The Fourth Annual Big Bad Film Fest gets started with Wings of Dread and Drunken Blade.
Nothing like a good ol’ fire alarm to wake you up at 11:30 at night.
It’s going to sound weird, but every great film festival I’ve attended, in person, has had a minor or major mishap in a screening I’ve attended. So, call it a good omen that the second half of the opening night of Big Bad Film Festival had this inconvenience.
Some of you may be wondering what the Big Bad Film Festival is. Well, this description, taken from their official site (where you can also get tickets for the fest), perfectly sums it up:
As readers of the site know, I am a cinephile with a specific love for action cinema, especially films from Asia and around the world. Much of my writing is devoted to the craft and artistry of that specific form of film. Big Bad Film Festival’s mission statement speaks to the core of what I write about. Even before I had seen the lineup, Big Bad Film Festival sounded like a festival I had to cover.
Cut to a hot (close to 100º) Friday Night in Glendale at the LOOK DINE-IN.
Each film was accompanied by a featured short film (which is the format for the entire festival).
Mind, Body, & Soul (dir. Davidson Corona)
You know when a Wu-Tang joint drops on the soundtrack, whatever you’re doing better live up to the track. Director Davidson Corona’s inventive action short does live up to that, and the rest of the needle drops (including a Linkin Park track). Not a story as much as it’s a setup and payoff to an action scene. Two friends (Aaron Vargas and Nnanyere Okoro) fight it out over one of them cheating at chess. The action is executed with comedic flair and wit that invokes more the joy of watching Jackie Chan or Sammo Hung. A short that delivers and doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Wings of Dread (dir. Ashton Chen, Qin Pengfei)
An Air Marshal, aka Chinese Air Police Officer (Ashton Chen, who not only stars but co-directed and choreographed the action), must stop a group of terrorists (led by Iko Uwais of The Raid) who’ve taken over the plane he’s on. This is the type of film that cuts to the cockpit, and all of the pilots are wearing mirrored aviators and stoically look at an oncoming Mad Max: Fury Road-level storm and fly into it as a form of characterization. Yes, there are minor subplots and characters in the film, but the focus is the setup and execution of the action.
Wings of Dread is a wildly entertaining, goofy, and kick-ass action film. A film whose plot is an excuse to choreograph some of the fastest tight-quarters fight scenes in recent memory. Chen and his team of stunt men/women work overtime to create non-stop mayhem once the terrorists and their plot to take over the plane is revealed. The way they are able to execute extended action set pieces that never feel repetitive is the miracle of the film. From a fight in the cargo deck as the plane flies through turbulence to one inside an airplane bathroom stall (economy, not even first class), the wit and style in execution are next level.
Chinese Air Police are Okay. Indeed. Indeed.
We Are All Monsters (dir. James Newman)
There’s lots of style and some great action in James Newman’s cop vs. serial killer short. I respect films or shorts that end abruptly, and this one does just that. It gets out the second the story it’s telling is done. Newman felt influenced by the HK cop vs. serial killer films of yesteryear because the final confrontation between Cop and Killer was not what I was expecting. But in the best way possible. A few minor story quibbles aside (e.g., what happened to the body in the truck, just saying), it is a well-crafted and executed piece of filmmaking.
Drunken Blade (dir. Li Bingyuan)
Remember the name Li Bingyuan. The star/stunt performer/action choreographer/writer/director’s is a massive talent. Drunken Blade has the energy and style that matches the gleeful, uninhibited style of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn. Drunken Blade is a riff on all of the tropes of Wuxia films you’ve seen before. Lone hero (Bingyuan) takes on corrupt Officials and his gang of merciless henchmen (they’re called the Wolf Gang here) who oppress a small town. Though done by a filmmaker who’s drunk on the possibilities of film.
Every piece of action choreography is masterfully executed. Beyond just the stunt work, the camera, editing, and score are put together in a restlessly stylish manner. There isn’t a scene that doesn’t feature a standout ‘holy crap how’d they do that’ shot or stunt. Bingyuan pushes every set piece to be better with unique choreography or camerawork. The result is a film that sits on the edge of something new.
It should be stated that Bingyuan’s film is executed with a mixture of sentimentality and brutality that gives one tonal whiplash. Even more so than other Hong Kong films (which is a mixture of tones they play with). The film does have all the red flags that turn an audience on a film, from a scene of sexual assault to dog murder. Those issues aside, Drunken Blade is an announcement that Li Bingyuan is a cinematic force to be reckoned with. Action cinephiles take note.
We will be back tomorrow with coverage from Saturday’s films and events.
The Fourth Annual Big Bad Film Fest gets started with Wings of Dread and Drunken Blade.
Nothing like a good ol’ fire alarm to wake you up at 11:30 at night.
It’s going to sound weird, but every great film festival I’ve attended, in person, has had a minor or major mishap in a screening I’ve attended. So, call it a good omen that the second half of the opening night of Big Bad Film Festival had this inconvenience.
Some of you may be wondering what the Big Bad Film Festival is. Well, this description, taken from their official site (where you can also get tickets for the fest), perfectly sums it up:
“Big Bad Film Fest enters its 4th year presenting a line-up of Independent and International Action Films in Los Angeles, CA focused on cultivating the indie filmmaking, stunt and action community all in one place. Our constant mission is to celebrate and promote the action films and stars we love from the past, present, and future.”
As readers of the site know, I am a cinephile with a specific love for action cinema, especially films from Asia and around the world. Much of my writing is devoted to the craft and artistry of that specific form of film. Big Bad Film Festival’s mission statement speaks to the core of what I write about. Even before I had seen the lineup, Big Bad Film Festival sounded like a festival I had to cover.
Cut to a hot (close to 100º) Friday Night in Glendale at the LOOK DINE-IN.
Each film was accompanied by a featured short film (which is the format for the entire festival).
Mind, Body, & Soul (dir. Davidson Corona)
You know when a Wu-Tang joint drops on the soundtrack, whatever you’re doing better live up to the track. Director Davidson Corona’s inventive action short does live up to that, and the rest of the needle drops (including a Linkin Park track). Not a story as much as it’s a setup and payoff to an action scene. Two friends (Aaron Vargas and Nnanyere Okoro) fight it out over one of them cheating at chess. The action is executed with comedic flair and wit that invokes more the joy of watching Jackie Chan or Sammo Hung. A short that delivers and doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Wings of Dread (dir. Ashton Chen, Qin Pengfei)
An Air Marshal, aka Chinese Air Police Officer (Ashton Chen, who not only stars but co-directed and choreographed the action), must stop a group of terrorists (led by Iko Uwais of The Raid) who’ve taken over the plane he’s on. This is the type of film that cuts to the cockpit, and all of the pilots are wearing mirrored aviators and stoically look at an oncoming Mad Max: Fury Road-level storm and fly into it as a form of characterization. Yes, there are minor subplots and characters in the film, but the focus is the setup and execution of the action.
Wings of Dread is a wildly entertaining, goofy, and kick-ass action film. A film whose plot is an excuse to choreograph some of the fastest tight-quarters fight scenes in recent memory. Chen and his team of stunt men/women work overtime to create non-stop mayhem once the terrorists and their plot to take over the plane is revealed. The way they are able to execute extended action set pieces that never feel repetitive is the miracle of the film. From a fight in the cargo deck as the plane flies through turbulence to one inside an airplane bathroom stall (economy, not even first class), the wit and style in execution are next level.
Chinese Air Police are Okay. Indeed. Indeed.
We Are All Monsters (dir. James Newman)
There’s lots of style and some great action in James Newman’s cop vs. serial killer short. I respect films or shorts that end abruptly, and this one does just that. It gets out the second the story it’s telling is done. Newman felt influenced by the HK cop vs. serial killer films of yesteryear because the final confrontation between Cop and Killer was not what I was expecting. But in the best way possible. A few minor story quibbles aside (e.g., what happened to the body in the truck, just saying), it is a well-crafted and executed piece of filmmaking.
Drunken Blade (dir. Li Bingyuan)
Remember the name Li Bingyuan. The star/stunt performer/action choreographer/writer/director’s is a massive talent. Drunken Blade has the energy and style that matches the gleeful, uninhibited style of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn. Drunken Blade is a riff on all of the tropes of Wuxia films you’ve seen before. Lone hero (Bingyuan) takes on corrupt Officials and his gang of merciless henchmen (they’re called the Wolf Gang here) who oppress a small town. Though done by a filmmaker who’s drunk on the possibilities of film.
Every piece of action choreography is masterfully executed. Beyond just the stunt work, the camera, editing, and score are put together in a restlessly stylish manner. There isn’t a scene that doesn’t feature a standout ‘holy crap how’d they do that’ shot or stunt. Bingyuan pushes every set piece to be better with unique choreography or camerawork. The result is a film that sits on the edge of something new.
It should be stated that Bingyuan’s film is executed with a mixture of sentimentality and brutality that gives one tonal whiplash. Even more so than other Hong Kong films (which is a mixture of tones they play with). The film does have all the red flags that turn an audience on a film, from a scene of sexual assault to dog murder. Those issues aside, Drunken Blade is an announcement that Li Bingyuan is a cinematic force to be reckoned with. Action cinephiles take note.
We will be back tomorrow with coverage from Saturday’s films and events.
Big Bad Film Fest runs August 21 – 23 at the LOOK DINE-IN GLENDALE
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