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Actionfest 2011 2012
 


ACTIONFEST 2010
(April 15-18) Asheville, NC
 |  Program .pdf  
 

Actionfest 2020 Movie Schedule


REVISED Timeline! click for larger version 4/15/10
Main changes were DIRTY MINDS switch w/POWER KIDS | Wake in Fright starts Friday at 12:00 noon now, not 12:30

(USE MovieTickets.com
!)  FILM SCHEDULE  (LIST by Day also color coded)


The first-ever Action Movie Festival:
ACTIONFEST 2010


It's finally here:  April 15-18, 2010, in Asheville, NC
 
I wanted to document this milestone,  so this page will be a record of my journey to and through the very first ActionFest.  Yippee-ki-yay mother fuckers!

 

Plus, I wanted to learn all the details, action movies being shown, who's involved, anything useful or fun, whatever I can find out . . .

Film Details with PREVIEWS! below . . . 

Film Distributors ListMovie News ListJury Members ListTwitter ListSponsors
 

Daily Journal of ActionFest 2010

Sunday The Closing Night Awards Show @ The Orange Peel
Sunday

The Stunts of Chuck Norris Panel
The reason for the Festival! The man himself speaking with a Panel of friends: his full-time brother, part-time stunt double, and long-time Director Aaron Norris, Paul Weston, Jeff Habberstad, Kennie "The Rocketman" Gibson, Mark De Alesandro   . . . and Jet Li's stunt double, and from the cast of Walker Texas Ranger:  Sheree J. Wilson and Judson Mills (who was very entertaining)
Mr. Norris said his heroes were John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart.  He said he grew up without a father figure. He served in the Air Force in Korea after High School.  He earned a black belt in Tong Su Do (Tae Kwon Do) after he got a black belt in Judo.  He met Bruce Lee in New York at Madison Square Gardens at the World Cup in 1968. Bruce Lee asked him to star in Return of the Dragon (and lose the fight). Mr. Norris said the "hero thing" was important to him and that he not be depicted as a bad guy.  Good Guys Wear Black was the first time he used a stuntman in his career (his brother Aaron). When asked by an audience member, he said his favorite action movie is Hero with Jet  Li.

Mr. Norris spoke of real heroes and mentioned has done two tours to Iraq visiting the troops. There were some servicemen in the audience who stood up when recognized.

Sunday

Code of Silence
Who hasn't seen and loved this movie? I had to watch it again in this context. What stays with me is that AWESOME moment when he blows that guy off the tower! So unexpected. So cool and funny in that sick way that action movie violence satisfies. The best!  (That Robocop-type machine was ahead of its time.)

Sunday

Merantau
What a surprisingly moving Action movie. This would be a wonderful drama if not for the remarkable fighting skills of Iko Uwais!  The plot reminds us how small the world is and how we are all the same. Compassion and heroism. It will make you cry, girlie man! Merantau showcased Uwais's Silat skills, can't wait to see more from him.

SUNDAY
April 18

So tired! It's toooo exciting!  No time to write and upload pictures and video yet. Action movies all day (12 hours) gotta love it! Met Tom Quinn Senior VP at Magnolia Pictures. Everyone so nice to the attendees!

Saturday Undisputed III: Redemption
post-movie Q &A with (L-R) , and Actionfest 'host' (Creative Director) Matthew Kiernan, Marko Zaror, and Larnell Stovall (stunt coordinator), and Isaac Florentine (Director).

If you weren't at this showing, at Actionfest, you missed out!  It was really fun to have these 3 gentlemen in the audience. Must be a great feeling to sit with an audience who appreciates your work.  This movie had concentrated action-movie-cheesy-goodness: Larger than life ultra-manly stereotypical characters we can identify with, sleazy villains, and unfair situations you're just itching for the characters to break out of, LOTS of fight scenes, and it turned out to be a buddy movie! to leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling after all the ass kicking. It works because it keeps to a simple formula and because of the charisma of the actors. "That's right, that's right, they're bad, they're bad."

Saturday

part of Valhalla Rising, then The Stranger

Valhalla Rising
I wanted to like Valhalla Rising but  the beginning was sooooo slow. After the first fight scenes, it stalled. I gave up when, after they had been floating at sea napping and arguing, becalmed for what seemed like :20 minutes, they discovered they had drifted into a river. (!) I wanted to lay down in the boat and take a nap. The action movie freak in me was too bored to squirm any longer, so I bailed to watch "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's movie, The Stranger, which had a later starting time.

The IMDB summary of Valhalla Rising:  "For years, 'One-Eye', a mute warrior of supernatural strength, has been held prisoner by the chieftain 'Barde'. Aided by a boy, 'Are', he kills his captor and together they escape, beginning a journey into the heart of darkness. On their flight, One-Eye and Are board a Viking vessel but the ship is soon engulfed by an endless fog that first disintegrates as they sight an unknown land. As the new land reveals its secrets and the Vikings meet a ghastly fate, One-Eye discovers his true self."

 Yes, endless
 

Saturday

 

The Stranger
I liked The Stranger because I like Steve Austin in movies. He moves like The Incredible Hulk and you're just along for the ride until he mangles somebody. This movie was watchable, even enjoyable, but the pacing was also slow for me (for an action movie). Too much story I think. Too predictable. Too many non-action types in the other roles. Austin looked out of place not just as the character was supposed to be feeling in the story, but as the wrestler dropped into an episode of Law and Order.  It seemed more like TV than a movie (maybe because the acting by the other characters was bad, sorry, but it was). I think the editing added to the 'confused' feeling that the main character (and the audience) was feeling, but it just had a made-for-TV feel to it. Austin is really enjoyable in the fight scenes—He's a walking wall of whop ass for sure.  He has progressed since The Condemned. I think the pacing was just too slow overall. Maybe if he could loosen up a bit, the flow would be more natural. Of course, maybe that's just him. He's not Chris Tucker, but he comes off a little like The Thing. All that said, I would watch it again. He's awesome!
 

Saturday

 

The Art of the 2nd Unit Panel
This was a rare gathering and a glimpse into the unsung heroes of action movie making. 
The Panel consisted of:  Drew Mc Weeny (host), Aaron Norris, Paul Weston, Jeff Habberstad, Kennie "The Rocketman" Gibson, Isaac Florentine, Mark De Alessandro

They spoke of the trust and camaraderie of the profession.  "If you're gonna go to war, go to war with your friends." We learned a young stuntman is called a "pecknerneck".

Paul Weston told about his hairiest stunt: The ski jump/Union Jack scene from The Spy Who Loved Me. The Director said "If he thinks he can do it, we'll shoot it." He said it was the riskiest thing he'd ever done and probably the bravado of youth. 

 

Saturday

The tail end of Vengeance, then STUNT SHOW
I'm sorry I didn't get to see all of Vengeance. Guessing by the ending, it took a lot of drama to get to that point. There was a crazy amount of guns and the look of the fight taking place in a field of giant compressed garbage cubes was original to say the least. I might get blasted for saying this but Asian films seemly overly dramatic as if, like a drug, they have become immune to emotion and have to have it in exaggerated doses to feel anything, not just in the acting but in the story line. Shanghai Triad comes to mind. So ruthless, so brutal! (It's just a cultural differences observation folks, just one opinion. It's either too much emotion or it's emotional immaturity. Yeah, I'm making worse. Not trying to.) The ending that I saw might have been better in just one respect: The planning of angles. There seemed to be ample opportunity for a clean shot (back to the action, I mean shooting a gun shot, not camera shot) when none was taken. This takes away the suspense. Also, the movement and distance of the garbage cubes varied wildly at different points: they were far, then close, then far again, then stupid close (should have been killed already). Despite this, it was bad ass just for the number of guns and the killings, and stylistically it was très cool (reminded me of De Palma's Snake Eyes).

Here's my YouTube video of the Stunt Fall showing the crowd that day and Tri Color Media Group's professional video of all the action:




SATURDAY
April 17

The Good, The Bad, The Weird
This movie was great fun. ("Weird" stole the show.) It was super hyped and sometimes that can hurt a film when you have overblown expectations. I loved the main characters and the differences between them. They seemed to pay homage to great 'American' movie heroes (like Clint Eastwood).  I made the same observation as above regarding the exaggerated emotion (I just wrote about this after I wrote about Vengeance). Where this movie let me down was in the ending. It was incredibly creative, but the direction of the ending seemed immature and budgetless (meaning no restriction on spending), which affected the flow and the impact.  I think it could have been tightened up in the editing to finish better.  Yes, I know I'm no movie maker but I have seen more Action Movies more times than even your above-average bear, so I speak to the Action Movie fan (freak) experience, and I know what I like.

 

 

Friday
 

Rogues' Gallery (now called Operation: Endgame)
It is reaching to be a rogues' galley but it most definitely should be named Operation: Endgame instead. The premise seems a bit weak: End a government covert operation rather than turn it over to Barak Obama?!? This is not funny enough in itself to make a movie out of.  It's like a video game with Secret Ops characters you would choose to wander around a basement facility killing each other. The characters have creative names and completely different looks to distinguish them (except two interchangeable skinny brunettes) but there are too many characters who are not sufficiently developed to add to anything in particular the plot. Calling it "Rogues' Gallery" was not going to be sexy enough to help it along to the extent it needs. The acting is good, but if it wasn't for some wicked-ass killing with office supplies and equipment, this movie would have been just the Rod Corddry Show (his take on Super Bowl ads @1:49 is the best). In its defense, it wasn't "final final" when they showed it to us, and they are still working on it. I don't think it can be considered an action movie. Without a lot more story, it's not going to make it.

 

 

Friday
 

Mandrill (starring and with Q & A after with Marko Zaror)
A charming surprise and highly entertaining! And YES! We all got to meet and question Mr. Marko Zaror!!

Marko Zaror in MandrillI know what you're thinking . . . but Mandrill is much more than James Bond as a novela —and the difference is Marko Zaror.  Although it seems to be inspired by the classic Connery Bond, Mandrill (man+drill hee hee) offers its own source of inspiration with a great 70s-throwback-TV-show feel (the choice of music was perfect). Mandrill's TV hero "Colt, John Colt" seems like a hilariously (we laughed a lot!) exaggerated young boy's perception of his favorite TV hero. Whatever the TV show might have been, it feels more like you are watching the intensified version of a young boy's perceptions of the character—a young boy looking for a father figure/hero. (Some names from the Colt TV promo: Alpak Shino (Al Pacino LOL), Dr. Nemesis, Handyman, Agent 96. The voice of John Colt alone is hilarious.)

Raised by his Uncle, Mandrill is on a mission to find the man who shot and killed his parents. (He was hidden in a closet by his mother for safety but witnessed what happened. He looks about 8 years old.)  He becomes an assassin always looking for the killer to be his next target. What is surprising is how likeable the character is. Marko Zaror was there at our Actionfest screening, and while you look at the screen and then look at him and think "Yep, that's him!" he's nothing like the character.  What makes the movie work is not only the charisma Zaror brings to the role, but also the sweetness of the boy's innocence written into the it, so that when the boy is a grown man who is trying to be so suave (so "John Colt") even when he seems to be over-the-top pouring on the charm, he either convinces you he completely believes it himself (he's confident that he IS that charming), and/or, he is 100% sincere in what he's saying, and that sincerity comes off as he TRULY IS charming: It's a devasting combination (confidence+charm). The boy and the man have a rich fantasy life. Add to that Marko's good looks and action figure build and . . .you know what I'm thinking. (hubba hubba)

The plot was a fresh surprise as well, just when you thought you knew what would happen next, it would surprise you in a clever way (and a big surprise at the end)! The audience at my showing seemed into the movie and highly entertained. It was campy in a good way. The 2-dimensionality of the characters worked perfectly (one guy distinguishing characteristic was a cough LOL). It seemed to keep it on the surface which made the whole thing seem fake, like a TV show, which also worked perfectly. It reminds me a little of Pulp Fiction and Natural Born Killers, and while you might think I'm reaching, what made them work, made this work, and that's no accident! Surprisingly, Zaror does not carry the picture (unless he's so good that he made he think he didn't—kidding). The smaller parts and other actors work so well, it leaves you with an ensemble performance feel, and not a vehicle (which is what I was expecting, although it certainly works well for that). Even the stoic bodyguard whose role is mainly stature, facial expressions, and reactions, was campy and fun. 

Marko Zaror in Mandrill stunt workThe overall impression at the end for me was "I really enjoyed that!" Zaror shows his martial arts skills in creative ways and there a several satisfying smackdowns (which earned noises of appreciation from stunt coordinator Paul Weston who was in the audience).  (I think the Director also attended).  Like Pulp Fiction, Mandrill hits the target. Like Natural Born Killers, you're let into his world and his perceptions of reality and himself, all to highly entertaining effect.  The fact that he's eye candy only adds to the effectiveness of the piece, the acting and the story really hooked you. In the movie he gave me a little Burt Reynolds vibe (but not in real life). Can't wait to see how he is as a bad guy in Undisputed III: Redemption (showing at 10 with Q & A after with Marko, Isaac Florentine, and Larnell Stovall).

 

   

 

Friday
 

District 13: Ultimatum
I was hoping this movie would exceed the first but it really let me down. The final explosions were not shown.  Can't even wrap my head around that decision.  It's supposed to be an ACTION MOVIE. We live for explosions.  If they ran out of money, they were penny wise and pound foolish. That might have redeemed it a bit. It had none of the campiness and fun of the characters in the first movie. The club scene intro and the jail break were the best parts, but it wasn't enough for a whole movie.

 

 

Friday
 
Ong bak 2
Unparalleled athleticism!
I really can't vomit up enough words to make you see this.  How about just these two:

SEE THIS.

A phrase from Emeril comes to mind: "Kicked up to notches unknown." Seriously you are missing out if you haven't seen this or think you know what to expect. Envy me my not having seen the first movie when I saw this one.  What stayed with me was, frankly, everything: The ending series of fights, the elephants, the shock and awe of the violence in the beginning of the boy's life (and the film), the blood bath, and blood-thirsty games, and the Fellini-esque freak show (the word "savages" comes to mind). The journey of this boy is a series of battles that shapes him into a killing force like nothing I've seen. Tony Jaa is on his own level. The fight scene in the village was so exciting I couldn't write. He was so fast and so skilled that he even bitch slapped and scratched. He anticipated and had lightning fast reflexes (yes, having to remind myself it is a movie). He's good at every type of move and made it seem like it was easy for him. He had tremendous prowess with a spear, with everything. The claw-like kerambit knife was something (speechless) . . . the bent sword! I can't even find that on the web. He masters every kind of fighting and then throws elephants into the mix. Must be really happy elephants to let themselves be stunt elephants in an action movie—that's a love that takes a lifetime. Beyond fighting off an elephant, the movie has many WOW moments of fighting, of violence, and of beauty. The fire in the rain! I don't expect so many moments of sheer beauty when I see an action movie but the movie is just amazing on every level. Expect your breath to be taken away over and over again. Doesn't matter what I say, you'll still be blown away.

 

FRIDAY
April 16

Born To Fight
The outtakes were the best part for sheer determination, bravado, and general insanity! It seemed like every take, when the actor/stuntman would try the stunt, the crew would immediately RACE over to the lifeless form on the ground  like "Is he alive?" almost like they were expecting him not to be. It just looked painful!!

In an intro. filled with HOLY CRAP moments, there was the sight of a semi, on fire, plowing full speed through a corrugated tin village. Sounds tame to write it, but by the time the chase scene got to this point, it was out of control! The killcount for the first :15 minutes must be impressive. As always, it was scary to see men riding/standing/hanging onto cars and trucks and carrying guns.  After the terrorists attack the village, the hero (who hid out to escape being captured) finds a way to get a gun and begins walking through the village (camera behind him) and it's totally a video game feel, which is great: Hunt and kill, avoid the friendlies. 

It was chock full of cliches to tug at our heartstrings: a longish set up/intro. of the sweetness/rural poverty of village life, charity work, a baby, kids with no toys, young lovers, lonely old women, a one-legged man, and others, like concepts: forgiveness, patriotism, teamwork, selflessness, etc. If they missed any opportunity, to emotional involve us I couldn't think of it. At the same time, it was balls-out, full-on action like nothing else. The word CRAZY came to mind. It's an must-see instant Action Movie classic.

Do yourself a favor, don't watch the trailer, just watch the movie . . .

 


 

THURSDAY
April 15

CENTURION world premiere @ 7:30 PM
(YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE IT: Friday-at 2:00 PM and I highly recommend it!)


Michael Fassbender Centurion chase scene


RUN, DO NOT WALK, TO CENTURION FOR A BLOODY GREAT SLICE OF ACTION!

Centurion is a great chase story. Loved how even the credits are on the move, which (combined with the music and the landscape) starts the movie off with a sense of urgency and adventure. 

WALKING GETS YOU INTO TROUBLE
Centurion definitely delivers as a period piece: the ultra-manly Romans in those costumes we all would love to wear for Halloween but which are too complicated to replicate: the bristle brush Roman helmets, the armor, the leather flapped skirts, chin-protecting sandals, and the swords. Nature plays a large part, especially the forest, in taking us back to a primal state of fear. The misty forest setting of the first big battle gives the movie a mystical feel with danger lurking around every tree trunk. Something as commonplace as soldiers marching a trail becomes dangerous when sounds are heard in the distance and mist and trees hide whatever is lurking.  The Roman soldiers hurriedly get into a military square formation and present shields in unison (a sound that should strike fear into an enemy when all that metal hits the ground at one time). 

"Whatever comes out of that mist, men, you will hold the line."

You think after you hear the shields hit the ground, they're protected, they're ready, they're Romans, but you haven't met the Picts. The Picts roll enormous fireballs downhill from both sides that crash through the ranks. So much for organization and strategy. The sight of these hurtling balls of flame against shades of blue and green in the forest and the mist, alone, is worth seeing the movie for. With the defensive squares broken up, the Picts attack and the fighting begins. The repetitive sound of striking steel and the squishy sounds of stabbing increase in tempo driving the action and the anticipation to a final beheading. The Picts are vicious savages—its awesome!  Awesome is a word that came too mind all too often, if that tells you how AWESOME the movie is.

BLOOD AND BITCHES
Olga Kurylenko as Etain in Centurion
We action movie freaks must be a blood-thirsty lot!
There is a generous and satisfying amount of just throat slitting in that first big attack scene, as well as lots of other ways to die involving sharp metal objects. A line spoken after the slaughter, when there are so many bodies and so much blood on the ground: "The Gods never get their feet wet" hints at the outcome of the movie, but nothing prepares you for the brutality of the Pict female characters. Centurion features two fearless and ruthless female characters. We have rage, and they know how to use it. They were both convincing in their intensity and brutality. 

In the General vs. the she-wolf fight, the character Etain is handy with a spear, and uses it as deftly as a knife and a fork! LOL Her primal scream (!!) after she kills is awesome. There's that word again. I liked how the other Pict warrior girl had yellow hair and yellow teeth. For such a small role, she struck a lot of fear! 

LOST IN THE FOREST
"We live united or die divided." A chase movie but with a little of the who-dies-next of the horror film as they are 'Pict' (sorry had to do it) off, or pick each other off. One of those moments action movie freaks live for comes in the form of death by spear to the mouth. As their numbers dwindle [there were only 7 (I think) to begin with], hope and purpose fade: "The Gods have forsaken us, we make our own chances." "[Hopelessness is the stuff of legend, and legends will get you laid.]" If you can stay alive. The chase is a little long (practically the whole movie) and at one point I was wondering where the hell are they? when someone onscreen asked the same thing. How far is too far to run for your life? No such thing. [It was a little like the TV show "LOST:" running around the forest with guns, only they run faster and use knives, swords, axes, and hatchets.]

COLD HARD TRUTH
The sound of striking steel is heard a lot, and the atmosphere and cold feel and fear is unrelenting as a blade. At one point, it seems Centurion might turn into a love story where the good girl shows up just in time to save her man. SO glad they didn't go that way.  But it was good that they had a likeable female character to balance the two evil Pict bitches. As the original group running for their lives dwindles, when they are down to three, it's great how each of them gives their all. They show what Roman soldiers are made of as they make their last stand. Olga Kurylenko as Etain is good in the hand-to-hand combat scene. There aren't too many convincing fist fights with a girl. Loved it. And when there are only 2 left, after all that running and all that fighting, the Roman soldiers discover they fought for nothing. (Won't tell you how or why.)  The opening ties in verbally with the ending in a poetic way, but in the end, it's die united, live divided.

I noticed in the credits, the 2nd and 3rd unit directors were all women!  BOO YA! 

Here is the Festival introduction to the movie with the slightly inebriated Tom Quinn who introduces the contagiously enthusiastic Festival Director Matthew Kiernan who introduces Bill Banowsky, and then Aaron Norris etc.   


 

Apr 14

VIP badge and the Banner in the window at the theater:

Actionfest 2010 VIP badge featuring Honoree Chuck Norris Actionfest 2010 banner

Figuring out movie list.  May see (waiting for @AllOuttaBG's advice: Wake in Fright,  Ong-Bak 2,  Raging Phoenix,  Mandrill ,  Besouro,  The Good The Bad, and The Weird (looks awesome),  District 13: Ultimatum (or Stunt Show),  Panel Art of the 2nd Unit (or 14 Blades),  The Stranger,  Robo Geisha,  Merantu or Undisputed II: Redemption?,  Code of Silence, How can you see Braddock if you attend the Panel?!, (Valhalla Rising),  Panel Stunts of Chuck Norris (same time as Braddock: MIA III -gotta check revised schedule),  The Square . . .

Here is The Carolina Asheville marquee and the theater:

 


Apr 13 Packed and ready to start driving. Hmmm do I detour to Florence, SC just to eat at Roger's BBQ? The pig is calling...

Apr 10

Skipping the stunt show (WHAT?!) If I attend the Panels, I will miss too many films!!  Code of Silence, Braddock: MIA III, Operation: Endgame, Harry Brown, Undisputed II: Redemption, Wake in Fright, Golden Blade III, Power Kids, Vengeance, Dirty Mind, Valhalla Rising or Mandrill, and The Square (and the Square is offered 3x!)  CANT MISS THE CHUCK NORRIS FILMS! He's the reason for the season!!

Apr 9

Sony Webbie hard to find. Should have bought it earlier online (only $84, Brandsmart wants $148.88). Bought 2 mega memory cards instead for my digital camera (takes up to 2 hours of movies each). Studied film schedule trying to figure out the most movies I can see [all of them is apparently not possible :( ] The Stunt Show and the Panels take away 3!

Apr 8 Learned to embed video and collected all the previews I could, plus running times, added the 3 news films and the (free!)  STUNT SHOW  Going to buy Sony "Webbie" (recommendation of @kevinbrueck)
Apr 7 So excited I could burst!  @AllOuttaBG AllOuttaBubbleGum.com guys want me to be their ActionFest correspondent!
Apr 6

Saw @JimCarrey tweeted that he broke up with Jenny McCarthy. Tweeted him to come to ActionFest!  LOL. I'm sure he'll see it among the 4.2 million messages he must get a day from fans like me. ("It could happen." Judy Tenuta)

Apr 2 Actionfest site by tricolormedia.com.  They don't have ActionFest on their website!
March 27

@Actionfest  offers: "What's your favorite Chuck Norris movie quote? Tweet it by 5pm EST Mon. for your chance to win an ActionFest Film Badge!"  Winning quote goes on their t-shirt. Winners selected from the most popular quote.

Also: Tickets now on sale for our closing night event - Chuck Norris AND The Reigning Sound! http://www.theorangepeel.net/calendar20104.php#af"  (included in the VIP Pass)

March 25

Tweet by @AVLPlanning:
*
Actionfest looking for kickass vendors to set-up at the festival only $250. Guest attendance projected to be up to 4,000.

March 22

Tweet by @AVLPlanning:
Volunteer opportunites for Actionfest. Email me lauri@ashevilleeventstaffing.com We will be offering some kickass perks. #chucknavl (<-- AVLPlanning using this for ActionFest topic!)

March 19

Kept watching the Action Fest site as it expanded to include a menu!  Tweeted about it:
follow @onfest #ActionFest upgraded site actionfest.com ck it out #ChuckNorris is a menu item #CarolinaAshevilleCinema

1:00 PM Mar 19th via TwitterGadget

Tweet by @Actionfest:
#FF @jamesrocchi @hopicecream @ashevillecomedy @twitchfilm @AskAsheville @crsryan @rejects @AxelleCarolyn @EricVespe @actionmoviefrea

AW, YEAH! I made the list!!  Also noted all the affiliates of the festival (under their links page) and searched for them on twitter (and expanded my 2 twitter action lists:  @actionmoviefrea/action and @helenschmelen/action<-list now gone).

March 16 Tweet by @Actionfest:
Check out the trailer to our opening night film, CENTURION. We saw this last night and loved it! http://bit.ly/d90vMg

 
March 13  I tell my boss (and everyone I know) I'm going!  Tweeted more about it:  @HelenGynell and @actionmoviefrea  
March 12

I got permission to take the time off, and I'm going to drive! Miami, FL to Asheville, NC = 13+ hours.
It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing!  The FIRST-EVER ActionFest, and the first-ever honoree is Chuck Norris!

March 11

Tweet by @AllOuttaBG:
Can't believe Chuck Norris is 70. The guy must have a million stories. See him at ActionFest!
6:12 AM Mar 11th via web Retweeted by you

This second tweet I saw, (and retweeted—the day after Chuck Norris's birthday) and then . . .
I found the ActionFest video trailer on YouTube.

Rantbo says "there's no way" the AllOuttaBubbleGum.com team can go! :(  They are in Montana. So disappointed they won't be there. I asked for the time off work to go.  And start tweeting more about #ActionFest!

@AVLPlanning tweets limited vendor spaces available*
 

March 8  RT @Actionfest Check out this killer new ActionFest commercial done by our friends at Post Asylum:
ActionFest Trailer - Bodycount!
Retweeted by you

Bought my VIP PASS! (includes all movies!!!)
• ACTIONFEST VIP BADGE $100 1 pass for everything
• ACTION BADGE $40 1 for events separately
• ACTIONFEST FILM BADGE $75 1 for movies separately (was $65 before April 1st)
• Individual Movie Tickets may be purchased for $10

Decided to modify website to include Diary of ActionFest with a list of filmslms, find out all I can about them beforehand, etc. . . . this is it :)   25 films were mentioned but only 23 listed so far . . .

 
 
March 5 AllOuttaBubbleGum Action Movie Breakdown PageTweet by @AllOuttaBG:
Wow! Anyone going to Actionfest in Asheville, NC April 15-18?

10:21 AM Mar 5th via web  

I must have been at the movies because I missed this tweet by
the AllOuttaBubbleGum.com guys: Kain and Rantbo.
What a KICK-ASS action site! Check it out if you've never visited it before.
It's wildly entertaining writing (plus they have body counts!).
Their Action Movie Breakdowns Format celebrates what we love action movies for.
     [The Chalk-Outline] The Title, Year And A Basic 1 to 2 Sentence Plot Description
     [The Execution] What's It About, How Was It and Was It Worth It?
     [How Bad-Ass is/are The Main Character(s)?] Did The Hero(s) Pump My Nads?
     [The Body Count] Who, How and How Many?: Died
     [Most Satisfying Death/Ass-Kicking] Which Beat-Down or Kill Was My Favorite?
     [DudeSweat and Machismo] How Manly (GAY) Was It?
     [Exploitation and Misogyny] How Anti-Vagina Was It?
     [Epic Moment and Best One-Liner] My Favorite/Most Horrifying Moment And Witticism.
     [The Moral Of The Story] What Did I Learn From Watching The Movie?


Follow them on twitter: Ty aka Rantbo @AllOuttaBG and Brenton aka Kain @Kain424
They're not just another pretty site, they really know their shit!
 

March 2 The first ActionFest press release went up on the first version of the site (pre menu) and they started tweeting, but how I found out about it was . . .

Release Date
(Country)
SHOWTIMES

ActionFest
FILM LIST
4 February 2010
(China)

Fri  9:40 pm
Sat  4:45 pm
14 Blades (1 hr. 55 min.)
(aka Gam yee wai)

(North American Premiere)

Director:  Daniel Lee

During the Ming Dynasty, a secret agent of the emperor's court is betrayed and then hunted down by his former colleagues. Starring martial arts legends Donnie Yen (IP MAN) and Sammo Hung (DRAGONS FOREVER), 14 BLADES was recently nominated for "Best Action Choreography" at the 2010 Hong Kong Film Awards.
 

 

30 October 2009
(Brazil)

Fri  9:45 pm
Sun  4:45 pm
 
Besouro
(North American Premiere)

Director:  
João Daniel Tikhomiroff

An official selection at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival, BESURO is the emotional true story of the legendary capoeira fighter (played by Aílton Carmo) from Bahia (a Brazilian state), who was rumored to fly and leads an uprising of slaves to gain their freedom. (The real life events happened in 1924. Capoeira sounds like Trinity's first fight scene in The Matrix.)

 
5 August 2004
(Thailand)

Fri  12:30 pm
Sun  7:30 pm
Born To Fight  (1 hr. 36 min.)
(aka Kerd ma lui)

(Special Retrospective)

Director:  Panna Rittikrai

Panna Rittikrai, martial arts choreographer of Tony Jaa's ONG BAK films, directed this insanely fun stunt extravaganza about a small village overtaken by terrorists that fights back in spectacular style. This rare U.S. theatrical screening is part of ActionFest's Shomongkolfilm Retrospective (Courtesy of Dragon Dynasty)

 

2 March 1988
(France)

Sun  5:10 PM
Braddock:  Missing In Action III
1 hr. 41 min.
(Chuck Norris Retrospective) 

Director: 
Aaron Norris

Chuck Norris teams with brother Aaron Norris (co-founder of ActionFest) for the third film in the MISSING IN ACTION series, where Col. James Braddock goes back to Vietnam to rescue his Amer-Asian son in this little-seen sequel, Mr. Norris's personal favorite of the series.

 

 15 April 2010
Actionfest!

22 April 2010 (Greece)

Thurs  7:30 pm
Fri  2:00 pm
CENTURION  (1 hr. 37 min.)
(WORLD Premiere)
 
Director:  Neil Marshall

117 AD Roman frontiersman Quintus Dias (Michael Fassbender) survives a Pict raid and marches north with General Virilus' (Dominic West) legendary Ninth Legion, under orders to kill the Picts and their leader Gorlacon. When the legion is ambushed and Virilus taken captive, Quintus faces a desperate struggle to keep his small platoon alive behind enemy lines, rescue their General, and escape to safety.

 

3 May 1985
(USA)

Fri  4:30 pm
Sun  2:30 pm
Code of Silence  (1 hr. 41 min.)
(Chuck Norris Retrospective)

Director: 
Andrew Davis

Chuck Norris' most critically acclaimed film cast him as Chicago cop Eddie Cusack, who battles mobsters and corrupt cops in this outstanding police thriller from director Andrew Davis (THE FUGITIVE).

 

28 January 2009
(Belgium)

Fri   7:15 pm
Sun  4:50 pm
Dirty Mind  (1 hr. 42 min.)
(Regional Premiere)

Director:  Pieter Van Hees

From the director of LEFT BANK, DIRTY MIND tells the story of a meek and mild technician who suffers an injury on a film set and emerges as the suave and fearless "Tony T" (Wim Helsen), who sets out to become a legendary stuntman in an effort to escape his loser past.

 


Fri  4:45 pm
Sat  2:40 pm
District 13 - Ultimatum  (1 hr. 35 min.) (aka Banlieue 13 - Ultimatum)

Director:  Patrick Alessandrin

Two years have passed since elite police officer Damien Tomasso (Cyril Raffaelli) teamed up with reformed vigilante Leito (parkour originator David Belle) to save the notorious District 13, a racially charged ghetto populated by violent drug dealing gangs and vicious killers. Despite government promises to maintain order, the state of the district has deteriorated, and a group of corrupt cops and elected officials are conspiring to cause civil unrest, looking for an excuse to raze the area and cash in on its redevelopment. With bone crunching fights and death defying leaps, this adrenaline charged sequel takes parkour to new heights.  (Courtesy of Magnet Releasing)  

div>
2007
 

Sat  9:45 pm
Sun  7:00 pm

Golden Blade III: Return Of The Monkey's Uncle (1 hr. 30 min.)
(Special Retrospective)

Director: 
T.J. Wiedow

The only martial arts extravaganza shot entirely on location in Asheville, NC, GOLDEN BLADE III is an affectionate spoof of the classic Shaw Brothers films of the 1970s, right down to the cheap FX and bad dubbing. This special (midnight?-not midnight so no commentary?) screening will be accompanied by a live audio commentary from director TJ Weidow and members of the cast & crew.

 

9 April 2010
(USA)

Fri   7:00 pm
Sat  12:00 noon

The Good, The Bad, The Weird  (2 hrs.)
(aka Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom)

(Regional Premiere)

Director:  Ji-woon Kim

South Korea's smash hit finally hits the U.S.! A South Korean western inspired by Sergio Leone's classic THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY, WEIRD stars Song Kang-Ho (THE HOST) as one of a group of desperate gunslingers in 1930's Manchuria after a priceless treasure map. (Courtesy of IFC Films)

11 November 2009
(UK)

Fri   7:10 pm
Sat  2:45 pm
Harry Brown  (1 hr. 43 min.)
(Regional Premiere)

Director: 
Daniel Barber

Two-time Academy Award-winner Michael Caine returns to the action milieu of his legendary film GET CARTER as Harry Brown, a widowed and retired military man looking to live out the rest of his days in peace, but forced to take up arms again when his only friend is murdered by a local gang. (Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films)

15 September 2009
(USA)

Fri  7:30 pm
Sun  2:30 pm
 
Mandrill  (1 hr. 30 min.)
(Regional Premiere)

Director: 
Ernesto Díaz Espinoza

Chilean martial arts star Marko Zaror (KILTRO; MIRAGEMAN) returns to the screen as the tough-as-nails hitman Mandrill, whose latest contract finally leads him to the man responsible for the murder of his parents.

5 November 2009
(Singapore)

Sat  7:10 pm
Sun  12:00 noon
Merantau (2 hr.14 min.)
(Regional Premiere)

Director:  Gareth Evans

Yuda, a young man from the Indonesian countryside must undergo Merantau, a traditional rite into manhood where he must leave home and find his place in the world. But upon his arrival in Jakarta, he finds himself thrust into the world of human slave trading, with only his Silat skills to help him survive.

4 December 2008 (Thailand)
 

Fri   2:15 pm
Sun  7:35 pm

Ong bak 2  (1 hr. 54 min.)
(Special Retrospective)

Director:  Tony Jaa

Martial arts superstar Tony Jaa stars in and directs this epic tale of revenge set hundreds of years in the past. Featuring a huge cast and hordes of elephants, this prequel takes Jaa's skills to the next level, showcasing him as a master of a wide range of martial arts styles – while proving him to be a promising director as well.  Screened as part of ActionFest's Shomongkolfilm Retrospective (Courtesy of Magnet Releasing)


 
Operation: Endgame see Rogues' Gallery
(WORLD Premiere)
2009

Fri  5:00 pm
Sat  12:30 pm
OOOM Out Of Our Minds (28 min.)
(Regional Premiere)

Director: 
Tony Stone

A special presentation of the new short film (:28) from acclaimed director Tony Stone (SEVERED WAYS: THE NORSE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA) in collaboration with singer and guitarist Melissa Auf Der Maur (formerly of Hole). A fantasy world spawned from sound. Three time periods and three narratives, one connection—blood. At the center of this life force is the heart.

5 March 2009
(Thailand)

Fri  2:30 pm
Sat  2:50 pm
Power Kids
(aka 5 Huajai Hero)

(U.S. Premiere)

Director: 
Krissanapong Rachata

When their best friend is in need of a heart transplant, a plucky group of kids band together against a group of terrorists who have seized the hospital moments before their friend's surgery. This outrageously fun martial arts adventure was produced by the same team behind ONG BAK and THE PROTECTOR. 
From IMDB: 4
children sneak into a terrorist controlled hospital to steal a heart to transplant for the 5th child who is dying in a different hospital.

12 August 2009
(Thailand)

Fri  4:30 pm
Sat  4:45 pm
Raging Phoenix (1 hr. 52 min.)
(aka Deu Suay Doo)

(North American Premiere)

Director: 
Rashane Limtrakul

CHOCOLATE's JeeJa Yanin returns to fight off a vicious band of kidnappers with the help of a new form of Muay Thai that combines martial arts and hip hop dance moves!



Sat  9:40 pm
Sun  12:30 pm
Robo-geisha (1 hr. 42 min.)

Director: 
Noboru Iguchi

A new feature from the demented imagination of director Noboru Iguchi, the man who brought the world the cult sensation MACHINE GIRL. In modern-day Japan, Kikue and Yoshie, two sisters in geisha training are kidnapped and forced into the shadowy world of the Kageno Corporation, a steel company that uses their massive Geisha Army and a pair of seemingly supernatural, bikini-clad female assassins as a front for a terrorist organization bent on returning Japan to a period of more traditional values. (Courtesy of Funimation Entertainment)

April 2010
Actionfest!

Fri  10:00 pm
Sat  5:15 pm
 
Rogues' Gallery
aka Operation: Endgame

(WORLD Premiere)

Director:  Fouad Mikati

Zack Galifanakis, Rob Corddry, Ving Rhames, and Emile De Raven star in this new comedy thriller about two teams of assassins locked in an underground facility, each out to discover who murdered their boss before they're all offed. (Courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment)

31 July 2008
(Australia)

Sat  7:15 pm
Sun  7:00 pm
The Square (1 hr. 45 min.)
(Regional Premiere)

Director: 
Nash Edgerton

Named one of the 10 best films of 2009 by Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News, this acclaimed Australian thriller tells the story of a man (David Roberts) trapped in a loveless marriage who carries on an affair with a mysterious woman with a dangerous husband. (Courtesy of Apparition)

2010

Sat  7:30 pm
Sun  2:40 pm
The Stranger
(WORLD Premiere)

Director:  Robert Lieberman

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin stars as an  FBI agent & a psychologist pursue a rogue agent amnesiac to recover important information he repressed after a traumatic event. (Courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment

click for multiple videos from MovieSet.com


15 July 2010
(Netherlands)

Fri  midnight
Sat  midnight
Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil
(1 hr. 26 min.)
(Regional Premiere)

Director:  Eli Craig

ActionFest livens things up with comedy, action and horror, as two country bumpkins are mistaken for serial killers by a group of clueless college kids in this midnight smash hit of the Sundance and SXSW film festivals.

2010

Sat  10:00 pm
Sun  12:15 pm
Undisputed III: Redemption
(WORLD Premiere)

Director:  Isaac Florentine

Modern martial arts masters Scott Adkins and Marko Zaror (MANDRILL) square off in this third chapter of the popular prison boxing series, as champion fighter Uri Boyka (Adkins) is transferred to a Ukraine prison to fight in the first prison fighting tournament, where the winner is granted freedom and the loser... death!

 

5 March 2010
(Denmark)

Sat  7:00 pm
Sun  2:45 pm
Valhalla Rising (1 hr. 40 min.)
(Regional Premiere)

Director: 
Nicolas Winding Refn

BRONSON director teams with CASINO ROYALE star Mads Mikkelsen for this historical epic about Norse warriors in the year 1000 A.D. (Courtesy of IFC Films)

20 May 2009
(France)

Fri   9:40 pm
Sat  2:30 pm
Vengeance  (1 hr. 48 min.)
(aka Fuk sau)
(U.S. Premiere)

Director: 
Johnnie To

Legendary Hong Kong action master Johnnie To teams up with legendary French singer Johnny Halliday for this stylish gunplay drama about a former hitman turned chef who travels to Macau to find the men who murdered his daughter's family. (Courtesy of IFC Films)

1971

Fri  12:00 noon
Sat  12:00 noon
Wake In Fright  (1 hr. 54 min.)
(aka Outback)
(Special Retrospective)

Director: 
Ted Kotcheff

Once deemed a "lost" film, Ted Kotcheff's gripping thriller about a mild-mannered school teacher's (Donald Pleasance) crazed weekend in the Australian outback, has recently been restored and is now considered one of the greatest Australian films of all time.

 


FILM SCHEDULE
(color coded to indicate repeats)

 starts at . . . Thursday, April 15th ends approximately at . . .
7:30 pm CENTURION (1 hr. 37 min.) 9:07
 starts at . . . Friday, April 16th ends approximately at . . .
12:00 pm WAKE IN FRIGHT (1 hr. 54 min.)   2:24
12:30 pm BORN TO FIGHT (1 hr. 36 min.) 2:06
  2:00 pm CENTURION (1 hr. 37 min.) 3:37
2:15 pm ONG-BAK 2 (1 hr. 54 min.)   3:54
2:30 pm POWER KIDS   
4:30 pm CODE OF SILENCE (1 hr. 41 min.)   6:11
4:30 pm RAGING PHOENIX (1 hr. 52 min.) 6:22
4:45 pm DISTRICT 13 ULTIMATUM (1 hr. 35 min.) 6:10
5:00 pm OOOM (Out Of Our Minds)  28 min 5:28
7:00 pm THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD  (2 hrs.) 9:00
7:10 pm HARRY BROWN (1 hr. 43 min.) 8:53
7:15 pm DIRTY MIND    
7:30 pm MANDRILL  (1 hr. 30 min.) (with Marko Zaror) 9:00
9:40 pm 14 BLADES (1 hr. 55 min.) 11:35
9:40 pm VENGEANCE (1 hr. 48 min.) 11:28
9:45 pm BESOURO    
10:00 pm OPERATION: ENDGAME  
12:00 am TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL  
 starts at . . . Saturday, April 17th ends approximately at . . .
12:00 pm THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD (2 hrs.) 2:00
12:00 pm WAKE IN FRIGHT (1 hr. 54 min.) 1:54
12:30 pm OOOM (Out Of Our Minds) 28 min 12:58
2:30 pm VENGEANCE (1 hr. 48 min.) 4:18
2:40 pm DISTRICT 13 ULTIMATUM (1 hr. 35 min.) 4:15
2:45 pm HARRY BROWN (1 hr. 43 min.) 4:28
2:50 pm POWER KIDS  
3:00 pm ActionFest Hollywood STUNT SHOW 5:00
4:45 pm 14 BLADES (1 hr. 55 min.) 6:40
4:45 pm RAGING PHOENIX (1 hr. 52 min.) 6:37
5:00 pm "The Art of the 2nd Unit" Panel  
5:15 pm OPERATION: ENDGAME  
7:00 pm VALHALLA RISING (1 hr. 40 min.) 8:40
7:10 pm MERANTAU (2 hrs. 14 min.) 9:24
7:15 pm  THE SQUARE (1 hr. 45 min.) 9:00
7:30 pm THE STRANGER  
9:40 pm ROBO GIESHA (1 hr. 42 min.) 11:22
9:45 pm GOLDEN BLADE III: RETURN OF THE MONKEY'S UNCLE  (1 hr. 30 min.) 11:15
10:00 pm UNDISPUTED III: REDEMPTION
(with Marko Zaror, Issac Florentine, and Larnell Stovall)
 
12:00 am TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL  
starts at . . . Sunday, April 18th ends approximately at . . .
12:00 pm MERANTAU (2 hrs. 14 min.) 2:14
12:15 pm UNDISPUTED III: REDEMPTION
(with Marko Zaror, Issac Florentine, and Larnell Stovall)
 
12:30 pm ROBO GIESHA (1 hr. 42 min.) 2:12
2:30 pm CODE OF SILENCE (1 hr. 41 min.) 4:11
2:30 pm MANDRILL (1 hr. 30 min.) (with Marko Zaror) 4:00
2:40 pm THE SQUARE (1 hr. 45 min. ) 4:25
2:45 pm  VALHALLA RISING (1 hr. 40 min.) 4:25
4:45 pm BESOURO  
4:50 pm DIRTY MIND    
5:10 pm BRADDOCK: MISSING IN ACTION III (1 hr. 41 min.)
introduced by AARON NORRIS and CHUCK NORRIS
6:51
5:15 pm "The Stunts of CHUCK NORRIS" Panel
featuring CHUCK NORRIS
 
7:00 pm  THE SQUARE (1 hr. 45 min. ) 8:45
7:00 pm GOLDEN BLADE III: RETURN OF THE MONKEY'S UNCLE  (1 hr. 30 min.) 8:30
7:30 pm BORN TO FIGHT (1 hr. 36 min.) 9:06
7:35 pm ONG-BAK 2 (1 hr. 54 min.)   9:29
9:30 pm ActionFest Awards Show with Chuck Norris
  and The Reigning Sound
 

ActionFest:  LINKS  

Film Distributors
(links to IMDB filmography)

twitter  
twitter bio
Name(s) Location Website
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Wikipedia article

@AnchorBayFilms 
SPREAD, starring Ashton Kutcher in theaters August 14th. BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT, starring Michael Douglas in theaters September 11th
 
  Beverly Hills, CA spread-themovie.com
link to Starz Media site promoting "Spread" starring Ashton Kutcher (on DVD Nov. 10th)
IFC Films
"Always On. Slightly Off."

IFC Films is a leading U.S. distributor of independent and foreign films with a unique day & date distribution model.
IFC Festival Direct features titles acquired from major international film festivals and initially offers them exclusively thru On Demand.
IFC Productions is a feature film production company that provides financing for select projects.
IFC Center is a 3-screen, state-of-the-art cinema in the heart of New York's Greenwich Village.
IFC Entertainment's companies are subsidiaries of Rainbow Media Holdings, LLC.

@IFCFilms  
The leading US distributor of the best in independent and world cinema.
  New York, NY ifcfilms.com
IFC Films
IFC Festival Direct
IFC Productionss
IFC Center

Magnet Releasing
same as . . .Magnolia Pictures, Magnolia Home Entertainment

@Magnet Releasing
Magnet Releasing was created out of Magnolia Pictures' strong history with genre films that has helped Magnet achieve quite a reputation in the film world.
  New York, NY magnetreleasing.com
promoting "The Warlords" starring Jet Li, Andy Lau, and Takeshi Kaneshiro (in theatres April 2nd)
 

Magnolia Pictures
The theatrical and home entertainment distribution arm of the Wagner/Cuban Companies, a vertically integrated group of media properties co-owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban that also include the Landmark Theatres chain, the production company 2929 Productions, and high definition cable networks HDNet and HDNet Movies.

@MagnoliaPics 
Magnolia Pictures is the theatrical and home entertainment distribution arm of 2929 Entertainment, specializing in a unique and eclectic slate of films.

@aloompanix
Brooklyn, film, running, and great dinners keep me happy.
Tom Quinn Brooklyn, NY magpictures.com
promoting "The Warlords" starring Jet Li, Andy Lau, and Takeshi Kaneshiro (in theatres April 2nd)

NuImage

@NuImageFilms   
Nu Image Films is a movie production and sales company dedicated to creating high quality entertainment product for audiences around the world.
    nuimage.net
Millenium Films promoting "The Expendables" starring, well, EVERYONE!, "Drive Angry" starring Nicolas Cage, and "The Mechanic" starring Jason Statham, and others

Samuel Goldwyn Films
Wikipedia article
A major, independently owned and operated motion picture company. The company develops, produces, and distributes innovative feature films and documentaries, working with world-renowned emerging writers and filmmakers. Goldwyn is consistently committed to film entertainment offering original voices in uniquely told stories.
 

  Samuel Goldwyn, Jr.
Meyer Gottlieb
Los Angeles, CA samuelgoldwynfilms.com
Harry Brown

Movie News
 

twitter
(twitter bio)
Name(s) Location Website

Action Flick Chick

@actionchick
Action Flick Chick interviews, news, reviews. Screen Team member. G4TV Woman of the Web champ. Webcomic star. Wallpaper by Bui Brothers @RocketLlama @ListerArt
Katrina Hill Dallas, TX actionflickchick.com/superaction

Ain't It Cool News

Top Stores, Latest News, Contests, Harry's Reviews, DVDs, Comics, Animation
@aintitcool  
News Headlines from AintItCool
 

@EricVespe
Contributing Editor of Ain't It Cool News as well as avid movie fiend and screenwriter

Harry Knowles

Eric Vespe
Austin, TX aintitcool.com

CHUD (Cinematic Happenings Under Development) owned by Kraken Heads

@CHUD_News_Feed
You can use this Twitter account to keep up with all of the latest news from CHUD.
@devincf
Big bad writer at CHUD.com
@nicknunziata
Creator of CHUD.com.
Film producer.

@alexriviello

Film and Video Games Editor for Chud.com, Fango Contributor, Freelancer for hire

Eileen Bolender
Renn Brown
Jeremy G. Butler
Devin Faraci*
Nick Nunziata
David Oliver
Alex Riviello

*Jury Member
Alpharetta, GA chud.com/articles/
Cinematical
Action/Adventure Genre Blog
movie news team of 14 people

@cinematical
One of the movie blogs you refresh a lot. Hopefully.
Jeffrey Anderson
Jessica Barnes
Monika Bartyzel
Matt Bradshaw
Eric Davis
William Goss
Jette Kernion
Peter Martin
Eugene Novikov
Nicholas Schager
Eric D. Snider
Elisabeth Rappe
Richard von Buscak
Scott Weinberg
Hollywood, CA cinematical.com
 

Film School Rejects

MySpace page
@reject nation 
The official Twitter feed of Film School Rejects.

@rejects  (Neil Miller)
Professional time and brain cell assassin. President of my own fan club...
Cole Abaius
Robert Fure
Rob Hunter
Brian Gibson
Kevin Carr
Robert Levin
Cody Miller
Neil Miller
 
Austin, TX filmschoolrejects.com

HitFix

Get Your Entertainment Fix

@hitfix
We're people who *get* entertainment fans - our entertainment insiders help deliver the inside scoop in a fun and engaging way
@DrewatHitFix
I've been a presence in the film blogosphere long enough to be a cranky old bastard. Now get off my lawn.
Drew McWeeny*

*
Jury Member
Northridge, CA hitfix.com

Twitch
industry's leading resource for films from around the globe. Twitch is one of the most read film websites in the entire world and has become daily reading for festival programmers, film producers, film buyers

@twitchfilm
Spreading the News On Strange Little Films From Around the World.
Todd Brown*

*
Jury Member
Chesterbrook, PA twitchfilm.net/genres/action

Staff
 

twitter
(twitter bio)
Name(s) Location Website

Asheville Event Staffing
 

@AVLPlanning
A kick ass event planner and event staffing guru.

#chucknavl (using this for ActionFest topic!)
 
Lauri Nichols

 
Asheville, NC ashevilleeventstaffing.com
All About ActionFest
 
Name(s) Location(s) Website
ActionFest will be donating 100 of this year's proceeds to the KickStart Kids charity, and we encourage our attendees to make individual donations as well after the festival has occurred.

The festival is also pleased to announce the closing night event honoring action superstar Chuck Norris with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his accomplishments in the field of action cinema. This event will take place at The Orange Peel, Asheville's preeminent concert venue, on Sunday, April 18, at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at The Orange Peel's website. Separate Tickets are $25 (admission is included in the VIP Festival pass for $100). 2010 Movie Awards will be presented and the winners of "Chuckeoke".
ActionFest t-shirts will feature a quote from a Chuck Norris movie.

Following the awards ceremony, will close with Asheville's own The Reigning Sound, one of the more exciting rock 'n roll bands today (their latest CD "Love & Curses," was named the #1 album of 2009 by several music critics).
 
founded by
Bill Banowsky
Carolina Cinemas founder/Magnolia Pictures co-founder,
Aaron Norris

famed action director and producer, and
Dennis Berman

Tom Quinn 
Head of Programming

Matthew Kiernan
Festival Director

Matt Cowal

Janice Roland
and Shannon Treusch
Falco Ink.

Actionfest will happen exclusively at the newly renovated movie theater The "Carolina Asheville"
1640 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
828-274-9500
map


The closing night event will take place at
The Orange Peel
101 Biltmore Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-3640
(828) 225-5851
map
ActionFest inquiries can be sent to info@actionfest.com.

 
Created in 1992, KickStart Kids Foundation is among Chuck Norris's most rewarding accomplishments. His wife, Gena, is also a leading force in this endeavor and invaluable member of the Board of Directors.

With its goal of building strong moral character in our youth through martial arts training, the Foundation has become the most important mission of Chuck and Gena's lives, along with focusing on their family.

KickStart Kids now works with over 6,000 high-risk youth on a daily basis as part of the daily school curriculum, and, since its inception, the program has graduated over 60,000 youngsters. Their goal is to expand the program all over Texas and eventually the nation.

Chairman
Chuck Norris

Founders' Board
Dennis R. Berman
Myron D. Emery
Bradley S. O'Leary
Steve Scott
Dee Wyly

Board of Directors
Lloyd H. Ford
John Gibson
William J. Hickl III
Brenda Love Jones
Tedd Mitchell
Gena Norris


kick-start.org/board

Houston Office
3800 N. Shepherd Drive, Suite 3800B
Houston, TX 77018
T 713-868-6003
F 713-880-1279

Dallas Office
7777 Forest Lane, Building B, Suite 410
Dallas, TX 75230
T 713-868-6003
F 972-566-8650
KickStart Kids.org

Chuck Norris Official Website

Chuck Norris Facts

United Fighting Arts Federation
The "Carolina Asheville" cinema (formerly the Hollywood 14) is part of Carolina Cinemas, a new cinema chain.

Featuring 14 screens with state-of-the-art digital and 35mm projection, it offers plush seating, a beer and wine bar with over 15 local beers on tap, and four SofaCinemas™ auditoriums where patrons can enjoy a movie while kicking back on custom-made loveseats designed specifically for the theater. The Carolina Asheville has reinvented movie going in Asheville and has become the most talked-about theater in Western North Carolina in less than a year.
founded by Bill Banowsky, former CEO of Landmark Theaters 1640 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
828-274-9500

Become a fan:
Facebook fan page

Carolina Cinemas
ACTIONFEST 2010:
The Film Festival With A Body Count

With an impressive roster encompassing the best contemporary action films (list) from around the globe, including several world premieres, major studio previews and classics of the genre (including 2 of Norris's most loved titles), ActionFest will be four days of heaven for fans of adrenaline-fueled cinema.

There will be a competition section juried by genre experts from around the country, including Lifetime Achievement award recipient Chuck Norris. Awards will be given on April 18th at the Closing Ceremony.
JURY MEMBERS
• Chuck Norris
• Colin Geddis, head of programming for Midnight Madness at the Toronto International Film Festival
• Todd Brown, founder and editor of Twitchfilm.net
• Drew McWeeney, screenwriter and chief film writer for HitFix.com
• Devin Faraci, chief film critic for CHUD.com.
   
'Jet Pack' Demonstration by ROCKETMAN
Actionfest 2010 will feature a jet pack demonstration by stuntman Kinnie Gibson. "Our Rocketbelts are not experimental, not for sale and have never fail to perform during a show. Unlike other experimental 'jet packs'."
Kinnie Gibson stuntman Rocketman™ and Rocketbelt™ from New Zealand Who is . . . Rocketman?
ActionFest Hollywood Stunt Demo
Saturday, April 17th taking place live in the parking lot of The Carolina Asheville at 3:00 p.m. Leading it off will be the previously announced Kinnie “The Rocket Man” Gibson, who will fly over the crowd in his amazing Rocketbelt (recently seen on the hit CBS show “NCIS” also performed at the SUPER BOWL), followed by the top Hollywood Stuntmen (listed at right). These brave men will demonstrate some of the most dangerous stunts around, including high falls, fire burns, air rams (catapults that shoot stuntmen into the air); ratchets; rappelling; fight demonstrations and even skydiving!  Also featured will be the Ho Sin Sool Dojang martial arts school in Horse Show, NC. This is a totally free, family-friendly event.
Hollywood stuntmen: Jan Michael Shultz (THE BLUE BROTHERS)
Mark De Alessandro
(Sylvester Stallone's stunt double)
John Cann (MACHETE)
Randy Fife
(THE ALAMO)
Trevor Habberstad
(THE LAST AIRBENDER) and his father,
Jeff Habberstad
(SPIDER-MAN; MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: II)
 Paul Weston (LICENSE TO KILL; RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK)
in the parking lot of
The Carolina Asheville
at 3:00 p.m.
 

SPONSORS

 • Epix • Cheerwine • Coca-Cola • TriColor Media Group • HD Net • Reelz Channel • Sysco • Universal Cinema Services
 • Grove Park Inn • Brookstone Lodge • ESPN 1310 • 98.1 The River • 105.9 The Mountain • Reelz Channel • Allegra Asheville • Colorful Palate
 



Fellow Freaks 
 

87Eleven Action Design | Chad Stahelski + David Leitch
The Action Elite  Eoin Friel
Action Fanatix
ActionFest  (please bring it back . . . ) | Aaron Norris, Bill Banowsky, Dennis Berman
ActionFlix
Action Reloaded  | Jeff Turner
Alex in Wonderland | Female Action Films/Girls WIth Guns list
AvP Central
AllOuttaBubbleGum  | Brenton Haysom + Tyler Hanson
  Artemis Women in Action Film Festival
Black Ops | Toys
  City on Fire
Exploding Helicopter
Explosive Action
Headquarters 10 | Matthew Kiernan
  Herve Attia
IMCDb Internet Movie Cars Database
IMFDb Internet Movie Firearms Database
IMPDb Internet Movie Plane Database
Iron Dragon TV Action Fest
John J. Rambo
Kain's Korner/Kain's Quest | Brenton Haysom
The London Action Festival  Year 2: June 21-25, 2023
Magnolia Pictures
Man In Hat  | Peter Kaplowski
 
Fandango Movie Clips
Outlaw Vern
Poisonous Monkeys
Predator The Hunted
Rantbo's Repository Ty Guy on Letterboxd | Ty Hanson
Ric Meyers
The Riddick Archive
Screen Junkies
Stallone Zone
The Stunt Pod

Xombie Dirge
Star Store
zeroplate at CHUD


  

Contact Me
ripley@actionmoviefreak.com


Trash talking since 2009


©2009-2023

 


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