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Martial arts movies are often enhanced by the inclusion of a tournament, raising the stakes and adding to the viewing experience. The quality of martial arts movies can vary greatly, but many of the better ones benefit from the tournament factor. The inclusion of a tournament in martial arts movies is a frequent and popular trope that continues to captivate audiences.

One thing that makes nearly any martial arts movie better is the inclusion of a tournament. With competitive achievement on the line, the stakes are raised, and the hope that a protagonist can emerge victorious further contributes to the viewing experience. That idea applies whether it's karate, kickboxing, Thai boxing, mixed martial arts, or an event that allows any style.

Martial arts movies can also vary wildly in terms of quality. They can range from cheesy train wrecks with lousy acting and little or no plot to inspiring, atmospheric masterpieces with excellent performances.

Photo: ‘American Fighter’/Lionsgate On paper, ‘American Fighter’ appears like any other underdog story. Think ‘Rocky’ or ‘Creed’ where the main character gets overconfident and then gets their butt whooped, ‘American Fighter’ shows the exact same thing but with a twist. ‘American Fighter’ follows Ali (George Kosturos), a college wrestler with big hopes for the future, on his journey to the top. Set in 1980s Iran, the film is rife with themes of morality, tackling anti-Muslim hate, and overcoming one’s fears. Though the fight scenes are undeniably the best part of the film, Kosturos gives a strong performance to keep our attention throughout the movie. Related article: A Tribute to Denis Villeneuve: The Best Fantasy-Thriller Director Today Related article: Daniel Craig’s James Bond: A Comprehensive Review & Ranking of the Latest 007’s Portrayals in Film Action-Filled Brawls The fight scenes in ‘American Fighter’ are completely realistic, to the...

"Unleash the lion." Lionsgate has released an official US trailer for an indie underground fighting drama titled American Fighter, which originally premiered at the Fantasia Film Festival in 2019. A desperate teenager is forced into the dangerous world of underground fighting to win enough money to save his ailing mother. He finds out what he is made of in the face of these violent, hungry competitors. Sean Patrick Flanery co-stars as a a troubled handler who takes pity on the boy and trains him to be a fierce competitor — but is it enough to make Ali a winner? Based on a true story, this gritty action tale also stars George Kosturos, Tommy Flanagan, Allison Paige, and Bryan Craig. Haven't we seen this 100 times before already? More "fighting to save my family" stories over and over. Nothing new here, move along everybody. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Shaun Piccinino's American Fighter,...

Stars: Bryan Craig, Tommy Flanagan, Sean Patrick Flannery, George Kosturos, Allison Paige | Written by Carl Morris, Shaun Piccinino | Directed by Shaun Piccinino

[Note: With the film finally debuting in the UK next week, here’s a reposting of our review of American Fighter from its screening at last years Fantasia Festival]

A fictional sequel to an semi-autobiographical original, American Fighter is an interesting proposition for a film and, at least in cinematic terms, shares a lot in common with the classic martial arts film Bloodsport – both deal with underground fighting and both have a connection to the real-life tales of their characters. In this case George Kosturos plays the alter-ego of producer Ali Afshar – whose story of moving from Iran to America and fitting in by becoming a top-class athlete was told in the 2016 film American Wrestler.

American Fighter picks up where that film left off, once again following Ali Jahani (George Kosturos) as he tries to raise funds to get his mother out of Tehran after his father...

American Fighter is a high-octane, edge-of-your-seat sport thriller based on a true story of illicit wrestling in 1980’s California. Packed with charismatic performances, American Fighter has gritty, excellently choreographed fight scenes reminiscent of action classics Rocky, Lionheart and The Karate Kid.

We follow desperate teenager Ali Jahani who escapes Iran after the hostage crisis and fights his way through the dangerous world of underground fighting to win money to save his ailing mother. He finds out what he’s made of in the face of these violent hungry competitors.

The tense fight thriller stars Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy), Sean Patrick Flanery (Powder, Dexter), Christina Moore (True Blood) and introducing newcomer George Kosturos as Ali Jahani.

Signature Entertainment presents American Fighter on Digital HD from July 20th.

Stars: Bryan Craig, Tommy Flanagan, Sean Patrick Flannery, George Kosturos, Allison Paige | Written by Carl Morris, Shaun Piccinino | Directed by Shaun Piccinino

A fictional sequel to an semi-autobiographical original, American Fighter is an interesting proposition for a film and, at least in cinematic terms, shares a lot in common with the classic martial arts film Bloodsport – both deal with underground fighting and both have a connection to the real-life tales of their characters. In this case George Kosturos plays the alter-ego of producer Ali Afshar – whose story of moving from Iran to America and fitting in by becoming a top-class athlete was told in the 2016 film American Wrestler.

American Fighter picks up where that film left off, once again following Ali Jahani (George Kosturos) as he tries to raise funds to get his mother out of Tehran after his father is pulled of their flight to the Us and assassinated,...

Hot on the heels of a casting announcement for The Lion King (John Oliver has signed up to play Zazu), a new report has some info on another coveted part from a different Disney live-action remake. Alongside Jon Favreau’s in development project, the House of Mouse is also working on a new version of Aladdin, helmed by Guy Ritchie. So far, only one actor has been attached to the production – Will Smith, taking over Robin Williams’ beloved role as the Genie. Now, though, we’ve learned that a couple of stars are in the running to play the street-rat’s love interest, Princess Jasmine.

According to THR, Ritchie and his team are hoping to wrap up their months’ long hunt for the perfect Aladdin and Jasmine in what’s being called one of the widest casting searches ever. Casting agents from London, Egypt, Abu Dhabi and India have been...

Film festival favorite “American Wrestler: The Wizard” comes to movie theaters nationwide for cinematic debut on May 3 only. Based on true events, the heartwarming coming of age story is set in a world of competitive high school wrestling, starring William Fichtner, Jon Voight and introducing newcomer George Kosturos.

This special presentation will include exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews with the filmmaker and cast, speaking to the real-life story and inspiration behind the film, along with never-before-released footage. Fathom Events and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment present this feature in cinemas for one night on Wednesday, May 3 at 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. local time.

Tickets for “American Wrestler: The Wizard” can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 130 select movie theaters. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website.

A teen refugee from Iran finds that athletic-based school pride can (eventually) trump prejudice in American Wrestler: The Wizard, a cumbersomely named coming-of-age pic by Alex Ranarivelo. Based on the experiences of producer Ali Afshar, who here plays the uncle who helped young Ali adjust to American life, the film adds Reagan-era Islamophobia to a wholly conventional sports film; though it's only a middling example of its genre, these themes may help the movie win over some viewers who are especially sensitive to the treatment of immigrants in the age of Trump.

Young Ali (George Kosturos) is a hustler in...

Joseph Baxter May 7, 2019

Disney is quickly building the live action Aladdin, and its poster really does look like it's taking us to a whole new world.

As you're probably aware, Disney is in the midst of remaking many of their animated classics as live action movies. Beauty and the Beast was a notable recent success at the box office, and 2016's Jon Favreau-directed The Jungle Book was an absolute delight (and has a sequel in the works). There are others in the works, including Mulan and Favreau's version of The Lion King, but let's not forget about Guy Ritchie's Aladdin.

Aladdin Trailer

There's no shortage of trailers and TV spots for Aladdin by now. However, Disney just released this brief clip, which – besides showcasing a necessary discussion about the importance of wish phrasing – gives you a peek at the interplay between Mena Massoud's Aladdin and Will Smith's Genie.

Joseph Baxter Mike Cecchini Oct 11, 2018

Disney is quickly building the live action Aladdin, and its poster really does look like it's taking us to a whole new world.

As you're probably aware, Disney is in the midst of remaking many of their animated classics as live action movies. Beauty and the Beast was a notable recent success at the box office, and last year's Jon Favreau-directed The Jungle Book was an absolute delight (and has a sequel on the way in October 2018). There are others in the works, including Mulan and Favreau's version of The Lion King, but let's not forget about Guy Ritchie's Aladdin.

Aladdin Movie Trailer

Here it is! Well, sort of. This is more of a teaser, but it's a pretty thorough introduction into the Aladdin live-action universe. This looks to match the aesthetic of the animated feature even more than one would have expected.

Exclusive: Mimi Steinbauer’s sales company will introduce international buyers in Toronto to John Butler’s Contemporary World Cinema selection.

ICM is handles Us rights to the Irish film, set to receive its world premiere on September 11.

Andrew Scott, Moe Dunford, Fionn O’Shea and Nicholas Galitzine star in Handsome Devil, about odd-couple roommates at a rugby-mad boarding school who resist peer pressure and form an unlikely bond.

Butler wrote the screenplay and Rebecca O’Flanagan and Robert Walpole produced for Treasure Entertainment. Claire McCaughley and Sarah Gunn served as co-producers.

“We knew off the bat that we wanted to add the charming and delightfully funny Handsome Devil to our slate, said Radiant president and CEO Steinbauer.

“It’s a real crowd-pleaser. We knew we had to be the ones to share this film with our international partners and look forward to doing so in Toronto.”

Handsome Devil marks Butler’s second Toronto premiere after 2013 selection [link=tt...

Exclusive: Mimi Steinbauer and her team will introduce buyers in Cannes to the coming-of-age film starring William Fichtner, Jon Voight, Gabriel Basso, Lia Marie Johnson and newcomer George Kosturos.

Alex Ranarivelo directed American Wrestler: The Wizard, which will screen in the Cannes market on May 17 and recently premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

Brian Rudnick wrote the screenplay inspired by true events of high school wrestling champion Ali Afshar, who is featured in the film and is a producer alongside Hadeel Reda.

Forrest Lucas and Protect The Harvest serve as executive producers and Ashley Michaelsen is a co-producer.

Kosturos stars as Afshar, an outcast teenage immigrant sent to live with his uncle in the small Northern California town of Petaluma where he joins the floundering high school wrestling team.

He teams up with the inspiring coach and leads the team to success.

“It’s amazing what young kids can do when they put their minds to it,” said...