Sitges Film Fest premiere done! The Proposal reviews kick in!
Marc Natoli and I were at the Sitges Film Festival to premiere the retro action short film The Proposal (beautifully Directed by Ben Whimpey and Produced by Antonio Raiola). Marc was producer, fight choreographer and lead actor on it while and I wrote and co produced the thing.
The main reason I got onboard The Proposal was to introduce newcomer Marc Natoli to an international film audience/industry. The man can act, has 25 years of martial arts experience under his belt, has the right mindset and is a certified 3rd Degree Bruce Lee instructor. And what better place to break Natoli in the biz on a high level than the Sitges Film Festival!
I am happy to report that The Proposal was well received and it achieved what I wanted it to achieve. Now to build off it! In fact, Natoli and I presently have an action feature in development, so stay tuned on that! A huge thank you to the Sitges Film festival for their support. Still the best festival in the world. Here are some of the Proposal reviews that surfaced after Sitges!
THE ACTION ELITE
“Once Natoli is on screen you know he will be capable of bringing the pain to all comers… and he doesn’t disappoint.”
“I’ve always been a fan of John Fallon’s writing as he hearkens back to the Grindhouse/Exploitation days in his movies like Deaden or American Muscle however, The Proposal almost feels more accessible for the casual viewer and fans of old-school action fare.”
“The Proposal left me hungry for more and I would love to see it with a bigger budget and longer runtime but as it stands Marc Natoli is one to watch.”
ACTION FLIX.COM:
“Marc Natoli takes center stage for the first time and with it, he announces himself as the new contender in on screen martial arts action.”
“Ben Whimpey, keeps everything moving at a brisk pace and never lets anything lag from beginning to end. If he can do this with 12 minutes then he should definitely be allowed to helm a bigger action spectacle. “
“Producer and writer John Fallon’s script is chock full of awesome action one liners.”
FILMESETAL.COM
“The Proposal’s production values feel very high budget. All the great qualities are there. The action scenes are top notch (better than a bunch of movies and Netflix shows – cough Iron Fist cough.), the comedy is there. All around great writing.
Fallon was able to pack a lot into so little. That takes a lot of mastery. This script could easily be turned into a game, a full-length movie (I could see a franchise being born from that), or a kick-ass series. The director, Ben Whimpey was able to get what Fallon crafted and shot it beautifully. “
“Natoli is poised for greatness, an action star in the making!”
FILM COMBAT SYNDICATE
“The fight scenery isn’t too far off and neither are some of the quips and one-liners that will give you a chuckle in between.
“Narrating between select scenes for the suited affect, Natoli delivers both in fine form, particularly having serviced the fight choreography.”
“It puts Natoli on the map for all of us to be aware of!”
WE CAME FROM THE BASEMENT
“This is a slick little movie that has the look and feel of a larger production. The camera work and production values are top notch, as are the performances. “
“Natoli is a martial arts expert, and it shows. The fights are fluid, but not too showy. They look real, and painful, and are a lot of fun to watch.”
“Fallon’s script hits all the right notes, taking a 90-minute concept and making it work in a short amount of time. “
ARROW IN THE HEAD
“The film is all about sporting an 80’s action vibe and I dug the hell out of all the details. THE PROPOSAL knows (for the most part) just why those films were as badass, charming, and enduring as they were. This quick flick doesn’t forget to sport a sense of humor, and the subgenre-required after-kill punchlines and puns are right on for this kind of film.”
“Marc Natoli as our main hero, Mason Stone, is just right for the part; brimming with muscle for days, the man handles the action with ease. But being that this is equal parts 80’s action throw-down and light romantic comedy, Natoli also handles the charm, and comedic touches, with just the right amount of pizzazz. Kahli Williams is beyond gorgeous and possesses more than her fair share of acting skills to boot”
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