Statham sets his sights on some serious directors

I wrote a blog recently that basically indicated that people underestimate and even, bravely, put down Jason Statham.

They wrongly see him as a bullet headed numbskull making irrelevant, 'wham-bam' action films that are all the same and that he is repeatedly the same character in.
This is patently ludicrous if you've ever heard the man in interviews. He is first to discuss the director or the writer and often the ambitious intention of the film when it comes to character, plot, style etc.

Well Statham, talking in a recent TotalFilm interview, expressed a desire to work with more "serious" directors Ben Affleck and Nicholas Winding Road or whatever his name is.

Statham said
"I look at Ben Affleck and I think he's tremendous,"
"He's so smart and his movies are great. There's a shopping list of directors and actors I'd like to work with. There are fabulous people from Europe. I've been wanting to work with Nicolas Winding Refn for a long, long time. I love his movies, especially the Pusher series. He's so interesting. I met him once a long time ago and we had coffee. I bumped into him recently so I'm hoping that one day we'll do something together."

Despite loving Gone Baby Gone and Argo particularly and thinking he is a very talented director, I can never hear Affleck's name without wanting to punch someone in the face and I wasn't a huge fan of Drive by the Winding Refn guy either but personally I think both of them need to get Statham in their films FAST and they should, upon hearing of this article, start drawing up contracts to work with him.
Also, critics, these are the people Statham wants to work with. These are his words. Stop belittling him and writing him off, you idiots, he has big and brave ideas and I think that's awesome.
Of course if he ever does work with either critics will be wetting their britches to praise it, hypocritical ball sacks full of sick that they are!

For the time being though let us action fans rejoice that our stars have a shed load of integrty and the desire to produce interesting, captivating films and let's support them. Statham for king! That is all.

- The Kick Ass Kid

Jeff Speakman diagnosed with throat cancer

A good friend of the show, @foghorne023 tweeted me today to let me know the sad news that Jeff Speakman, a firm favourite with The Doc and me, has been diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer.

The following was the official announcement on his website:

To my friends, fans and most importantly my 5.0 family;

As many of you have heard by now I have been diagnosed with cancer of the throat by my doctors at City of Hope. This is a stage 4 tumor and has grown inside my esophagus and now effecting my vocal cords. Because of the proximity to my vocal cords surgery is not an option due to the possibility that my voice may be lost during surgery. It is for that reason that I have elected to move forward immediately with Chemo and Radiation therapy.
The good news here is that my doctors have told me that this is a very treatable type of cancer and the cure rate at this hospital is over 90%. Next week I will begin my chemo and the week after will begin a 6 week regimen of daily radiation treatment. My friends at Partell Pharmacy are treating me with supplements and nutrition to help in my recovery. Ironically this news came to me the same day that the next movie that I have been working on for the last 3 years got funded, more on that later.

Please stay in touch with my web site and face book page for further updates and if you are interested there will be information on how you can make a monetary gift to the Jeff Speakman Medical Fund. “I hold that the meaningfulness of one’s life can be measured by the accomplishment one makes to the common good”. Treat each other with love and respect and remember to never give up.

With Loving Respect,
Jeff Speakman

You can make donations to the Jeff Speakman medical fund here: http://www.jeffspeakman.com/shop/index.php/

and plans are ahead for @foghorne023 to do an online auction of signed Jeff Speakman items to add to the fund. We will let you know when that has been set up and where you can go to get your hands on some cool Speakman stuff and help the man get better.
He has been planning, over the last couple of years, to re-enter the film business so let's help make that happen so we can see him kicking ass for many years to come!
Last year we covered 3 films as part of SPEAKTEMBER - hear them here - http://dractionkickass.blogspot.com/2012/09/running-red-commentary_13.html

Scott Adkins and Randy Couture to star in Distant Shore

News announced tonight that Scott Adkins next film will be an action thriller called 'Distant Shore'.

His official Facebook page said
"Described as being in the vein of Dead Calm and The Grey, the story centers around a couple who sails into the ocean to commit suicide but are interrupted by the arrival of another mysterious vessel. Before long these two people who were ready to die are fighting to stay alive."

It is being produced by indie producers Joseph and Jack Nasser
The Nassers’ NGN Releasing is teaming up with Studio City Pictures to finance the film which has a script by Dan Benamor and Evan Jacobs and has Dominic James(Die) on board as director.

Reports are that this will be filmed later this year and then Couture will move on to the set of Expendables 3.

Source The Hollywood Reporter

Sly and Seagal once got physical

Various places online are reporting that Stallone once slammed Mr Squinty Whisperer himself, Steven Seagal, up against a wall based on some quotes that Stallone made recently to Shortlist magazine.

Apparently the altercation happened after Seagal said he didn't want to be associated with him and his set of macho action film actors.
No, of course not Steven, because you are a serious martial artist, you have integrity and super powers, you don't want wealth, fame, popularity or the chance to stay in the limelight longer than 5 minutes. Why would you? hahaha

Stallone said: ''Steven Seagal said that he, 'Didn't associate with that kind of element' - meaning me. So I slammed him up against a wall. ''At that time, our testosterone was running full bore. He was full of his height [Steven is 6ft 3in, Sylvester is 5ft 10in] and I was full of ... Myself. But we made up. He can be very abstract.''
That may be the best description of Seagal ever "He can be very abstract" ahhh yes, that he can be Sly!

Hey, how come your coat don't have lovely tassels like mine homes?

Hey, my jacket maybe ridiculous, like I'm a spangly fat Beatle, but that shirt's unforgivable ese 

Of course it was at Stallone's house one year that the famous rift between Seagal and Van Damme became apparent as Sly let on a few years back talking to Ain't It Cool News and saying
"But I remember once, at my home in Miami, I believe it was in ’96 or’97, Van Damme was there with Seagal, Willis, Schwarzenegger, Shaquille O’Neal, Don Johnson and Madonna… it was a heck of a party. Van Damme was tired of Seagal saying he could kick his ass and went right up to him and offered him the chance to step outside so he could wipe the floor with him, or should I say wipe the backyard with him. Seagal made some excuse and left. His destination was some Ocean Drive nightclub in Miami. Van Damme, who was completely berserk, tracked him down and again offered him a fight, and again Seagal pulled a Houdini. Who would win? I have to say I believe Van Damme was just too strong and Seagal wanted no part of it. That’s just my opinion."

Taken back when all three of these people looked normal

Stallone still gets on well with Jean-Claude Van Damme, his co-star and sparring partner in Expendables 2 and he even lets the Belgian star do an impression of him.
He added to Shortlist magazine: ''I swear to God. But even he does this, 'Ahhhm doin' daah mooovie with Slaaaah Stallone. How ya doin', baby?' Now you have him, with a French accent, doing my accent. Gimme a break!''

Fox honours Bruce Willis and Die Hard franchise with giant mural

To celebrate 25 years of the franchise and a 5th movie about to arrive any day now, 20th Century Fox had an enormous Bruce Willis in a vest painted on Stage 8 of their backlot. Which personally I think is awesome. The Doc and I are already having one comissioned for the wall of our secret action bunker.

There was a ceremony, Willis, a couple of his daughters and his co-stars from a Good day To Die Hard were in attendance.  

Movie trivia nerds know that, of course, the 20th Century Fox building was used in Die Hard 1 as Nakatomi Plaza.

UPDATE: According to a statement made at the event, the presence of McClane's son, played by Aussie actor Jai Courtney, in A Good Day To Die Hard, doesn't mean Bruce Willis has plans to retire the character of John McClane and hand it off to his son. Willis believes there are other stories he can tell with the character and thank god for that. No one wants Die Hard Jr. The Next Batch!!

Feeling old yet Brucie?

 

You can watch a timelapse of the painting being done, here - http://on.aol.com/video/time-lapse-of-bruce-willis-die-hard-mural-517660094

Could Van Damme and Tony Jaa be making a movie together soon?

Can you see my balls Tony? 

As these enjoyably ludicrous but also excessively cool photos show the Muscles from Brussels recently hung out with Martial Arts legend Tony Jaa in Thailand.
The current specualtion is that they are gearing up to work together and that the choreography might be done by done by none other than Sammo Hung.
Consider us already thoroughly errect at the prospect of this.
While it is all merely rumour at this stage, our dream is that it becomes a reality quick and Van Damme starts cashing in on his new found attention after his brilliant turn in Expendables 2!

The Raid 2 is heading our way and not a moment too soon

The Raid, for people who don't know (and if you don't and you're reading this then feel very ashamed), was an incredible, violent, visceral and dynamically shot Martial Arts in a tower block movie that was one of the Doc and my movies of 2012 basically.
Bizarrely it was directed by a Welshman, Gareth Evans (with the Welshest name ever!) and was the second collaboration between him and his leading man, young Silat martial arts master, Iko Uwais.
Their first film together was Merantu (2009) and if you haven't seen that either then find it and see it, both films are just incredible.

Now here comes the news (and some on set photos) that The Raid 2 begins a 100 day shoot which is grueling as it is, when you add the, no doubt, excessive and insane physical fight and stunt work that will go into this, all I am thinking is that 100 days better have some chill out and recouperation time built in or someone's going to die!

Subtitled Berandal, which means thug, the action picks up right where the first film ends, following Rama (Uwais) as he goes undercover and infiltrates a ruthless Jakarta crime syndicate in order to protect his family and uncover the corruption in his own police force.
Slated for a 2014 and already with worldwide distribution in place it looks like there is plenty more action to come and with Gareth Evans saying this one will be 'Bigger, better and bloodier!' we couldn't be more pants-moisteningly excited.