Red Princess Blues: 11 minutes of Mayhem!

(Above Picture is Princess-(Rachel Grant) rather pissed)

As a viewer of several movies per week, more often than not I find myself fast forwarding through them to get to the meat of the story. Many independent films seem to have a solid premise but the story telling gets bogged down and the padding to add minutes to the production just lends itself to viewer fatigue.

Alex Ferrari, who also directed another fantastic short film entitled "Broken", comes up with a tight concept and story with Red Princess Blues. Basically at a tight 11 minutes it can either be a start, middle, or an end to a feature length film. The viewer is transported to a seedy bar where "Carnies" (carnival workers) hang out, drink, and carouse after work. In walks an innocent girl named Zoe and she soon is accosted by a grimy carnie Rimo (Richard Tyson). Tyson is excellent and gives a gritty performance as the antagonist in the film.

The star of the flick is Princess (Rachel Grant), a knife wielding carnie who does not take kindly to the surly old man forcing his will on the young girl, and soon takes matters into her own hands. Rachel is probably best known for playing Peaceful Gardens of Desire in the bond film "Die Another Day" She really gave it her all in this film attacking the role with intensity, anger, and passion. She can mix it up with the boys. Rachel needs to get more work in Hollywood, she has a clear speaking voice, an expressive face, and knows how to emote on camera.

Red Princess blues is a highly professional step up for Alex from the "Broken" film.
"Broken" while very good, had various limitations, such as lack of a true stunt coordinator and professional actors that Red Princess Blues has.

This fact makes the movie not only more watchable, but more fluid and believable. Everything from the sets to the detailed stunt work arranged by stunt coordinator Jeff Cadiente. Jeff is highly experienced Stunt Coordinator and has worked on several shows and films including "24" and "Hawaii 5-0". In addition to Jeff, stunt doubling Princess is Ming Liu. Ming has more than two dozen projects to her credit is extremely professional in her work ethic, and always ready for action.

The film also benefits from the use of the Red Camera. The Red is a digital camera that has the look of film, adds clarity, and a depth of field unrivaled, by current digital processes. Currently big budget movies like The Social Network and even the New Pirates of the Caribbean are using this camera.

Alex clearly put his heart and soul into this production and judging from the copious amount of behind the scenes videos on the official website, enjoys sharing the process with the viewer as he did with the "Broken" film. This is a refreshing trend in the realm of short independent films.

I firmly give this film an 9 out of 10 rating, and would recommend anyone with Itunes purchase it. Alex should get major funding for a feature film with his hard work.

For more information point your browsers to:
http://www.redprincessblues.com
For updated screening information on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Princess-Blues
Direct purchase link to Itunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/red-princess-blues/id377025812?mt=8

Project Purgatory Bejing currently in production

The above picture is sweet but dangerous Grave (Aoni Saiya Ma) preparing to slice and dice her way through the Radvics!


Movie producer/director Kantz is in production on the second installment of the Project Purgatory series entitled Project Purgatory Beijing. Kantz is an established person in the film industry and has several films out including Random Acts of Violence, Love and A Bullet and his most recent effort Urgency.

Project Purgatory Beijing is an action/horror flick revolving around radiation victims called Radvics who were infected with a virus causing them to be flesh eaters, who feed on the remaining population. This is a true Asian style film complete with copious amounts of blood and guts along with martial arts. For those interested in watching the first few minutes of the film if you dare, point your browsers to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf7_MExkspc

Kantz's Urgency tells a sordid story of betrayal and deceit, and stars Brian Austin Green and Jeffery Combs. The movie was just released on home DVD and is available at amazon as well as netflix http://www.amazon.com/Urgency-Brian-Austin-Green/dp/B004H0M2SW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301159218&sr=8-1
More news, set pics will follow...

CA$H- AKA-Bullets, Blood & a Fistful of Ca$h

Thanks to MTI Home video for this crazy blast of a movie. Cash is a no nonsense guy with a one track mind. Simplicity is key as he just wants to kill all of the folks who have done him harm in the past. Kind to the women and children, but mean to just about everyone else in this bullets a flyin' frenzy.

This one has it all; Italian mobsters, Chinese Triads and even this cute but slightly psychopathic Russian hottie who threatens to cut a guys balls off, anyone into rough cuddling!? At nearly a two hour run time Cash drags a bit, but the action is fast and plentiful. This is a definite rent all the way, not for the kiddies though, way to violent.

Overall I rate this a 6 out of 10. Strictly for filming technique, action, and gunfights CA$H rates an 8 out of 10 as the low budget was maximized, with excellent lighting and camera work. Please visit the following sites for more information.

IMDB- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0479874/
Official Site- http://www.afistfulofcash.com/
MTI Home Video- http://www.mtivideo.com/
Photos, videos and press- http://www.edbaran.com/mtihomevideo/index.htm

Bitch Slap-Movie Review-Danny Shamon

Bitch Slap is one of those guilty pleasure low budget underground films that deserves praise for the salacious audacity, brazen attitude, and clever dialogue. The acting is wonderfully tongue and cheek over the top.

The three main actresses all do a great job of hamming it up for the camera and they are also pleasant to look at. My favorite performance however, goes to a secondary character named appropriately Kinky played by Minae Noji. The petite Asian actress is well known in the soap opera circles for being a regular on General Hospital. She is perfectly instep with her character and is a treat to watch, wish she even had a bigger role. She has a good fight scene, incidentally the action is choreographed by the great Zoe Bell.


Check your brain at the door and enjoy the sheer silliness of three hot girls double crossing the boys and brutalizing them. Lines such as "grab my nuts and call me Sally", "fur pie jamboree" "black hair blond" and "Id like to slam you like a screen door" pepper the crafty ultra low budget production. This is over the top all the way.

Plot is simple, involves money, cover up and takes place mainly in one location outside. A nice surprise is to look for the cameos by Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Conner from Xena. A good flick worthy of multiple viewings it rates a 7 out of 10 on the Richter scale! Video on Demand January 8th.

For info go to: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1212974/
Official Site: http://www.bitchslapmovie.com/

Avatar-Movie Review-Danny Shamon

The anticipation leading up to a huge film is often watered down when the film comes out. With Avatar Cameron outdid his own high standards with a masterpiece worthy of once in a lifetime status.

If one comments on this movie without seeing it on a Museum quality true Imax not AMC No offense but those are not the true format, then the comments are just not justified. Drive as far as need be, go to a museum screen! 5 story screen, 15k sound system was system 3d all the way!

Going into a long dissertation of how the movie is, plot, story line, characters have all been covered, by hundreds of other reviewers. Plot is simplistic, but additional themes were added. The true magic was the movie look and texture. The backgrounds were lush and detailed. The renderings from Weta with help from ILM were amazing and awe inspiring. I rate this movie an 11 out of 10, once in a lifetime experience.