Mother's Day Comes with Guns Not Flowers this Year

Mother's Day is a film from director Darren Lynn Bousman that will see theatres in 2010, from Twisted Pictures. Although an exact release date is not know, a plot summary and early movie still are available here. More details are sure to come out shortly, but for now have a quick peek at a film with a large female cast, which is appropriate for the title.

A synopsis for Mother's Day here:

"Two mothers (Rebecca De Mornay and Jaime King) will give the holiday terrifying new meaning as they battle to protect what is dearest to them.

After a bank robbery gone wrong, three brothers head for home, hoping their Mother (Rebecca De Mornay) can provide them with a getaway. The youngest brother, Johnny (Matt O'Leary), has been shot and their back-stabbing former partner has gotten away with all the cash.

Continues...

But when the brothers get home, they find that all their stuff is gone and Mother is nowhere to be found. She lost the house months ago in a foreclosure. The new owners, Beth and Daniel Sohapi (Jaime King and Frank Grillo) and their guests, gathered for an ill-timed birthday party, become the brothers' unwitting hostages.

Not long after, Mother arrives, along with the boys' sister Lydia (Deborah Ann Woll), and it soon becomes clear that Mother will do absolutely anything to protect her children. In one terrifying evening, she brilliantly takes control of the situation and masterminds her sons' escape from the law" (Shock).

Release Date: 2010.

Director: Darren Lynn Bousman.

Writer: Scott Milam.

Cast: Jaime King, Patrick Flueger, Rebecca De Mornay, Warren Kole, Deborah Ann Woll, Matt O'Leary, Briana Evigan, Frank Grillo, Lisa Marcos, Lyriq Bent, Tony Nappo, Kandyse

More details on this project on the FB site:

http://www.mothersdaythemovie.com/

And here:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=180649408031

Sources:

http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/films.php?id=11461

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Are You Ready to Step into a New Nightmare?

A new Nightmare begins playing to packed houses April 30th and this time Freddy Krueger has a very distinctive voice. Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen) plays Krueger this time around, gravely voice in tow and hopefully this film adds something to the mythos of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The plotline is similar to past films, with the children of Krueger's murderers being stalked by this accused pedophile. However, even though this film is going to a whole new generation of horror film fans the best sequels, remakes etc. are best when they incorporate something new rather than a simple rehash of the old. With Michael Bay (The Island, Transformers) as the producer there is sure to be lots of action and explosions, but will this be enough to make Krueger the most vicious villain yet, or just another scary voice?

The synopsis for A Nightmare on Elm Street below and a full trailer inside:

"A group of suburban teenagers share one common bond: they are all being stalked by Freddy Krueger, a horribly disfigured killer who hunts them in their dreams. As long as they stay awake, they can protect one another...but when they sleep, there is no escape" (Trailer).

Release Date: April 30th, 2010 (Wide theatrical).

Director: Samuel Bayer.

Writer: Wesley Strick.

Cast: Jackie Earle Haley, Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker, Kellan Lutz, Clancy Brown, Connie Britton, Lia D. Mortensen, and Charles E Tiedje.

The final trailer for A Nightmare on Elm Street:



Sources:

A Nightmare on Elm Street Trailer Addict

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Blood Seeps into the Sand of Red Hill

Red Hill is not really a horror film, more dramatic thriller than anything else. This feature, which was shot in Victoria, Australia, is likely receiving help from the Screen Australia's production support program, which partially finances films with Australia content (a prediction, unconfirmed). This Australian governmental agency is helping to promote a film industry that does not need much help with films like Road Train, South Solitary, and Owl Song on the horizon (Road Train preview here). Although not a horror film, Red Hill looks good for anyone with a soft spot for the ol' westerns with real grit.

The story for Red Hill begins here:

"When a young police officer, Constable Shane Cooper, relocates to the small high-country town of Red Hill with his pregnant wife, he does so in the hope of starting a new family. But when news of a prison break in the city sends the local law enforcement officers into a panic, Shane's first day on duty quickly goes from bad to worse.

Enter Jimmy Conway, a convicted murderer serving life behind bars, he returns to the isolated outpost seeking revenge. Now caught in the middle of what quickly becomes a horrifying blood bath, Shane will be forced to take the law into his own hands if he is to survive. A tight action/thriller, Red Hill unfolds over the course of a single day. Told with explosive action and chilling violence, the story is a modern day western set in high-country Australia" (Trailer).

Release Date: 2010.

Director/writer: Patrick Hughes.

Cast: Steve Bisley, Ryan Kwanten, and Tommy Lewis.

An effective teaser trailer here for Red Hill, which is sure to generate some excitement for this 2010 release:



Sources:

Red Hill at Trailer Addict

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The Dawning of a New Age of Horror

The independent film the Dawning will be taking over film screens in Mankato, Minnesota April 16th. The film has recently been at the Nevermore Film Festival in North Carolina and the villain has been described by the horror movie review site Planet of Terror as "an offscreen and unseen 'presence'" (Planet). In fact, the antagonist is not shown during the entire film in favour of developing characterizations. An interview with the director, Greg Holtgrewe, is below along with a trailer and for horror fans in the Minnesota are the Dawning is a must see from early reviews.

Release Date: April 16th - Spectrum Theatre - Mankato, Minnesota (currently at festivals looking for distribution).

Director: Greg Holtgrewe.

Writers: Matthew Wilkins, and Greg Holtgrewe.

Cast: David Coral, Jonas Goslow, Christine Kellogg-Darrin, Danny Salmen, and Najarra Townsend.

The trailer for the Dawning here:



An interview with Holtgrewe on this project:

Interview at Planet of Terror

The Dawning website:

The Dawning Website

The Dawning on Twitter:

The Dawning on Twitter

A review to come shortly.

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Crackula Preview From At Risk Entertainment

Crackula's title sounds like the experience some people have downtown in a major city where the homeless try to suck you dry of all your loose change, but Crackula is not a film about supporting drug habits. Crackula is about three college freshmen girls and the occult. These three girls get involved in a psychic cult, where things are not as they seem. Inside the cult is "a web of death" (Conventry). The film is being produced by At Risk Entertainment, a Michigan based production company, and the first cover art is above. The CEO of At Risk Entertainment adds one last comment on the title of the film here: "neither the title or the film has anything to do with drugs, crack, crackheads, etc." (Conventry).

Have a look at the early cover art for the project above, the synopsis below, and a partial interview inside.

"Crackula is a story about three college freshmen - all girls - who get involved in the world of psychic readings. That connection becomes deadly when it's revealed that the psychic is part of a cult.

"Soon, one girl disappears and her friends fear the worst. Inside the world of the psychic, her brother and another man create a web of death. The leader of the cult is a bad-ass black man in a suit" (Coventry).

Release Date: Unknown.

Director/writer: Larry Simmons.

Cast: Unknown.

A great, short, little interview with director Larry Simmons on Crackula:

Simmons Interview at Coventry Telegraph

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Last of the Living Now Continental

Last of the Living is a little Australian horror film that will be available in the US and Canada March 2nd through Quantum Releasing. In case you are wondering, no this writer, publisher, reviewer is not bitter about several promises from director Logan Mcmillan to send a screener of the film, here. Well maybe there is a little bitterness left over. Yet, the film is worth a second look, despite some apathy on the part of Quantum because Last of the Living is a curious little film that was made for approximately 45k. The film seems to hold some kind of charm and a definitive love for the zombie horror sub-genre. If you have not seen the trailer then here is one emphatic vote that you spend a few moments immersing yourself in Last of the Living, an ozzie film with style.

A synopsis for Last of the Living here:

"A highly contagious virus has transformed almost every human into flesh-eating zombies. Now it’s up to three bickering, video playing friends, Morgan, Ash and unreformed rock’n’roller Johnny with their pick of well-appointed houses to occupy and free rein at the local Pak-N-Save, to save the world" (Quantum).

Release Date: March 2nd, 2010 (DVD).

Director/writer: Logan McMillan.

Cast: Morgan William, Robert Faith, Mark Hadlow, and Emily Paddon-Brown.

A mostly comedic influenced trailer for Last of the Living here:





Sources:

Last of the Living at Quantum Releasing

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More Deadly than Skarlet Fever: A Book Review

"Skarlet" is the first in a trilogy of stories from English author Thomas Emson. Although, not his first novel, "Skarlet" suffers from some slow pacing early on. However, once the action is underway a plague involving the new drug "Skarlet" takes hold and does not end until the fever breaks on page 447. An important novel to the world of vampire mythology, "Skarlet" is a novel that cannot be put down for long, as the pages, at times, seems as hypnotic as the denizens in the pages.

"Skarlet" begins with several club-goers at the goth centered Religion undergoing a transformation from quiet, anti-social, placid drug-users to a violent, near immortal, prowling deviant in the early pages of the novel. The novel seems to be stuck in second gear until page 100-110, or so. Here, the infection, within the downtown setting of London, begins to move at a much quicker pace. The action and interaction of characters stays strong until the last lines of the book.

This novel takes a tried and true creature of the night and adds a twist on the stories of Babylon, that ancient city of excess. This time it is not the kings who are the cause for upset, but their ancient guardians.Kea is the cause of much anguish for central character Jake Lawton, while Kea's cohorts Kahash and Kasdeja loom farther out from the core of the story. The vampires are present in the story and so is their god Kea, who has his origins in this ancient city of Iraq.

For the most part "Skarlet" is a real keeper of a novel, minus a few critiques, which are necessary for a balanced review. One other reviewer got the incontinence descriptive factor right, here: "bladders were occasionally 'queasy,' frequently 'heavy,' often 'cold' and sometimes 'cold and heavy'" (Love). It occurs pretty often that characters are about to piss, or shit themselves when presented with these dark, denizens of the night. Also, the response of the government to a new threat of roaming vampires is business as usual. If you shoot a human looking creature three or four times with nothing happening this would be the time to try something else. Maybe this is Darwinian evolution in practice, as the dumber cops die early. One last critique, the character Jake Lawton is the epitome of the hero archetype. Yet, sometimes the hero who does not want to get involved for personal reasons, or who has some personal demons is a better choice for a central protagonist, rather than the personally almost flawless character Lawton. That aside, "Skarlet" has a lot of things going for itself including an interesting story that is action driven, a large cast of multi-dimensional characters, and an ending that will leave most readers wanting more. All of these elements make "Skarlet" a good sit down novel, despite a few flaws.

"Krimson" the second part of Thomas Emerson's vampire trilogy is currently being written and this reviewer encourages you to pick up Emerson's current novel "Skarlet," if you are in the mood for something darker. Emerson's website location is below along with a Twitter link and two further reviews of "Skarlet."

Thomas Emson Website

Thomas Emson on Twitter

On Amazon:



Emerson's first novel:



Sources:

Review at Hellnotes

Review at Love Vampires

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A Look Ahead to Solomon Kane?

United Kingdom audiences are already enjoying the film Solomon Kane in theatres and this begs a question. When will North American audiences get to view the film? There is no listed release date for Solomon Kane. Also, the rights for Solomon Kane have not been sold to a North American distributor. A better question might be, will Solomon Kane ever be shown in North America? A North American distributor needs to snap up the rights for this project, so that movie fans get an opportunity to see Michael J. Bassett's film on the big screen. With some of the most powerful film companies dotting the east and west coasts of America, surely there must be a way to show these European made films on North American shores.

To keep the Solomon Kane dream alive there are two behind the scenes clips from the features courtesy of the film's website. The synopsis for Solomon Kane below:

"Solomon Kane is a 16th century anti-hero created by Robert E. Howard (creator of Conan the Barbarian). When Solomon Kane (James Purefoy of Rome) meets the Devil’s Reaper, he postpones his fate by renouncing violence – a vow that is soon tested by the forces of evil. As Kane once again straps on his weapons, he embarks on an epic journey of redemption" (Entertainment).

Release Date: Unknown.

Director/writer: Michael J. Bassett.

Writer: Robert E. Howard.

Cast: James Purefoy, Max von Sydow, and MacKenzie Crook.

A featurette of the fight sequences:



A making of featurette:



A much more exciting featurette of the creatures at the film's website:

Solomon Kane Website

Sources:

Entertainment Films (UK Distributor)

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An Early Forecast For Horror Thriller Don't Fall Asleep

Don't Fall Asleep seems to have taken their title from a Nightmare on Elm Street film, yet, the film has an original plotline that involves "bloodlust" (Don't Fall). The film is independent and utilizes an ensemble crew to write an interesting tale of sleepwalking, jealousy, and murderous rumours. Don't Fall Asleep has just finished production and the film's story is interesting and definitely horror themed.

The synopsis for the film here:

"'Don't Fall Asleep' follows Janice and Sam, a young couple moving into their first house on Isabelle Street. They start hearing stories from the neighbors about the woman who used to live there - Isabelle - in fact, the street is named after her. Back in the 50's Isabelle flew into a jealous rage when she found her husband with another woman - her lover. She killed both of them but her bloodlust wasn't sated. Now, 50 years later, Janice has started sleepwalking with visions of a wild German woman and blood. Janice can't remember what she does when she sleepwalks. 'I think Isabelle works through me when I'm asleep' (Don't Fall).

Release Date: Unknown.

Directer: Brent Roske.

Writers: Chris Soth, James G. Rogers, Blair Dalton, Pamela Heath,Peter Greenwald, Kimberly Kaplan, S. C. Farrow,Searnold & Kim Standring Jacobs.

Cast: Ashley Hinson, Daniel Kent and Ana Belibasis. was shot by Ric
Griffith.

The trailer for Don't Fall Asleep:



Join the film on their Facebook Fan site:

Don't Fall Asleep Facebook

Sources:

Don't Fall Asleep at More Than Horror

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Survival of the Dead's Frightening New Look

Magnet Releasing will be putting Survival of the Dead out there beginning April 30th and have a look at the film's new look. Survival of the Dead will be available on VOD April 30th through various formats before moving to theatres in May 28th. Early reviews of this release have said very different things of SOTD. Horror movie promotion website Horror Movies has said: "the bad taste from Romero's latest film, for example comes from its basic flaws, its technical and tonal gaps and dips, its weird pacing, its uneven acting and incomprehensible plot" (Horror). That does not sound good. As well, from another review site, Film School Rejects: "George Romero has achieved something truly remarkable within the world of filmmaking as a whole" (Film). That sounds better. There seems to be a wide range of opinions on George A. Romero's latest film and fans will have to decide for themselves if this latest chapter in the Dead series is worth seeing this April.

The synopsis for Survival of the Dead:

"On an island off the coast of North America, local residents simultaneously fight a zombie epidemic while hoping for a cure to return their un-dead relatives back to their human state."

Release Date: April 30th.

Director/writer: George A. Romero.

Cast: Julian Richings, Devon Bostick, Athena Karkanis, and Richard Fitzpatrick.

Sources:

Survival of the Dead Review at Film School Rejects

Survival of the Dead Review at Horror Movies

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HorrorHound Weekend Festival Details

The HorrorHound Weekend takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana beginning March 26th and the festival will have several films showing, along with a tribute to Vampira. Some of the films that will be shown include Girl Number Three, Parasomnia, Smash Cut, Nightbreed and others. The Weekend will also host guest appearances from George A. Romero, Clive Barker, Elvira, Ms. Vampy aka Brooke Lewis and dozens more.

The Vampira Weekend will also feature a tribute to Maila Nurmi, the Queen of the Damned during the same weekend. Ms. Vampy, seen left, will be on hand, with support from Muscle Wolf Productions and The Dark Carnival Film Festival, to meet and greet fans. Ms. Vampy could be in a biting mood, so watch out! Have a look at the promo for the Vampira Tribute below along with a few other guests attending the HorrorHound Weekend.

Other Special Guests: Doug Bradley (Hellraiser), Simon Bamford (Nightbreed), Louise Robey (Friday the 13th the Series) and lots more.

An appeal to pity and to horror fans on behalf of horror hosts:



Visit the HorrorHound Weekend website for ticket info':

HorrorHound Weekend Homepage

Or the Vampira Tribute page:

Vampira Landing Page

Sources:

Ms. Vampy aka Brooke Lewis. Interview. 24 February 2010.

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Silent Night, Zombie Night and Blood Spray: A Movie Review

Director/writer: Sean Cain.

Sean Cain has been interviewed here regarding this project, and Silent Night, Zombie Night is heavy on the dramatic, light on the action and character driven (interview here). In other words, Sean Cain is so comfortable with this genre that he manages to add some soap opera elements to a post-apocalyptic world. How is that for confidence?

Silent Night, Zombie Night gets the ball rolling fairly quickly, with a random zombie attack in a quiet driveway. The blood flows, the baseball bats fly, toes get shot off and then the viewer is put right smack in the middle of a three way love story involving characters Frank (Jack Forcinito), Sarah (Nadine Stenovitch) and Nash (Andy Hooper). Silent Night, Zombie Night is only partially a horror film and mostly a drama.

This hat goes off to Jeff Leroy the special effects supervisor on this project, as the many gory scenes pop off with blood spraying reality. The attention to make-up and prosthetics is shown on the majority of characters, who linger in several of the wider shots. The virus, which is not fully explained, looks vicious and virulent, with the make-up department and writer creatively producing two separate types of zombies (Dominic Alfano, Tom Devlin and others). What of the writing, you say?

In order for this to be a critical review some attention needs to be applied to the faults of Silent Night, Zombie Night of which there are a few. Early in the film the character Nash is shot in the foot and instead of driving Nash to the hospital Frank takes him to an apartment complex. The reason for this is still being explained twenty minutes later. Also, from a limited first aid background, the likelihood of someone going into shock, or a coma from a bullet wound to the foot, or toe is very unlikely. Some unbelievability appears early in the film, but still Silent Night stays in tone, delivers action sequences, characters are fleshed out, and the love story is realistic.

Silent Night, Zombie Night just finished playing at the Nevermore Film Festival and this film will continue on the road for the next little while, with a DVD date unannounced. Check your local film festival for details on possible showings, or set one up and make director Sean Cain your new best friend for awhile! More details on the project below.

Acting/believability: 6.5 (Jack Forcinito stands head and shoulders above the rest).
Lighting/setting/realism: 7 (only some problems with night shots and darkness).
Writing/characters/plot: 7.5 (the story is interesting, with characters multi-dimensional).

Overall: 7 staggering zombies out of 10.

The film can be found on FB:

SNZN on Facebook

And the homepage:

SNZN Homepage

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Serial Killer Jack is Having a Really Bad Day

Shawn Ewert will be releasing his horror short Jack's Bad Day to film festivals throughout the United States beginning March 1st. In the film and the trailer Jack is the on the receiving end of some unfortunate events. This is what you get, though, when you are a serial killer. Check your local film festivals for screening dates i.e. Shriekfest and others.

The synopsis for the film:

"Jack's Bad Day is a dark comedy about an obsessive compulsive serial killer who seems to have Murphy’s Law testing him at every turn. From the onset of the film, Jack’s day goes from bad to worse as there is no hot water for his shower and his towel rack breaks off the wall while he is getting through his morning routine.

As Jack prepares for his day of stalking and killing, situation after situation arises where things simply go awry at the last possible moments. His victims always seem to find some way to keep him from enjoying his perverse skill, but not in the way you would think. Through the director’s hand, you feel the frustration and futility of this downtrodden serial killer as attempt after attempt to dispatch his prey fizzles out" (RightLeft).

Release Date: 2010.

Director/writer: Shawn Ewert.

A trailer for Jack's Bad Day is available at the Facebook site:

Jack's Bad Day at FB

Sources:

Jack's Bad Day at the Horror Society

Jack's Bad Day Homepage

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The Meteor Apocalypse Has Just Landed

You have heard the premise of a meteor shower heading to earth, which is sure to bring man's destruction, before. This type of event killed the dinosaurs, so this could happen to mankind too, right? This plotline has been tried before by Armageddon and others, but here The Asylum adds in some bad acting and a low budget to get the job done. Yes, this reviewer is getting jaded by all the poor quality pictures cascading across these eyes. However, some viewers might find some interest in the one line synopsis for The Meteor Apocalypse, which just released yesterday. A trailer is provided below and at The Asylum website. View both before the world ends through a cosmic rock shower!

A synopsis for The Meteor Apocalypse:

"A gigantic meteors enters Earth's orbit and begins to disintegrate, showering the entire planet with debris' (The Asylum).

Release Date: February 23, 2010 (DVD).

Director: Micho Rutare.

Writers: Brian Brinkman, and Micho Rutare.

Cast: Claudia Christian, and Cooper Harris.

A low quality trailer for The Meteor Apocalypse here:



A higher quality trailer for the film is available here (after effects added):

MA at The Asylum



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Exorcismus to be Exorcised Shortly

Exorcismus has sold in several foreign markets, with a North American distributor unsecured. Exorcismus has pre-sold in Italy, the United Kingdom and Australia. The film is likely being negotiated for distribution in N. America.

The film involves a young teenage girl who becomes possessed and the trials and tribulations that her family go through, in order to get her treatment. The full synopsis is below.

The synopsis for Exorcismus here:

"Fifteen-year-old Emma Hawkins is like any other teenage girl; she thinks that her parents don’t understand her. She longs for independence and a life free of family ties and responsibilities and she is prepared to do anything to achieve it. But one day she will be forced to face up to the consequences of her actions.

Life seems to be carrying on as normal, until one day Emma starts experiencing frightening fits. Her parents are convinced that her problems are either medical or psychological, but when doctors´ tests are unable to draw any conclusions, the family is forced to look elsewhere for answers.

Continues...

It all started off as a bit of fun, Emma never really believed it, but the truth is there is something dark and sinister within her, and it won't take long to surface" (Shock).
Release Date: Unknown (in post production).

Director: Manuel Carballo.

Writer: David Munoz.

Cast: Tommy Bastow, Sophie Vavasseur, and Richard Felix.

Several stills at the film's production website, Filmax International:

http://www.filmaxinternational.com/Exorcismus.html

Sources:

http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/films.php?id=14179

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Cover Most of Your Eyes then Watch this Movie Clip for Deadfall Trail

Something that needs to be on everyone's bucket list is a nude mud wrestle with a beautiful woman in blood. This is exactly what happens in this newest clip for the independent horror film Deadfall Trail. This first clip, courtesy of Quiet Earth, shows one male character naked wrestling with an anonymous female. Thankfully, there are no below the belt shots. The first poster for the film is also available and Deadfall Trail hopes to revitalize the survivalist wilderness horror genre that has been done well before by Cabin Fever, Deliverance, and others. Have a look at the first clip for Deadfall Trail entitled "Bloodbath," which might have been given a more exciting title like "Nude Blood Wrestling."

The synopsis for the film:

"John, Julian and Paul enter the Kaibab National Forest for a three-week survival trip and peyote vision quest. The only items they take with them are a knife, a bottle of water and a garbage bag each. A week into their journey a disastrous turn of events changes everything and the men are forced to ultimately confront the darkest corners of their morality and mortality. Battling the elements and each other, the quest becomes to make it out of the forest alive" (Quiet Earth).

Director: Roze.

Writers: Roze, Josh Staman, Candace Rose.

Cast: Patricia Askew, Briana Cessna, Shane Dean, William Ferguson, and Shane Francis.

The first clip for Deadfall Trail:


Bloodbath from copper|post on Vimeo.


Lots more info' on the film at the official website:

Deadfall Homepage

Sources:

Deadfall Trail at Quiet Earth (Trailer)

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Scare Zone is a Fun Ride: A Movie Revew

Director/writer: Jon Binkowski.

Scare Zone is a film that was shot in Orlando, Florida and has gone on to wins some awards as being the Best Picture of Florida (Cenflo). Probably shot at Disneyland, Scare Zone is almost exclusively shot within a Haunted House styled venue. The acting is sometimes overacted with many of the characters unusually giddy and some of the characters are given only shallow attention. Yet, the film is often fun and a guilty pleasure, as the writing does not require in-depth analysis only the suspension of belief for a brief ninety minutes.

The film is a follow the numbers serial killer story, with the addition of a horror fun house an added bonus. Characters get introduced to the horror house right away and the slaughter comes not much later. The non-essential characters are fitted into the usual geek, slut, hero, and more than slightly bent goth girl cardboard cut-outs, but the film is centrally light-hearted. The crescendo comes a little out of left field, as one devout amusement park goer wants more than his money back when the show closes down. The murderer is not your usual looming six-foot behemoth.

The actors are mostly charming, as they hover in the background in favour of a demented love story between cutter Claire (Arian Waring Ash) and a friendly Darryl. The relationship is more slow burn that hot flash, but each of the actors, or actresses do their best with the material provided. A more satisfying ending to Claire and Darryl's relationship could have been explored.

The writing makes Scare Zone feel like a trip to the local amusement park. There is not a lot of complexity in the story, yet, horror fans will find an appeal in the quickly unravelling script. Also, there are a few interesting scenes. One involves the clever combination of a lye vat and acid. Another curious shot occurs in a mostly deserted graveyard, with an unluckly caretaker getting too involved with the killer. The script is out to be enjoyable and it does not set out to reinvent the genre.

Life is rarely full of cotton candy and bubbles, but Scare Zone attempts to make the viewer feel happy, or shocked for a short ninety minutes. How can you fault a film for that? The film is sheer escapism and not meant for careful dissection. So, leave your thinking caps at the door and let the imagination run wild for a short time - Scare Zone will do the rest.

Jon Binkowski's Scare Zone has just finished a showing at the Nevermore Film Festival, which was reported as being a huge success. So, what is next for Scare Zone? Unfortunately, horror fans will have to sit tight for a little bit. Scare Zone is currently creeping around the film festival circuit and will not be available until finished showing at these venues. When a DVD, or Blu-Ray release date are confirmed that date will be posted here. Enjoy the clip from the film below.

Acting/believability/interpretation: 6.5.
Photography/composition/lighting: 6.75.
Editing/continuity/pacing: 7.

Overall: 6.75 acid burning faces out of 10.

The most recent trailer for the project:


Scare Zone - Trailer from FWC Pictures llc. on Vimeo.

More info' at the film's website here:

Scare Zone Homepage

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Frame 137 Breathes Fire

There is a new villain in town, who breathes fire, kills with sword flashes or karate chops and he is only ten years. What is really horrifying is a post-apocalyptic world run by these tiny midgets known as children. This is exactly the premise of the science fiction short Frame 137, which has yet to announce a release date, or festival schedule. The small character Sam Ransom is based on James O'Barr's (The Crow) creation and the film has just been completed "after several years of development" (Frame 137). Have a look at the hard-hitting, action packed trailer for the film that shows Ransom and his martial arts prowess.

Release Date: Unknown.

Director: Judd Tilyard.

The trailer for Frame 137 here:



For more info' on Frame 137 join the film's Facebook group and get involved:

Frame 137 on FB

Sources:

Frame 137 at Twitch Films

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Get Sensored then Enter to Win a Signed Poster from Robert Picardo!

Producer of Sensored, Jo Haskin has sent along two 18" x 12" signed posters to be given away here at 28DLA.com. Actor Robert Picardo has signed both posters and they are available to readers and fans here. The posters are exactly the same as the image shown left only slightly better with Picardo's monogram gracing the upper left hand corner. If you are interested in entering the contest, for the poster, simply watch the trailer for Sensored below and follow the instructions to be entered in the draw. Winners will be picked at random and notified here.

The synopsis for Sensored:

"Children's book author Wade Mixon is trying to keep his frayed mind from unraveling. His stability and lucidity are in question, and his thoughts are increasingly being invaded by the terror of this murderous past and present. Wade's battle with his own demons causes him to believe there is a conspiracy against him. The line between reality and delusion is steadily growing more and more uncertain and the fight between good and evil within his mind is beginning to dilute any chance he has at living in the here and now. In the balance hangs Wade's only shred of existence, his legacy, and he will stop at nothing to prove its reality.

Release Date: April 27th (Blu-Ray/DVD).

Director: Ryan Todd.

Writer: Kevin Haskin.

Cast: Sarah Knowlton, Brian Rife, Michelle Page, David Fine, Chase Anthony Hodge, Christopher Michael Holley, and Mary Mackey.

The trailer for Sensored here:



**To enter the contest send your first initial, last name, mailing details, and Sensored Contest in the subject line to 28dayslateranalysis[at]gmail[dot]com - to be entered in the draw**

Contest closed due to lack of entries/interest.



And Blu-Ray:


More info' on Sensored at the film's website below.

Sensored Homepage

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No Sympathy for the Devil

Sympathy is an independent horror production that is getting rave reviews, despite having to labour on with a minuscule $6,500 budget. Andrew Moorman's entire film takes place in one hotel room, as a "bank robber...[holds a] rebellious teenager hostage" (Bloody). This Hitchockian styled thriller has been reviewed from Variety.com to Dread Central and Bloody Disgusting, with each review more flattering than the last. Available April 27th, Sympathy, from reviews, is worth sitting down to "feel completely f&%^ing entertained" (AintitCool)! The details for this small film are below.

The synopsis for Sympathy here:

"When a reckless bank robber and his rebellious teenage hostage hole up for the night in a bad motel, anything can happen. A mysterious stranger and dark twists of fate send this night into a descent of bloody madness in this deadly game of cat and mouse where nothing is what it seems. Lock yourself in for this bloody tale that is equal parts classic suspense thriller and grindhouse horror.

Release Date: April 27th.

Director: Andrew Moorman.

Writer: Arik Martin.

Cast: Marina Shtelen, Aaron Boucher, and Steven Pritchard.

No trailer available at this time. Check the film's website for more details:

Sympathy Homepage



Sources:

Sympathy Movie Review at Bloody Disgusting

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What would One Man Do, if Cornered?

Cornered is a film that was produced by Maze Films and the film not only has a confirmed release date, but a close-up look at of the masked-killer. This is a film that is commercially successful already, as Cornered has sold in multiple markets across the world. Locally, the film is being distributed through the large multi-genered distributor Lightning Entertainment/Mainline Releasing, which is a Santa Monica based business. Also, the film runs at eighty-six minutes and stars the emerging icons Steve Guttenberg, and James Duval. The film will go straight to DVD May 1st and the trailer is below. However, the killer can only be seen in this new poster from Lightning.

A partial synopsis for Cornered here (the full synopsis can be found at the Lightning Entertainment website in the sources section):

"A serial killer with a morbid voyeur fetish is targeting and terrorizing convenience stores. He tortures and murders his victims in creative ways in front of closed-circuit television cameras, then steals the surveillance tapes as personal trophies.

With the reward upped to $500,000, the serial killer is the hot topic at a downtown Los Angeles liquor store owned by Steve. When the beer deliveryman, Morty, shares his concerns about the recent killings, Steve and his motley friends fantasize about their big plans on what to do with the killer and the reward money" (Lightning).

Release Date: May 1st (DVD).

Director/writer: Daniel Maze.

Writers: Darrin Grimwood.

Cast: Steve Guttenberg, James Duval, Elizabeth Nicole, Peter Story, Eduardo Antonio Garcia, and Ellia English.

The B-roll trailer for Cornered here:



More trailers of Cornered here (two more):

Queen of Slice DVD Contest at Slice of Sci-Fi

Sources:

Cornered at Lightning Entertainment

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The Queen of Scream Brooke Lewis is Giving Away DVDs

Slice of Sci-Fi has a deadly little contest going on with Slice Queen Brooke Lewis supporting. Readers who enter get a chance to win not one, but two DVDs. The titles being auctioned off are Marc Clebanoff's Break and the horror production iMurders iMurders Movie Revew. Both copies are signed by Brooke Lewis the Queen of Scream, herself. The contest has been running since February 12, so get over to Slice of Sci-Fi before the March 6th giveaway! A few more details are available below on Brooke Lewis, the contest, and both films.

The iMurders plotline:

“This is the Internet. For some, it is one of the great innovations of the modern world, a pathway to knowledge, growth and new experiences. But for one group of people who share a common chat room, it could be the instrument of their destruction. When members of this social networking website are brutally murdered in succession, one person’s past holds the key to the gruesome mystery. As the number of survivors decreases, they begin to believe that the killer might be one of them.”

The plotline for Break:

“When the city’s crime boss, known only as “The Man,” discovers that he’s terminally ill, he enlists Frank to carry out his own assassination. “The Man,” however, is selfish and jealous, and doesn’t want to die alone, and makes it clear to Frank that he is to take out the woman he loves too. When Frank discovers that The Woman is his own long lost lover, Frank alters the job. In an action-packed chain of events, riddled with dark humor and visual spectacle, Frank and The Woman take on their enemies.”

**To enter the contest "send an email to contest[at]sliceofscifi[dot]com. Please put 'Slice Queen DVD'in the subject line, and please don’t forget to include your name and shipping address in the body of the email" (Slice).**

Or go to Slice of Sci-Fi and find the contest info' directly:

DVD Giveaway at Slice of Sci-Fi

If you do not win there are almost always other solutions:



Sources:

iMurders Review here at 28DLA

Queen of Slice DVD Contest at Slice of Sci-Fi

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The Double Born Contest Winners!

There are two winners for The Double Born contest. The winners are M. Ashwell and D. Ibave of the United States. Congratulations and your DVDs of The Double Born will be sent out shortly. Check out the positive review for The Double Born right here (The Double Born Review). For those unfamiliar with the contest, or the story of the film a trailer is below.

A synopsis for The Double Born here:

"A woman is tortured by the sudden disappearance of her only child years before. Obsessed with having another baby, she is devastated and driven to emotional crisis when discovering her new husband is infertile. Gripped by despair, the woman begins to resign herself to the bitter likelihood of never having another child. Striking up a friendship with two discarded young laborers hired to re-paint her son's now silent room, the three lost souls form a disturbing bond as the boys are led deeper into the woman's tormented world. Her family's suspicions of this unsettling new friendship sets off an irreversible series of events, leading to madness and murder as the horrors of the past collide with the sins of the present, ending in tragedy and terror" (IMDB).

Release Date: January 26th

Director/writer: Tony Randel.

Cast: Sammi Davis, Jon Lindstrom, Jake Bern, Alex Weed, Jenny Dare Paulin and Lindsey Girardot.

The trailer for The Double Born here:





More info' on The Double Born at The Painted Bird website (production co'):

Painted Bird Website

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Dead Snow DVD Details

The Norwegian Dod Sno,, or for North American horror fans Dead Snow, will release on DVD this week and the film is worth a second look. Dead Snow is one of the best foreign films to be released in 2009 and the film has been reviewed here (Dead Snow Review). From the review: "not since 'Shock Waves' has the use of Nazi zombies been given such effective attention" (28DLA). Now the DVD has some extras to start of the film's release with a bang. DVD features include a behind the scenes featurette, a special make-up effects featurette, and a short film entitled "Madness in the North." The film includes several other gems and, while the film is in Norwegian with English subtitles, the film blends over-the-top campiness with raw blood and guts. Have another look at the trailer below.

The synopsis for Dead Snow here:

"For eight medical students, Easter vacation begins innocently enough. They pack their cars full of ski equipment and enough beer to fuel their escape from everyday life to the snowy, isolated hills outside of Øksfjord, Norway. Once there, they receive a late-night visit from a shady hiker, who tells them a story about Nazi occupation of the area during World War II.

After doing their fair share of raping and pillaging, the dreaded battalion faced a brutal and vengeful uprising by the citizens of the town. The soldiers who managed to survive the onslaught, including their dreaded leader Colonel Herzog, were driven into the hills by the angry mob, where they supposedly froze to death, never to be seen again. But if the horror genre has taught us anything, it’s that the raucous behavior and promiscuity of the younger generation always have a way of bringing evil spirits back to life" (UHM).

Release Date: February 23, 2010 (DVD/Blu-Ray).

Director: Tommy Wirkola.

Writers: Stig Frode Henriksen, and Tommy Wirkola.

Cast: Vegar Hoel, Charlotte Frogner, Lasse Valdal, and Jeppe Laursen.

The trailer for Dead Snow:



Other DVD features:

- "Burning the Cabin" featurette
- "The Sounds of Dead Snow" featurette
- Outtakes
- Theatrical trailer



Sources:

Dead Snow Movie Review

Horror Releases for February 23 at UHM

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Colour from the Dark Could be Unstable

Upcoming Horror Movies.com has a great article on horror releases for the week of February 23rd, of which Colour from the Dark is but one. The trailer for Colour from the Dark puts into a visual sphere what bi-polar disorder must feel like. In one scene things are calm as character Lucia picks vegetables from her farm. Thirty seconds later this proud wife and sister is stabbing friends and family with a pitchfork. Happy then sad and back again. Have a look at the Colour from the Dark trailer below, which stars Debbie Rochon, and then visit the UHM website to view over fifteen titles that will be released on DVD/Blu-Ray formats this following week.

The plotline for Colour from the Dark here:

"Pietro and Lucia live on an isolated farm with Alice, Lucia's younger sister. Poor farmers, they live tilling the soil. Pietro is a good worker and a strong man who, unlike his three brothers, is not at war because of a deformed knee. Lucia is a beautiful and reserved woman dedicated to her family. Their life is peaceful and good, in spite of the hard work. One day, while drawing water from the well, Pietro and Alice accidentally free something from Earth's womb. A strange and alien color flashes underwater, at the well's bottom, then disappears. From that moment on, inexplicable events start happening all around the farm.

By night the surrounding vegetation glitters with a sinister glow. The color soon takes hold of the whole farm, and dwelling inside Pietro and his family's minds, it brings them into its sick world of pain, blood and death" (UHM).

Release Date: February 23rd (DVD only).

Director: Ivan Zuccon.

Writer: H.P. Lovercraft (based on).

Cast: Michael Segal, Marysia Kay, Gerry Shanahan, and Eleanor James.

The trailer for Colour from the Dark:



Special features include the following:

* Cast and crew interviews
* “Memories of the Ghost” featurette
* “Trevor” featurette
* “I Love NYC Video Club” featurette
* Photo galleries
* Four different trailers



More horror titles releasing here:

Horror Releases for February 23 at UHM

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The Perfect Serial Killer Has a Huge Cast List of Victims to Choose From!

The DeeDee Bigelow and Antonio Olivas project, The Perfect Serial Killer is now in the pre-production phase with a huge cast list announced. Currently, The Perfect Serial Killer is undergoing script revisions. As well, the project will feature Courtney Gains (Shadowheart), Brooke Lewis (Kinky Killers), and Katie Lohmann. A director for the project will be announced shortly. For now, an early concept poster is above with a full cast list below.

The synopsis for The Perfect Serial Killer here:

"Two detectives are faced with the challenge of a lifetime - have they actually come across the perfect serial killer" (IMDB)?

Release Date: 2011.

Director: Unknown.

Writers: DeeDee Bigelow, and Antonio Olivas.

Cast: Tom Archdeacon, Erin Moran, Robin Bain, Camden Toy, DeeDee Bigelow, Alana Curry, Jason Miller, Barry J. Ratcliffe, Ambre Lake, Larry Laverty, and John Di Costa.

Join The Perfect Serial Killer Facebook page for more upcoming info':

The Perfect Serial Killer at FB

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