Watch The ActionFest Tributes To Gina Carano, Cung Le, Jack Gill, JJ Perry and Mickey Gilbert

Though the 2012 edition of ActionFest has come and gone it's not too late to get a little taste of the action. Outside of the films screened ActionFest always makes a great point of honoring the professionals that make action... More »

By Todd Brown

THE RAID Says Hello To ActionFest With Violence

Audiences at the just-concluded ActionFest were given a look at Gareth Huw Evans' The Raid: Redemption as a special sneak preview before the film arrived on local screens. The Raid's creators have a history with the festival, director Evans' previous... More »

By Todd Brown

ActionFest 2012: I DECLARE WAR Review

One weekend day a number of the nerdier kids from the local middle school gather their sticks and twine and balloons filled with red dye, and head into the local woods to play capture-the-flag. Oh, those tweens today with their... More »

By Kurt Halfyard

ActionFest 2012: Where Guys Fly Rocket Packs for Your Pleasure

Picture this: It is day one of ActionFest 2012 and I am going to pick up tickets at the Carolina Theatre Box-Office. Oh, there is Rocket-Man testing out his jet-pack equipment in the parking lot. Video is embedded below.... More »

By Kurt Halfyard

Quentin Tarantino Introduces An Onslaught Of Vehicular Carnage In The ActionFest Tribute To Buddy Joe Hooker

Amidst a fraternity of men who make their living doing insanely dangerous things in the name of entertainment, Buddy Joe Hooker is a legend. With a whopping one hundred seventy eight stunt credits to his name - stretching all the... More »

By Todd Brown

ActionFest Gets A First Look At Iko Uwais In Action On Set Of THE RAID (SERBUAN MAUT)

Indonesia made a return to martial arts film after a long absence with 2009's Merantau. Directed by Gareth Huw Evans the film introduced silat star Iko Uwais to the world, winning fans at PiFan, Fantasia and Sitges while taking an... More »

By Todd Brown

ActionFest Presents A Chick Fight! It's The Trailer For Trish Stratus' BAIL ENFORCERS

Premiering at ActionFest 2011 Saturday at 7pm is Trish Stratus star vehicle Bail Enforcers. The former WWE champion stars as a bounty hunter in the low budget offering that takes great advantage of her physical skills.A group of down-on-their-luck bounty... More »

By Todd Brown

ActionFest: Where Guys Jump off Buildings for Your Entertainment

Day One of ActionFest had a visual treat for festival goers and random Asheville residents alike, as this brave fellow jumped off a several story rooftop near the Arcade Bar just as many folks were getting off work downtown. Video... More »

By Kurt Halfyard

ActionFest: Their festival bumpers can kick your festival bumpers' ass

Because I am just about to hit the road for a serious Drive-By-Night Road Trip down to North Carolina, I've got ActionFest on the brain. And look at this spiffy bumper that just popped up online.... More »

By Kurt Halfyard

ActionFest 2011: Full film lineup, jury and guests announced!

[Updated with festival trailer]The balance of the lineup for this year's ActionFest in Asheville, NC, was announced today as well as who is on the jury and the special guest list. This is going to be a special four days.You... More »

By Andrew Mack

More Fists To The Face Than Any Other Festival Ever! ACTIONFEST Is Returning!

Ladies and gentlemen, ActionFest is returning. After a successful launch in 2010 and with Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness programmer Colin Geddes now taking the reins as Festival Director things are gearing up for the 2011 edition. Advisers are... More »

By Todd Brown

Action Fest 2010: UNDISPUTED 3 Trailer

Yes, I know we've run the trailer for Isaac Florentine's Undisputed 3: Redemption before but having just witnessed the world premiere of the film at Action Fest I feel compelled to post it again. Very bad ass. Very fun. VERY... More »

By Todd Brown

Action Fest 2010: VALHALLA RISING Review

[My review of Valhalla Rising originally ran when the film premiered in Toronto but with it now screening at Action Fest I hereby present it to you again.]You could say that the mark of a good film maker is that... More »

By Todd Brown

Action Fest 2010: DISTRICT 13 ULTIMATUM Review

[This review originally ran with the film's screening at Fantastic Fest but with District 13 Ultimatum now screening at Action Fest we hereby present it to you again.]District 13 is once again in trouble. The gangs are restless, promised changes... More »

By Todd Brown

Leading Voices in Global Cinema

Todd Brown, Founder & Editor Toronto
Peter Martin, Managing Editor Dallas
Ryland Aldrich, Festivals Editor Los Angeles
James Marsh, Asian Editor Hong Kong
Brian Clark, European Editor Paris

Hollywood Beat: Notes On Cutting The Cord And NBC's Genre Programs

I cut the cable cord last year, but I'm not always happy about it. I had to wait a year before seeing Season 2 of Game of Thrones, for example, and will have to wait to see Season 3 until next year. I only have to wait to see Mad... More »

Twitchvision: Talking STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, MUD and THE ICEMAN

Another Twitchvision chat with Scott Laurie, this time me gushing about J.J.'s latest Star Trek film, which I unabashedly loved.Also talked about he fabbo Mud, and the less fabbo The Iceman, both with Michael Shannon doing his thing.Video embedded below.Update: Was asked to come in today and pick a few... More »

Learning from the Masters of Cinema: Henri-Georges Clouzot's THE MURDERER LIVES AT 21

While Henri-Georges Clouzot is best remembered for many of his later films, including The Wages of Fear and Diabolique, the French filmmaker's 1942 debut has gone largely unseen by Western audiences until now. The Murderer Lives at 21 (L'Assassin Habite au 21), based on the novel by Belgian author Stanislas-Andre... More »

China Beat: What did China See in IRON MAN 3?

Much has already been written, both on these pages and many others, about the landmark Hollywood-China co-production that is Marvel and DMG Entertainment's Iron Man 3. The film, directed by Shane Black, is the third solo outing for Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark, and has proved a phenomenal success around... More »

FEAR & LOATHING AT CANNES, PART 2: I'M IN LOVE WITH EVERYBODY'S GIRL

CHAPTER 4: THE PHILOSOPHY OF ANNA KARINA AND BUTT PLUGSI'm sitting outside at a small Café that my editor told me to meet him at. I'm a 10 minute walk from the Marche Du Film convention hall and I'm still waiting for my editor to arrive so he take guide... More »