Kickboxer

Cinematical is very excited to bring you this exclusive clip from the new flick Jcvd, which, surprisingly, has watched a tremendous amount of buzz build around it since it first screened at this past Cannes Film Festival. Now, as part of the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival midnight slate (it premieres tonight!), Jcvd will receive a more proper introduction (or should I say, re-introduction) to the world. Jcvd, of course, stands for our good friend Jean-Claude Van Damme, star of such action flicks as Kickboxer, Timecop, Universal Solider (first bootleg I ever watched), Double Impact, Death Warrant ... shall I go on?
From what I understand, Jcvd follows Van Damme (who stars as himself) as he travels back to his home country in an attempt to find peace and tranquility after whatever was left of his career seemed to vanish. We'll have a review coming up very soon, but in the meantime
Erik Davis

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Long ago, before the problems with drugs and fights at strip clubs, Jean Claude Van Damme ripped himself out of the fighting world, oiled up his flesh, and became America's Muscles from Brussels. At first, the process was slow and simple -- breaking into the world of film as "Gay Karate Man" in Monaco Forever, being a background performer in Rue barbare, and then getting some uncredited English work as a spectator in that 1984 classic, Breakin'.
But then came No Retreat, No Surrender, where he played a Russian baddie opposite General Hospital and Guiding Light star Kurt McKinney, and the rest was history. He did all he could do in the action realm -- kickboxing revenge, jail, video game flicks, soldier, and even cracking walnuts with his butt.
These days, he's whipped up an insane amount of positive buzz with Jcvd and reinvigorated his career. But it all had to start somewhere.
Monika Bartyzel

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Every now and again I like to do a little cheerleading for films that I think are flying too low under the radar. Last year I made the early prediction that No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood would be Winter’s biggest contenders for Oscar glory; needless to say, these precognitive movie powers of mine have since been proven.
My predictions this time around are a little less grand in scope: I have two international films that I’m offering up for your movie-going considerations, simply because I think you’ll enjoy them. (And satisfying movies with subtitles are hard to come by.)

 
The two films in question are the Jean Claude Van Damme meta-movie, Jcvd, and a chilling tale of  vampires and friendship, Let The Right One In.
Jcvd In the late 80’s, God blessed the silver screen with an indisputable example of pure badass
Kofi Outlaw

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