Tag Archives: Indie Film

Director Juliane Block & Her Blockbusters

Posted on by

july02Juliane Block is playing the field that only boys have for a very long time. From John Woo, John McTiernan, and Clint Eastwood, action films and the action genre have been a boys game for a very long time. Once a make-up artist, Ms. Juliane Block is a seasoned professional in working behind the scenes and is now directing her very own martial arts films. We reviewed her short martial arts film “Ramly at War” and managed to convince us that she is the next big action director capable of breaking out of the indie field and delivering some of the greatest action films of all time.

Currently, Ms. Block is working on developing her newest feature film and is working on funding her latest films and garnering as much experience as possible. She took time out while working on her action projects to tell us why she is no amateur and why her films are bonafide Blockbusters for a new age.

Continue reading →

Bitter Feast (2010) (DVD)

Posted on by

bitterfeastIt’s not uncommon for artists of any kind to go off the rails or be driven mad by critics. Vincent Gallo is famous for lashing out at Roger Ebert for his bashing of “Brown Bunny,” producers like Avi Arad and studios are known for bashing critics that bash their work, and in 2010, Kevin Smith just sank in to the deep end after the critical destruction of “Cop Out.” But while “Bitter Feast” is a commentary on pushing people too far, it’s also a look at what happens when two bitter absolutely pretentious men meet and decide they’re going to make each other suffer for their lives’ miseries. While many will be quick to deem this as a satire of the critical world, director Joe Maggio actually spoofs both sides of the field, the artist and the critic. Or in this film, the pompous pretentious artist who takes his work much too seriously, and the critic who refuses to be honest and or kind and just wants to purposely play a heel for the sake of publicity and readership.

Continue reading →

Dolla Morte (2006)

Posted on by

dollamorte2

I’m sure at some point either “director” Bill Zebub or one of his friends were sitting down to watch “Robot Chicken” or “Team America: World Police” for the fiftieth time in a month quoting “Matt Damon!” over and over, and someone suggested “director” Bill Zebub create his own doll movie! Yay! After the rancid putrid junk that was “Breaking her Will” and the rancider putrid junk that was “Dirt Bags” I really was not expecting much from “director” Bill Zebub. “Dolla Morte” really wouldn’t be such a bad film if Bill Zebub had any idea was pacing is. There are overlong scenes of dolls engaging in dialogue, and rape scenes, and there’s even a five minute warning to the audience about Zebub’s intention toward the film. Why are they so determined to let us know his intentions for this piece of garbage? What does it matter? Shouldn’t he let the trash speak for itself?

Continue reading →

Nun of That (2009)

Posted on by

nunofthatpremtrailernewsI really should not have loved this as much as I did. In all honesty, I sat through “Nun of That” thinking I should rightfully despise every minute of this, but… I didn’t. In the end, “Nun of That” is a hilarious, action packed ode to nunsploitation and the grindhouse motif that fuels an otherwise ridiculous, over the top action bonanza. There’s a nun in a club stripping before she eliminates a full house of Italian stereotypes, a martial arts Jew assassin who chucks deadly Stars of David and a razor edged yarmulke, there’s Ghandi teaching Sister Wrath how to fight with demon ninjas, and there’s Jesus Christ who engages in a musical number that is shockingly memorable and catchy. All of which is played with deadpan insistence from its sharp cast who seem to truly enjoy being in this movie.

Continue reading →

Nude Nuns with Big Guns (2010)

Posted on by

nunsguns2

Director Joseph Guzman’s ode to the grindhouse devices of the seventies is an admirable and often times entertaining take on nunsploitation while also delving in the realms of sexploitation, and revenge fare. Ever since “Grindhouse” indie directors have constantly attempts to mimic the same gloss and nods Tarantino and Rodriguez strived for and–as I’ve seen–many indie directors have pulled it off. Some of them, like Guzman, do it even better than the alleged master filmmakers ever did. Because unlike the former pair, the indie directors have little to work with, and must rely on creativity where budget fails. “Nude Nuns with Big Guns” is not so much a nunsploitation film as it is a Southern fried take on Bo Arne Vibenius’ classic “Thriller a Cruel Picture.”

Continue reading →

Uncorked (2010)

Posted on by

Uncorked5Actor Phil Hall is something of a perfectionist, a man who really fancies himself an improvisational artist. It’s not too often we see actors in films who are willing to improvise, and Phil Hall is a man who has co-starred in many independent films and is an individual who believes in the ability to improvise to give us moments in film that scripts can’t conceive. “Uncorked” is a thirty minute experimental short featuring actor Phil Hall basically staging his own one man show where he shows the audience what he’s capable of in the realm of improv and playing it by ear.

Continue reading →

Logan (2012)

Posted on by

One of my soft spots whenever reviewing movies sent to us by indie filmmakers is fan films. It’s become a genre onto itself, and most times can be a platform for fan boys who happen to be creative filmmakers. That’s a lethal combination that can amount to a wonderful fan service you can’t get from Hollywood.

Continue reading →