Horror Short Bedfellows for Film Friday

Bedfellows is a horror short from director Drew Daywalt that puts people in bed with a ghoul. The film is produced by a conglomerate of horror film makers called Fewdio and every thirteen days there is a new horror short to see. Check out this first two minute clip and if you like what you see watch all the others at the Daywalt Fear Factory Youtube channel.

A short synopsis for a short film:

"Terror always follows the phone call in the middle of the night..." (Daywalt).

Release Date: Now.

Director: Drew Daywalt.

The two minute film here:



More of Daywalt's work can be found here. Have a look at Jack:

Fear Factory on Youtube

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The Furfangs Movie Clip

Another short comes this way for Film Friday and this time the clip is The Furfangs. This five minute short is very Critter-esque and shows director Andrea Ricca on the run from some furry space aliens. Ricca could use some coaching in facial gestures. Other than that, the film is a lot of fun, enjoy below.

The Furfang's synopsis"

"This short tells the story of mysterious and aggressive creatures who came from space" (Trailer).

Release: January 20, 2010.

Director/writer: Andrea Ricca.

Cast: Andrea Ricca, and the Furfangs.

The five minute clip here:



Sources:

The Furfangs on Trailer Addict

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Legion DVD/Blu-Ray Specs' Announced

Legion will move to DVD and Blu-Ray formats May 11th and this release have a total of four featurettes. The first, entitled "Creating the Apocalypse" will show the work involved in building physical effects, while "Humanity's Last Line of Defense" will highlight the cast and characters from the film. Not to be forgotten "From Pixels to Picture" will show how the hundreds of visual effects were created; "Bringing Angels to Earth" shall only be available on the Blu-Ray copy and involves a picture in picture feature. Also only on the Blu-Ray is BD-Live which allows viewers to connect with info' on the film e.g. music, triva via the push of a button. Both discs will be provided in Dolby Surround Sound and widescreen versions.

The synopsis for Legion here:

"At a remote desert truck stop, the fate of the world will be decided. Evil's armies are amassing. Armed and united by the Archangel Michael, a group of strangers become unwitting soldiers on the frontlines of the Apocalypse. Their mission: protect a waitress and her sacred unborn child from the relentless, bloody siege of the demonic legion" (Movieweb).

Release Date: May 11th.

Director: Scott Stewart.

Writers: Peter Schink, and Scott Stewart.

Cast: Paul Bettany, Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson, Arianne Palicki, Charles S. Dutton, Kevin Durand, Jon Tenney, Willa Holland, Kate Walsh, Dennis Quaid, and Jeanette Miller.



The full array of DVD extras:

-Creating the Apocalypse - Behind the Physical Effects
-Humanity's Last Line of Defense - The Cast and Characters
-From Pixels to Picture - A Look at the Visual Effects
-Bringing Angels to Earth: Picture-in-Picture (Blu-ray only)
-MovieIQ +sync and BD-Live connect you to real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie! (Blu-ray only)

Sources:

Legion at Movie Web

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Watch the Interactive Film Sufferosa Here Now

To continue the tradition of Film Fridays viewers will need to go online to view Dawid Marcinkowski's interactive film Sufferosa. The film is very versatile and allows viewers to see over a 110 scenes, three endings, and twenty locations. The controls take some time getting used to, however, after navigating a couple of the scenes you will be able to see some of the beautiful photography from the film.

In short, the film revolves around a cult of beauty and terrorists who hope to bring down "plastic surgery clinics all over the world" (Dawid). Have a look at some of the odd characters from this neo-noir film here and below.

The synopsis for Sufferosa here:

"This is a story of satire and a cult of beauty in the present-day world. In the movie you will meet a look alike of Jocelyn Wildenstein, Humphrey Bogart's next incarnation or Miranda Kommando. Here also, a terrorist group attacks plastic surgery clinics all over the world. The movie is also an homage to Jean Luc Godard's movie 'Alphaville'(1965, American film noir) and the French writer Vernon Sullivan" (Dawid).

Director/writer: Dawid Marcinkowski.

Cast: Beata Tyszkiewicz and Ryszard Ronczewski.

A few of the technical details:

- the movie comply time - scenes change every time they are viewed
- soundtrack to the movie includes artists such as Sonic Youth, Glass
Candy, Tarwater, Exploding Star Orchestra and many more
- costumes designed by top Polish fashion designers

Watch and choose the fate of the film here:

Watch/Create Sufferrosa Here

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Salvage Washes up on DVD Shelves July 6th

Salvage is a United Kingdom horror film that was first reported here for the film's participation at the Edinburgh Film Festival (2009). Since then the film has shown at Fantasticfest, Frightfest and many other film festivals. A review on the movie news site 24Frames has described Salvage as "tense and terrifying low budget horror" and "true horror" (24Frames). On this reviewer's top ten wish list for 2009, Salvage appears to be intelligent action based horror. Have a look at the DVD extras for this film that releases July 6th, 2010 (DVD artwork left).

The synopsis for Salvage here:

"Christmas Eve, and the residents of a quiet British cul-de-sac are suddenly plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia when a group of heavily armed military personnel storm their road ordering them at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes.

Unsure if this is the sign of a terrorist attack, or something much worse, one local mother finds it in herself to desperately fight to save her estranged daughter stranded across the street. However, with growing dread, the residents soon discover that the threat is more monstrous than any of them could possibly imagine, and survival is no longer a guarantee" (Salvage).

Release Date: July 6th, 2010 (DVD, Blu-Ray unannounced).

Director: Lawrence Gough.

Cast: Neve McIntosh, Linzey Cocker, Shaun Dooley, Paul Opacic, Shahid Ahmed, Dean Andrews, Sifuian Ashraf, Ben Batt, Trevor Hancock, Kevin Harvey, Paul Howell, and Ray Nicholas.

One of two trailers available for Salvage here:




The extras on the DVD:

-Behind-the-scenes ‘Making of’
-Cast and Crew Interviews
-Commentary from Director Lawrence Gough, writer Colin O’Donell, associate producer Alan Pattison and star Shaun Dooley

More details at the film's homepage:

Salvage's Webpage

Sources:

Salvage on Trailer Addict

Salvage Review at 24 Frames

Salvage's Second Trailer Here on 28DLA

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Vampegeddon and Lesbian College Students: A Pairing Made in Heaven or Hell?

This site has been humming and hawing about publishing an article on Vampegeddon, but today this reviewer has caved due to a slow news day here on 28DLA.com. So, this is a look at Jeffrey Alan Miller's first feature that puts the vampire leader Giovanni in the midst of some "lesbian college student[s]" for some sexploitation fun. With one of the cast named Sugar Cox and no rating you know your ending up in a place where the vampirettes are shirtless, but without seeing the film there is no way to promise this. Have a look at the sexy, the bizarre, the sensual, and the dubbed characters of Vampegeddon below.

A synopsis for the film courtesy of Midnight Releasing:

"Chased out of the old world, the dark vampire lord Giovanni flees to the American southwest where he sets up a new brood. Longshank, Brittan's premier vampire slayer follows him here, and in a final confrontation in the Arizona desert both are killed. A hundred years later Melissa, a gorgeous, goth, lesbian college student, is obsessed with becoming a vampire and escaping her terrible home life. Along with her four friends, Ted, Liz, Mona, and Kent, she regularly conducts ceremonies where she tries to commune with dark forces. When she buys an old, evil book at a creepy garage sale she finally has the key she has been searching for. Following her dreams of Giovanni and a map in the book the five friends hike out to 'Massacre Lane' and finally summon up some real vampires" (Midnight).

Release Date: May 4th.

Director: Jeffrey Alan Miller.

Writer: David C. Hayes.

Cast: Shane Dean, Jacqueline Smith, Sugar Cox, David C. Hayes, Brittany Madrid, Richard Anderson, Liana Hubbard, Crystal Sommer, Jimmy Flowers, David Staley, Katherine Von Forelle, Rick Dyer, Danny Marianino, Josh Bingenheimer, and Michael Alvarez.

Producers: Robert Guthrie and Aaron Neal Trout.

The trailer for Vampegeddon which is just barely not safe for work:





*Have a read of the synopsis where the vampire killer is named "Longshank," this is too funny to pass up.

More details on the film if you dare:

Vampegeddon Homepage

Sources:

Vampegeddon on Midnight Releasing (Distibutors)

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Cut the Strings on Your Puppet Master: Axis of Evil DVD June 15th

The Puppet Master series has spawned at least eight sequels with Puppet Master: Axis of Evil the latest. Filmed in China, this film will be releasing onto both DVD and Blu-Ray formats June 15th. This latest in the series puts characters into the "height of World War II" where Danny must use his "living deadly Puppets" to defend an American manufacturing plant (Trailer). The trailer below shows the various attack skills of the puppets and while the clip is mysteriously absent of characterized audio this preview will show you why miniature figurines can be something from nightmares. Expect to see more of these films as the Puppet Master series seems even more virulent than the similar Child's Play films.

A synopsis for Puppet Master: Axis of Evil here:

"In a stateside hotel during the height of World War II, young Danny Coogan dreams of joining the war effort. Following the murder of hotel guest Mr. Toulon by Nazi assassins, Danny finds the old man's crate of mysterious Puppets and is suddenly thrust into a battle all his own. He discovers that Nazis Max and Klaus, along with beautiful Japanese sabateur Ozu, plan to attack a secret American manufacturing plant. After his family is attacked and his girlfriend Beth is kidnapped, it is up to Danny and the living deadly Puppets to stop this Axis of Evil" (Trailer).

Release: June 15, 2010

Director/writer: David DeCoteau.

Cast: Levi Fiehler, Jenna Gallaher, Taylor M. Graham, Tom Sandoval, and Jerry Hoffman.

A muted down trailer for the film here:





Sources:

Puppet Master on Trailer Addict

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The Asylum Brings an Airline Disaster June 29th!

The Asylum is at it again and this time the title is Airline Disaster. In this film, the president of the United States is female and this head of state has just heard that her brother's airplane has been hijacked by terrorists (The Asylum). Who will she pick: her brother or the thousands of people living "in the cities below?" The film poster for this project is left and this site invites readers to visit The Asylum for several shots of the president and colleagues that are sometimes intentionally or unintentionally comedic.

The short synopsis for Airline Disaster here:

"When the President learns that domestic terrorists have skyjacked the passenger jet her brother is flying, she must choose between family and the safety of the people in the cities below" (The Asylum).

Release Date: June 29th.

Directed by: John J. Willis, III.

Writter: Paul Sinor and Victoria Dadi.

Produced by: David Michael Latt, David Rimawi, and Paul Bales.

Cinematographer: Alex Yellen.

Cast: Meredith Baxter, Scott Valentine, Lindsey McKeon, Sarah Lieving, Paton Ashbrook, Geoff Meed, Stephen Blackehart, Angela Landis, Amber Renee Jenkins, David Dustin Kenyon, Jonathan Nation, and William Morse.



*A trailer is unavailable. However, several photos from the picture can be seen here:

Airline Disaster Photos

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Black Death Rules the Land in 14th Century Europe

Here is a look back at a horrifying time in history. This is the 14th century where half of Europe was scoured with a deadly disease that originated in Central Asia. Over 450 million European inhabitants were killed and now Egoli Tossell Films, based in Germany, will take a second look at this deadly time along with horror fans. This first clip of the Black Death shows dozens of afflicted bodies and a world in chaos as Ulric (Sean Bean) attempts to find a cure to the plague. Have a glimpse at a very different world in this Christopher Smith (Severance, Triangle) production.

The synopsis for Black Death here:

"Plague-ridden medieval England: bodies lie scattered in their hundreds, the country is in turmoil. One hope remains, rumors of a village that is unaffected by the deadly disease. As God’s ambassador, young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) is tasked in leading the fearsome knight Ulrich (Sean Bean) and his group of mercenaries to the remote village. Their quest is to hunt down a necromancer - someone able to bring the dead back to life.

Their journey is treacherous and filled with danger; encountering deadly bandits and vicious witch-burnings that will put their faith to the ultimate test. Though it’s upon entering the village that their true horror begins" (Trailer).

Release: May 28, 2010 (UK theatrical).

Director: Christopher Smith.

Writer: Dario Poloni.

Cast: Sean Bean, Kimberley Nixon, Eddie Redmayne, Carice van Houten, David Warner, Andy Nyman, Tim McInnerny, John Lynch, Johnny Harris, Tygo Gernandt, David Masterson, and Marianne Graffam.

A fourteen and over trailer for Black Death here:



*No announced North American release date with no distributors confirmed. In other words, this film is a long way off from Canadian and American theatres.

Sources:

The Black Plague on Wikipedia

Egoli Films

Black Death on Trailer Addict

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New Lows in Cinema with this The Killer Inside Me Clip

The Killer Inside Me is a film from director Michael Winterbottom and writers John Curran, and Jim Thompson. This film played Sundance and Tribeca with Winterbottom covering a theme of sado-masochism. Jennifer Alba's character Joyce Lakeland is beaten brutally on camera until death and viewers will wonder why, or how is physically humiliating another entertaining? Yet, movie viewers will turn out in droves to see a young women dehumanized, devalued, and downtrodden abused for pleasure. What is lying in the psyche of those who watch this type of film? Scenes of physical brutality are not entertaining and their inclusion into a film without a purpose does not honour the viewer. IFC Films has already picked up this film for release on VOD and the depravity of the trailer below is sure to disgust and or shock (IFC). Several viewers at Sundance actually walked out on the picture and fans, after viewing the trailer below, can easily see why. There is no low Hollywood will not sink to in order to entertain audiences, all in the name of creativity without purpose.

In fact this site challenges director Michael Winterbottom or the writers John Curran and Jim Thompson to explain why the beating death of a young women is necessary to the film's development.

Release Date: 2010 (VOD).

Director: Michael Winterbottom.

Writers: John Curran, and Jim Thompson.

Cast: Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Ned Beatty, Elias Koteas, Tom Bower, Simon Baker, Bill Pullman, Brent Briscoe, Matthew Maher, Liam Aiken and Jay R. Ferguson.

A disturbing five minute trailer for The Killer Inside Me that comes with two warnings. First, as has already been stated, this clip shows scenes of brutal violence, humiliation, and murder. Second, the trailer gives the entire film's plot away and if you do intend to see the film this clip will likely ruin your enjoyment of the film (here goes):



Sources:

The Killer Inside Me Article on IFC FIlms

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A Big Sucker is on the Move in Michigan

Big Screen Entertainment is the company behind the feature Sucker which has the rumblings of a creature feature. The film seems to be in the sci-fi genre and principal photography is "taking place in Pontiac, Michigan" (Shock). Sucker involves "a deadly virus" that may or may not be turning people into giant blood-sucking mosquitoes (speculation). Two stills are provided here from the set of Sucker and those interested can have a look at the cast details below.

The synopsis for the film here:

"In the film, lovable loser Jim Crawley is having a pretty bad day. He gets fired from his job at the Nuclear Power Plant he's worked at for 11 years, his car gets impounded, and he discovers his wife is having an affair with his ex co-worker. To make matters worse, Jim gets abducted by an evil scientist who is conducting tests of a controversial vaccine against a deadly virus that is spreading across the planet" (Sucker).

Release Date: Unknown.

Director/writer: Michael Manasseri.

Cast: Danny Mooney, Monty Ban, Michael Manasseri, and Kimberley Kates.

Sources:

Sucker on Shock Till You Drop

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Jonah Hex Lights Up Some Villains in this First Trailer

Shock Till You Drop has shown the first trailer for Jonah Hex, which can be seen below. Hex and his family are assaulted and one man turns to the dusty trails in pursuit of Quentin Turnbull. The synopsis labels Turnbull a "terrorist," but this word seems so out of place in a western set action-thriller. Either way the synopsis and trailer are below.

A full synopsis for Jonah Hex:

"Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) is a scarred drifter and bounty hunter of last resort, a tough and stoic gunslinger who can track down anyone and anything. Having survived death, Jonah's violent history is steeped in myth and legend, and has left him with one foot in the natural world and one on the other side. His only human connection is with Leila (Megan Fox), whose life in a brothel has left her with scars of her own. But Jonah's past is about to catch up with him when the U.S. military makes him an offer he cannot refuse. In exchange for his freedom, from the warrants on his head, he must track down and stop the dangerous terrorist Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich). But Turnbull, who is gathering an army and preparing to unleash Hell, is also Jonah's oldest enemy and will stop at nothing until Jonah is dead (Warner Bros)."

Release Date: June 18, 2010.

Director: Jimmy Hayward.

Writers: Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.

Cast: Will Arnett, Michael Fassbender, Michael Shannon, David Patrick Kelly, Brandi Coleman, Aidan Quinn, Thomas Lennon, Seth Gabel, and David Jensen.

The first trailer for Jonah Hex here:

Sources:

Jonah Hex on Shock Till You Drop

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Harry Brown at the End of a Gun

Henry Brown is a UK shot film that puts actor Michael Caine in the role of a vigilante. Street youth are harassing residents and one man is murdered. Soon, Brown is on the hunt for his assailants and this "ex-serviceman" has experience in torture and combat, which he uses to bloody effect (IMDB). Have a look at an extended red band clip for Harry Brown, with several more movie clips also below. This film runs a limited release in major US cities April 30th.

A short synopsis for Harry Brown here:

"Set in modern day Britain, Harry Brown follows one man’s journey through a chaotic world where teenage violence runs rampant. As a modest, law abiding citizen, Brown lives alone. His only companion is his best friend Leonard. When Leonard is killed, Brown reaches his breaking point" (Harry).

Release: April 30, 2010.

Director: Daniel Barber.

Writer: Gary Young.

Cast: Emily Mortimer, Michael Caine, Iain Glen, Charlie Creed-Miles, David Bradley, Ian Glen, Sean Harris, Ben Drew, Jack O'Connell, and Jamal Downey.

The five minute clip here (need to be over nineteen):



A brilliant trailer for the film here:

Harry Brown North American Webpage

Several more clips on the film at Trailer Addict:

Harry Brown on Trailer Addict

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Psych: 9 Goes Behind-the-Cameras to Show New Scenes

Still no word on when Psych: 9 will be in North America, but the movie clips keep filtering out on the film. This time additional scenes can be seen in a behind the cameras look at Psych: 9. The clip starts off a little dark and moves to lighting quickly as director Andrew Shortell relates his experiences of filming this project. Have a look at the preparation that goes into the bloodbath scene, or creating haunting visions in mirrors. The nine minute clip is below.

The synopsis for Psych: 9 here:

"A young woman with a troubled past takes a job at a recently closed hospital to collate all the hardcopy patient records. Working alone in the building after dark, she experiences a series of unsettling events that lead her to believe the hospital may be connected to a number of recent murders in the area. To uncover the truth, she has to solve the mystery of her own disturbing past" (Psych 9).

Release Date: May 7th, 2010 (UK).

Director: Andrew Shortell.

Writer: Lawrence Robinson.

Cast: Sara Foster, Cary Elwes, and Michael Biehn.

The behind-the-scenes clip for Psych: 9 here:



The Psych:9 homepage:

Psysh: 9 Homepage

Sources:

Splice on Trailer Addict

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Creation Gone Amok in Splice

Splice is a film that was shot in Ontario, Canada and picked up for distribution by Warner Bros. in North America. The film will see screens June 4th and Adrien Brody with Sarah Polley star. Splice has a new take on biology where human DNA is used to create new organisms instead of studying the many we already have and sometimes mother nature does not like to be tampered with. This new animal can be seen in this new trailer inside.

The synopsis for Splice here:

"Clive and Elsa are young, brilliant and ambitious. The new animal species they engineered have made them rebel superstars of the scientific world. In secret, they introduce human DNA into the experiment. The result is something that is greater than the sum of its parts: a female animal-human hybrid that may be a step up on the evolutionary ladder. They think they may have created the perfect organisim, until she makes a final shocking metamorphosis that could destroy them ... and the rest of humanity" (Trailer).

Release: June 4, 2010.

Director/writer:: Vincenzo Natali.

Cast: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine Chaneac, Davod Hewlett, Abigail Chu, Stephanie Baird, Amanda Brugel, and Brandon McGibbon.

A feature trailer for Splice here:



More info' at the film's homepage:

Splice Homepage

Sources:

Splice on Trailer Addict

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The Commune and the '70s: A Movie Review

Director/writer: Elisabeth Fies.

The Commune is a film from director, writer and actress Elisabeth Fies that has played at several film festivals in 2009 with a showing in Los Angeles last month. The film has a retro' feel as the '70's take on clothing and home decoration graces the film. As well, some Greek tragedy elements are introduced including the blinding of one of the characters (Oedipus) and incest. Fies use of Greek mythology is welcomed, while the slow pacing in the first half of the film is not.

Chauntal Lewis plays Jenny Cross a sixteen year old teenager who is being shuttled between her divorced parents. While looking much older than sixteen, this character is taken to her father's commune where nudity is the norm and free love involves family members. On the topic of age, Fies as Jenny's mother, Cassie Cross, looks too young to be Jenny's mother. Back to the review, a disturbing theme of sexual abuse is developed by way of a slow burn.

For this viewer, the lack of some tension or conflict, apart from one quick early scene, takes away from the enjoyment of the film as excitement is forgoed for light character development. Character development is almost always a good thing, but when nothing energetic, or action oriented has happened for fourty minutes the attention wanes to boredom. Most of the tension that is developed is based on incest and while the plot line can be detected early, the intro' of some conflicted character interaction would have been a bonus.

The theme of sexual abuse is horrifying and the use of this topic is sometimes hard to enjoy especially when one is personally invested in the topic. As well, incest is not an unfamiliar topic in Greek tragedy where Oedipus slept with his own mother. Some would say he knew beforehand of her identity while others would say the opposite. The Commune's connection to Greek tragedy shows a grounding in mythology and this heightens the writing. Still this is a difficult theme to introduce into a horror film.

One element that is not clear early in the picture is the time frame. Director Fies states of the film as being "reintroduced as a 1970s thriller," so one might mistakenly expect the film to take place in the '70s (Commune). This is not the case and viewers will not be able to tune into the time period of the film with certainty until character Jenny is seen with her modern Ipod, or cell phone. This might create some confusion for viewers.

This reviewer personally likes Greek tragedy elements, however, these parts are shown early briefly and at the end - only. Greek tragedy is notorious for family infighting, patricide, matricide, cannabilism, jealous Gods, magic, and many other themes; yet, the Greek tragic elements are shown sparsely in The Commune. A little more intro' of these myths into the body of the film could have made the film more interesting. For others, the exclusion of these elements might be a blessing.

Technically everything falls into place with lighting on par, the directing is well done, while only missing some opportunities for interesting camera angles, and the dubbing is kept to a minimum. Nights shots are shown well lighted and Fies thankfully uses some outdoor shots with long and short camera angles. The acting comes off as a little amateurish early on, but the performances develop confidence later. The dubbing is only noticed while listening to the commentary tracks and set dressings make the movie seem like the '70s, which seems to be the film's goal. As well, the low budget that often hinders independent films does not affect the production values of The Commune.

The film does not suffer any continuity, or editing problems and only the theme of sexual abuse, or more specifically incest is likely to upset viewers. The film does end in the realm of a Greek tragedy and Fies an apparent light-hearted, good-natured, and uninhibited character celebrates nudity in one of her few scenes.

If a slow-burn horror film is to your liking then pick this one up at the film's website. On the other hand, if more conflict or tension are to your liking then your patience will be tested by The Commune in the first half of the picture. More details on the film are below.

Plot/story/believability: 7 out of (the Greek tragedy topics are great, the lack of conflicted character interaction is a deterant).
Setting/realism/importance to story: 6 out of 10 (looks like the '70s but takes place in the current year, this is a little confusing).
Editing/pacing/continuity: 6.5 out of 10 (there is some violence early to act as a hook, but the pacing for the next fourty minutes is overly slow - no continuity or editing errors).

Overall: 6.5 eye jabbing needles to the eyes out of 10 (ouch).

The Commune can be purchased at the film's website. More info' on the film is also here:

The Commmune Homepage

Fies has the "tofurky" ready for you at The Commune Facebook site:

The Commmune on Facebook

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Oaty Goodness Mixed with Blood in This The Oatmeal Man Trailer

And now from the WTF?? Files comes The Oatmeal Man. An independent film from Pulsar Films, The Oatmeal Man puts six friends face to face with high-fiber horror! Likely no one will survive this oaty goodness and if you think this is a spoof article watch the trailer below.

Tagline:

"Oates... The high-fiber killer! "

The synopsis for The Oatmeal Killer:

"6 best friends decide to make an impulse trip to Las Vegas in hopes of mending Santi and Annie's dying relationship. When Clive decides to stage a breakdown so Santi can "save the day", their truck "actually" breaks down in the middle of a long-ago forgotten ghost town. The eclectic group soon learns about the old legend of 'Harold Oates aka The Oatmeal Man' and find themselves in the middle of a blood thirsty killer's luring ground. Will the group make it through the night, or will they become a breakfast topping" (IMDB)?

Release Date: 2010.

Director: Sean Gordon.

Writer: Unknown.

Cast: Krisondra Daigneault, Sean Gordon, Moira Dennis, Nicole Kunz, John Karyus, Kaleo, Claude Foster, Salvador Perales, and Al Burke.

One of a couple of trailers for The Oatmeal Man here:



If you like a little oatmeal with your horror join the fan site here:

The Oatmeal Man on Facebook

Or visit the homepage for a high quality trailer:

The Oatmeal Man Homepage

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Disappearances, Yetis, and Gunplay in this The Weather Station Clip

The Weather Station is a Russion shot thriller that puts two detectives on the trail of a lost lost weather reporter (Quiet). Recently released in Russia (April 1), The Weather Station has not announced a North American release date; yet, how often does Russian film news even make the trip across the Bering Strait? Have a look at the trailer for picture inside that even introduces the legendary Yeti.

A synopsis for the film here:

"The Weather Station is a new psychological thriller from Russia about two detectives who are sent to a remote weather station to investigate the mysterious disappearance of an 18-year-old, two meteorologists and a seductive beauty and her rich husband. The secrets of their past merge with those of the weather station and they get sucked into a vortex of mistrust, betrayal and murder" (Quiet).

Release Date: Unknown.

Director: Johnny O'Reilly.

Writers: Aleksei Kolmogorov, and Johnny O'Reilly.

Cast: Aleksei Guskov, Sergey Garmash, Marina Aleksandrova, Anton Shagin, and Aleksey Makarov.

The trailer for The Weather Station here:



Sources:

The Weather Station on Quiet Earth

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The Disappeared Now at IFC Films

IFC Films has picked up Johnny Kevorkian's The Disappeared and Southern Gothic for their Video on Demand feature (Horror). Both films also move to DVD May 18th and The Disappeared is about one boy's loss of a younger brother. Matthew wonders if his brother is still alive after his disappearance from the local playground, but hauntings say otherwise. Have a second look at The Disappeared inside or order the film from the IFC Films VOD feature.

A partial synopsis for The Disappeared:

"Matthew’s life is devastated after the disappearance of his younger brother, Tom. Matthew’s father had left him to look after Tom and now Matthew feels responsible. His father is trying to hold back the anger and the blame but the cracks are beginning to show.

One day Matthew is looking through a box of press clippings and video tapes about Tom’s disappearance. Suddenly he hears a ghostly voice on one of the video tapes telling him “you never came for me!”. It’s the voice of his missing brother. He shows the tape to his father, Jake. This time there’s no voice and Jake flies into a rage as the wound is reopened" (The Disappeared).

Release Date: May 18th, 2010 (DVD, available now on IFC).

Director: Johnny Kevorkian.

Writers: Johnny Kevorkian, and Neil Murphy.

Cast: Harry Treadaway, Greg Wise, Alex Jennings and Tom Felton.

The second trailer for The Disappeared here:



Purchasable:



The film's website:

The Disappeared Homepage

Sources:

The Disappeared on IFC Films

The Disappeared at Horror Society

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The Ring Three in Negotiations for Cast and Crew

Fearnet is announcing that the Ring 3 will be in 3D with a launch date scheduled for 2011 (Fearnet). This third film will be a prequel and show Samara locked in a "psychotic unit" where her murderous revenge is plotted (IMDB). Cast and crew negotiations are ongoing, but news site IMDB is reporting that director Hideo Nakata (The Ring 2) will be returning for this sequel. See the full story from Fearnet inside.

Tagline:

"You stop living the moment you want to die" (IMDB).

A synopsis from IMDB:

"Set 30 years before the original, The Ring Three sees a young Samara Morgan cast away to a psychotic unit, thrust away from normality. Mentally unstable and in-animate, Samra vows to get revenge on her tormentors before she is tragically killed and dispersed down a well, however, unbeknown to her twisted parents and local pretty-girl Mary-Elizabeth Winstead, a curse is about to be born, a curse which will later claim many lives, as the vengeful spirit of Samara is born" (IMDB).

Release Date: 2011.

Director: Hideo Nakata.

Writer: David Loucka.

Producers: Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald (possible).

Sources:

The Ring Three Article on Fearnet

The Ring Three at IMDB

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A Rogue Terrorist Unleashes Nuclear Horrors in Unthinkable

This sounds like a worst cast scenario; a madman has planted three nuclear weapons in hidden locations throughout the United States and they are about to go off (Trailer). FBI agents must coerce, manipulate, or torture Younger, a man with murderous motives, to find out exactly where these dirty bombs are. This one sounds thrilling, or suspenseful and Unthinkable stars Samuel L. Jackson, Carrie-Anne Moss and Michael Sheen. A promo clip for the film is below.

A synopsis for Unthinkable below:

"Somewhere in the United States, three nuclear weapons are about to detonate. Younger (Sheen) has hidden the devices and the authorities led by FBI agent Brody (Moss) with the help of "H" (Jackson), an interrogation specialist, must find them before time runs out. How far will they go to get the information they need and will they do the unthinkable" (Trailer)?

Release: June 15th, 2010 (DVD, Blu-Ray).

Director: Gregor Jordan.

Writer: Peter Woodward.

Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Michael Sheen

A trailer for Unthinkable here:





Sources:

Unthinkable at Trailer Addict

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The Weathered Underground and Interaction: A Movie Review

Director/writer: David N. Donihue.

2010 saw the release of The Weathered Underground via Indican Pictures and writer David Donihue has accomplished something unique by incorporating choices for the viewer in to the film. The film offers thirty different endings with a 100 different choices. How the film progresses is up to the watcher and the movie is really several movies rolled in to one. The Weathered Underground is a good film for group settings as each choice usually unravels some comedic elements.

The film follows Eric (Michael Ciriaco), after a recent break-up, and this pizza delivery boy/man enters many different scenarios in the greater Los Angeles area. From meth labs to domestic disputes, Eric sees a lot of action. How Eric finesses his way through the LA nightlife, or work environment is completely up to the viewer. This reviewer almost guarantees that you lose your job, though.

The Weathered Underground is a good film for groups because different people will choose different routes and likely the multiple choices in the film will create disagreements. This is part of the appeal of the film. Also, the film has replayability with several diverse endings creating a slight addictive quality. This is a hard film to put down even after many of the endings have been played out.

The film is really an enjoyable times for the comedic writing and for the three hundred plus minutes of footage. This is a big film and viewers will have to watch many different endings to see how Eric fares in The Weathered Underground. Have a watch of this film if you are having a movie nite with friends to enhance the experience.

Plot/story/subject material: 8 out of 10.
Characters/believability/interacton: 6.5 (one review mentioned the moral bankruptness of the characters and this might be slightly correct e.g. heavy drug use).
Setting/realism/importance: 7.5 out of 10 (looks like LA on shrooms).

Overall: 7.15 out of 10.



*Expect to see more of these choose-your-own adventure type films.

The Weathered Underground at Indican:

Weathered Underground Indican Pictures

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A Light in the Darkness and Cryptic Messages: A Movie Review

Director/writer: Marshall E. Uzzle.

Bearsmouth Entertainment is the production company behind the 2003 dramatic thriller A Light in the Darkness. Released by Indican Pictures, the film tells a tale of ancient indigenous burial grounds, gambling debt and a mother complex that could put Norman Bates to shame (Psycho). This is an independent film with a message, but the delivery of the message can and does create confusion in this viewer until the last ten minutes of the film.

Taylor Melnick (Matt Terzian) is a man recently released from the mental hospital where the medical professionals describe Melnick as a "fruitcake" (Light). The constant cuckooing of the cuckoo clock will also fill viewers in to Melnick's schizophrenic condition. Despite these obstacles to sanity, Melnick investigates and correctly identifies the location of an ancient native burial site, which must be hidden in order to keep Melnick's Uncle Stanley (Geoffrey Lewis) out of the grave. Gambling debts lead to much dishonesty and the film's message is convoluted, or tragic with the only semi-likeable character, Melnick, succumbing to greedy, even murderous real estate investors.

What is the message of A Light in the Darkness? This review will try to convince you that the film is attempting to convince readers that the world is tough and full of corrupt individuals. This is a lesson that many relearn daily, but why focus on such discouraging subject matter when one of the goals of film is to entertain? This is a question that can only be answered by director and writer Marshall E. Uzzle, whose filmmaking career took a huge pause between 2002 to 2010. The hopeless feel of the film makes A Light in the Darkness only slightly recommendable, with other failings making themselves know throughout.

The two female characters, Mrs. Melnick (Karen Black) and Kira Hansen (Troy Beyer) are almost completely detestable as one tortures and humiliates her son, while the other drinks herself into a coma. One question that will pop up early is why is the character Kira in this film at all? Possibly as a sounding board for Taylor Melnick's unconscious mother complex, Taylor gets involved with this damaged individual to act out some mother issues to little or no avail.

A Light in the Darkness is only just barely recommendable because the film attempts to deliver a message, but adding a message on the difficulties of life is barely entertaining. However, here is a message to director Muzzle: please make your statement clearer in future films, early. Also, add in more than one likeable character as watching a destitute gambler, promiscuous alcoholic, and shady businessmen, without comedy, begins to wear on the soul after ninety minutes. In conclusion, A Light in the Darkness could use a little more illumination (happiness) in order to make the film more enjoyable to viewers.

Story/plot/believability/delivery: 5 out of 10 (more action needs to take place in the first thirty minutes to hold the attention).
Characters/action/interaction: 5.5 out of 10 (these characters have more issues than a large group of AA members).
Social message/philosophical message: 6 out of 10 (a good attempt but intro' the message earlier so viewers can understand where the film is going).

Overall: 5.5 out of 10.



More details on the film at the Indican film library:

A Light in the Darkness at Indican Pictures

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The UK's Dead Gone Buried for 2011

A few details are coming out for the United Kingdom based horror feature Dead Gone Buried. The first poster is left and the synopsis talks of a gravedigger, a vicious gang, and the disappearance of a local gypsy. The film will release in 2011 in the United Kingdom first before a release date for North America is announced. The synopsis is below along with the confirmed cast and crew.

The synopsis for Dead Gone Buried here:

"When a gravedigger buries a bag of stolen goods for a vicious gang, his world is turned upside down when the stolen bag goes missing. Joe's only clue is a photo he took of the hiding place, which reveals a ghostly witness who may or may not be Joe's lost son. But his search for the truth links him to the disappearance of a local gypsy and Joe soon faces danger from his vengeful tribe as well as the gang. The only person who can help is someone he cannot trust, a local hermit who holds the key to the origin of the ghost.

Continues...

Events unfold to a terrifying climax as Joe uncovers the truth behind his missing son, an event that threatens his sanity and raises important questions, not just about the nature of ghosts, but about reality itself" (Bloody).

Release Date: 2011.

Director: Matthew Thompson

Cast: Christine Alderson, Miranda Robinson

Sources:

Dead Gone Buried at Bloody Disgusting

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