no idea they were friends and my immediate thought was “Susan Blakely! She’d be perfect for our mom!” So I reached out to Sarah and she reached out to Susan and the next thing I know I’m on the phone with Susan Blakely telling me she’d love to do it. A crazy Hollywood Moment. These stars that I looked up to and admired for years were now in my movie. It was pretty surreal. And then Bruce Davison came to us through his manager and of course I’m a huge fan of his work so that was another surreal Hollywood Moment.

A bit of trivia about Bruce I didn’t know: He plays one of the returning pilots at the end of one of my all time favorite and influential films, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Did it as a favor to his friend Steven Spielberg back in the day. I nearly went complete fanboy on him when he told me that story. But I held it together until the drive back to my office. Then had to watch that scene in the movie again. Sure enough, that’s him coming out of the ship. Crazy.

DMR: You have created interesting positioning on Displacement rather than selling the film outright to one entity LMN has broadcast rights, and you still have the rights to release on DVD and limited theatrical, is that a new concept, as I never heard of that before, unless different territories buy it.

KM: It’s not necessarily new to “split rights” as they call it, but it is becoming more prominent as the industry changes. New distribution models are being tried to adapt to this changing digital landscape, such as “day-and-date” releases where indie films come out on both VOD and in theatres simultaneously, mainly as a way to drive publicity and critical reviews for the VOD. These days unless you win the lottery at Sundance it is very difficult to get a distributor to pay any reasonable amount for an all rights deal. We had numerous offers, but they all sucked. So splitting the rights became the more viable option, as we could retain more control over the release as well as the potential revenue stream. In our case we ended up releasing Displacement in a kind of backwards paradigm; on television first, mainly because we received an offer from A+E Networks at the beginning of our release window that we couldn’t refuse, then fought hard and won the right to do a limited theatrical release after their exclusive broadcast window closed, and put the film in theatres day-and-date with our VOD release, followed now by DVD (check out our website for info and links on where to see it or buy at https://displacementthemovie.com/store/).

DMR: What is next for Maderfilm, some new projects in the works? What are some of your longer term goals and what actors and actresses would you like to work with in the future?

KM: We have three main projects in the hopper at the moment: a supernatural thriller feature entitled Deep Focus, a sci-fi television show we’re developing called A.L.L.I.A.N.C.E., and a book series based on my short film Passing Darkness entitled The Arcadia Chronicles which should come out later this year. There are also some smaller projects, another short film in the works, and a music video I just booked.

As for longer term goals, I would love to transition into larger films and cinematic television. I vowed when I was young that one day I would direct a Star Wars picture. A lofty goal to be sure, but after watching Rian Johnson and Colin Trevorrow’s career trajectory among others, that dream remains alive. In the meantime I will continue to create independent films and shows and find new ways to deliver them directly to our audience.

The list of actors I would love to work with is long, but certainly the greats like Pacino and Streep, also Naomi Watts, Julianne Moore, Hilary Swank, Jessica Chastain, Kate Beckinsale, Matthew McConaughey, Guy Pearce, Malcolm McDowell, Robert Downey Jr... it’s endless. Though I certainly feel blessed for the opportunity to have worked with the great actors I already have. It’s been an amazing journey so far.

And thank you and Dan’s Movie Report for all your amazing support of our film! I and my team really appreciate it, and hope your readers enjoy Displacement.

Finally, if anyone wants to know more and get the inside scoop on things, plus advance news and special offers, they can sign up on our website at https://displacementthemovie.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KennethMader

DMR: Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to conduct this enlightening interview, I am sure more will follow when your new projects begin to take shape, as always keep reading Dan's Movie Report for more exclusive interviews and film reviews. Shadow reality now returns to normalcy, my audience, you are free to return to your regular lives haha!

Page 6 of 6