28 Days Later Analysis

The Case of the Missing Garden Gnome and Comedic Subtlety: A Short Film Review

2012-02-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

*full disclosure: a screener was provided by director Alberto Belli.

Director: Alberto Belli.

Writer: Joe Swanson.

Cast: Rob Benedict, Marti Kass and Holly Fulger.

Noir is not just about black and white, desolation and the modern detective novel. Quite often, these films are about the isolation the weary P.I. faces and his outlook on life is often bleak. Sometimes, this individual simply needs a little spice in his life, or his funny bone tickled.

In The Case of the Missing Garden Gnome (CMGG), this genre gets a stylish update. It’s like watching an episode of "Magnum P.I." near the end of its run, when the production team and cast decided that they should have fun with conventions. Here, this short film project is a light-hearted look at the life of Seamus Biggs (Rob Benedict), a gumshoe looking for a case that will make his career. He has the choice of either a missing person or a garden gnome.

But only the gnome knows where both have gone. This fairy’s silent accord is to watch over gardens like a relentless soldier. But when Tim the Gnome goes missing in Francine’s (Holly Fulger) garden, Seamus is hot on the case, and cold on the fact he has to babysit his daughter, Jill (Marti Kass).

True to the noir genre, he prefers to work alone. And even more so true to the neo-noir style is the colour palette and set décor. Belli nicely creates a 50’s era vibe. But it also gets modern when there are tell tale signs of a computer and a newspaper bearing the date of 2010. The mixing of these two distinct eras is very intentional and smartly executed. This unique product hails to what this film’s producers know about the culture of the cold war era. And some of those social and racial sentimentalities are reflected by what the Gnome Liberation Front represent. Thankfully, the movie does not hammer audiences with ideology.

Instead, this film is more comedic and satirical in its delivery. The humor is sweetly offbeat in the situations Biggs gets himself into. Benedict shows off his comedic timing, and that has been a talent he’s honed since playing the character of Chuck Shurley, the novelist prophet, in CW’s "Supernatural."

Fulger, better known for her role as Robin Dulitski in ABC’s "Anything But Love," makes for a very intriguing femme fetale, but to say how she figures into the neo-noir semantics will be too telling. Even Kass, a newcomer, has an untapped potential that will only improve with more work.

For Belli, he has a undeniable talent for creating understated humour. Part of the style comes in his execution of the visual gags. The credit also goes to video editors Robert Hill and Chris Witt. Even writer Joe Swanson provides some cleaver scripting which makes Seamus a sentimental hero at the end.

With most of the original production team from “Zombo, the Musical” back to create CMGG, any rough spots they had in that previous workflow are smoothed out here. They are a very well oiled team that can stand to do more interesting products down the road. Hopefully that will include feature length films.

Overall: 8 out of 10.

The film's official webpage is here:

The Gnome Homepage

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The Returned Run Out of Protein Shakes and Go on a Rampage!

2012-02-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

In case you have not had your fill of putrid flesh, the zombie madness continues with Manuel Carballo (Exorcismus) and Filmax International's The Returned bringing terror. This film is in early stages and filming will take place in Spain. The story seems to be lost in translation; however, an infection turns some into a zombie-ish state. They require protein treatments, but what happens when the protein shakes run out? Anti-returned protesters, those against the infected, turn riot and soon characters are in jeopardy. Enjoy the first poster for the film here, with the full synopsis available at the Film Int. website.

Tagline: "They're neither zombie, nor humans."

Release Date: 2012.

Director: Manuel Carballo.

Writer: Hatem Khraiche Ruiz-Zorrilla.

Producer: Julio Fernandez.

*cast coming soon.

**a Spanish language film.

Source:

The Returned at Filmax Int.

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The Dead Inside Puts the Military into Action: A Preview

2012-02-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Dead Inside is the latest zombie thriller to come this way via Britain. In this indie picture a zombie apocalypse puts friends on the run and the military into high gear. Safety is found behind thick wire and this film is close to completion as director Andrew Gilbert finishes post-production. Expect the zombies to loom large and on the horizon later this year. The film's trailer is available below.

Release Date: 2012.

Director: Andrew Gilbert.

Writers: Andrew Gilbert and Julian Hundy.

Producers: Andrew Gilbert, Julian Hundy, Jimmy Mann and Jamie Meekins.

Cast: Luke Hobson, Nicky Paul Barton, Roger Fowler, Samuel Hogarth, David Wayman, James Harrison, Simon Mathews, Elizabeth Quinn, Abby Simpson, Simon Nader, James Callàs Ball, and Stuart J. Prowse,

The trailer for the film is here:

Join the film's fan page here:

The Dead Inside on Facebook

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A Little Bit Zombie and An Instant Cult Classic: A Movie Review and Preview

2012-02-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

*full disclosure: a screener of this film was provided by Casey Walker.

Director: Casey Walker.

Writers: Trevor Martin and Christopher Bond.

Cast: Kristopher Turner, Kristen Hager, Crystal Lowe, Shawn Roberts, and Stephen McHattie.

First-time director Casey Walker may very well have a cult classic on his hands. With plenty of experience in the television front, and lots of training with his film making friends, he shows that he has the talent to work in the big leagues.

A Little Bit Zombie will make its world debut at the Victoria Film Festival on February 4th. This movie is a smart rom-com. It cleverly adds to the mythos of what the walking dead can represent on screen. And this motion picture can easily rank up there with other Canadian zombie products like Fido and Pontypool.

Viewers may remember Stephen McHattie from the latter product, and he shows that he is no stranger to the genre as a Mad Max-inspired zombie hunter. At least this actor’s experience makes for some highly inspired motivations, but this film is not just about him.

Instead, its focused on Steve (Kristopher Turner), a human resource manager who sees problems between his sister, Sarah (Kristen Hager), and wife-to-be, Tina (Crystal Lowe). By taking them and his best friend Craig (Shawn Roberts), to a cabin in the woods, they’re going to encounter more than just one crazed hunter.

One night, during his little bachelor-style party, a zombie mosquito bites Steve. Just how he deals with a sudden infection is both hilarious and tragic at the same time. They seemingly reveal his troubled feelings about bridezilla. Also, Craig shows that he’s not so kind when some of the antics he pulls on Steve are painful. The zaniness makes for some chortle-worthy physical comedy.

Also, this film nicely examines how close some people can become, and how far apart others can act when it comes to understanding diversity. With the subplot of Max hunting for zombies, both him and his Wilma Denky (Scooby Doo) inspired protégé, Penelope (Emilie Ullerup) are also at odds over finding a zombie cure or just wiping them out for good.

And with six characters to deal with, Walker shows that he can manage a complex film. He also finds time to let some hilarious supporting cameos have some fun. George Buza is stellar as Captain Cleatus, a butcher who has his own penchant for brains. Long time television viewers will remember him from Maniac Mansion. World Wrestling Entertainment fans will recognize Robert Maillet. He was last remembered for knocking out Robert Downey Jr. in the movie, Sherlock Holmes.

And for a film that has been influenced by many other pop culture products, many distinct flavours can be tasted on screen. The comedy has the zest of an early Robert Zemeckis product and the flow of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy. If that is not enough, there are plenty of other in-jokes to make any zombie fan wanting to make a drinking game out of this movie … Mmm, brains!

Even the nastiness that Tina and Sarah has for each other may have some viewers think about Death Becomes Her, where the unfortunate Earnest has to figure out how to please both women. Writers Christopher Bond and Trevor Martin certainly know their material. With Bond being co-creator/writer of Evil Dead: The Musical, that should come to no surprise. The pop culture references are a dime-a-dozen in both products.

With this kind of dream team behind Walker, this film will show that even though one may be a little bit zombified, they can love too. This angle does not often get explored, and rom-zom-com’s may well be the new word for a subgenre to be reckoned with. Brains are hardly the appropriate instrument the undead want to strum their sinewy twine to.

Overall: 8.5 Out of 10 (great character development, plenty of homages to sate a pop culture enthusiast and a balanced story to feature an all-star cast)

The film's fan page is here:

A Little Bit Zombie on Facebook

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The Cloth Promises a Demonic Apocalypse - Will it Deliver the Evil Goods?

2012-02-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

The Catholic Church is continuing to fight the good fight as the Devil's general, Kasdeya, descends to Earth. Possessions increase and the poster for The Cloth reminds horror fans that demons do not need heads to deliver evil. The film has recently signed multiple distribution deals, so The Cloth is likely to release in 2012. Currently, the film is in post-production and the film is expected to complete soon. Peek at the casting details with Danny Trejo and Eric Roberts attached.

Completion Year: 2012.

Director: Justin Price.

Cast: Eric Roberts, Danny Trejo, Kyler Willett, and Rachel Brooke Smith.

Source:

The Cloth at the Film Catalogue

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Patient Zero is Brian T. Jaynes' Latest Infectious Thriller: Early Photo

2012-02-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

A few early details are coming in on Patient Zero, a science fiction thriller. This is the latest picture to be produced by director Brian T. Jaynes who is known for his creature feature Boggy Creek and his undead thriller Humans Versus Zombies. Now, he continues to deal in biological warfare as a mutated virus escapes a research lab. The scientists are infected and fans of indie pics' can have a look at the early poster for Patient Zero with an early movie still hosted below. Get set for crawling hands, infection and more zombies?

Release Date: Q3 2012.

Director/writer: Brian T. Jaynes.

Producers: Bruce Kahn, Niko Foster, Kerri Navarro and Brian T. Jaynes.

Cast: Amanda Phillips, Brandon Slagle, Natalie Wilemon, Jackey Hall, Frederic Doss, Carl Savering and Van Quattro.

Visit the film's fan page to see more movie stills:

Patient Zero on Facebook

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Sundance 2012 Brings Distribution for a New Series of Horror Films

2012-02-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

The Sundance Film Festival had been busy with a handful a horror and thriller styled movies on its schedule to sate audiences in Utah. According to reports from Beyond Hollywood, some played to packed audiences and they were very quick to be snatched up by studios for nation-wide, if not world, distribution.

This list includes V/H/S, The Pact, and Red Lights. Magnolia Pictures IFC, and Millennium Entertainment respectively picked up the rights. The first film (V/H/S) will be available through Magnolia's Ultra VOD program and later receive a theatrical release. The Pact will receive similar treatment, and Red Lights will get a full theatrical treatment.

Suspiciously missing in the list is Grabbers, a well received horror comedy about aliens invading the Emerald Island and dealing with the rebel rousing drunkenness that the people of Ireland are well known for. Now word has been made, at time of press, about its distribution potential.

The films that received a mixed response from other critics include, Room 237*, an experimental documentary-style essay that explores the hidden meaning about Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining; Comforting Skin, a film about a young woman’s desperate need for companionship that becomes surreal through her tattoo, and Black Rock, a tale of survival between three childhood friends while on a remote island.

How they stand will depend on the final tally after Sundance is over.

Plot summaries are as follows:

V/H/S

"When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for" (IMDB).

The Pact

"As a woman struggles to come to grips with her past in the wake of her mother's death, an unsettling presence emerges in her childhood home."

Red Lights

"Psychologist Margaret Matheson and her assistant study paranormal activity, which leads them to investigate a world-renowned psychic."

Source:

IFC Midnight Snags The Pact at Beyond Hollywood

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Nightbeasts Secures Distribution for Foreign Markets Through Wonderphil Productions

2012-01-31T08:00:00.000-08:00

The last time 28DLA had heard from Nightbeasts the film had won "Best in Genre (Horror)" at the Midnight Black Festival of Darkness. The good news continues as Wes Sullivan has recently announced that his film has received foreign distribution through Wonderphil Productions. Those lucky enough to live in Europe and other territories will be able to view the film in a limited theatrical run followed by multiple secondary releases on home video, video-on-demand and television. Those located domestically or in North America will have to wait just a little longer as the film is currently in negotiations with multiple partners for a showing in Canada and the United States.

Those unfamiliar with the story should have a look at the trailer for Nightbeasts below. In the clip, a father and son find something large and looming in darkness on a camping trip. A native legend talks of seven foot monsters roaming the woods and Nightbeasts captures a lot of what a creature feature should highlight: mystery, thrills and a deeper message. Enjoy the reel below and expect a specific release date to come shortly for both domestic and international territories.

Release Date: 2012 (likely).

Director/writer: Wes Sullivan.

Cast: Zach Galligan, Robert Miano, Chad Trager, and Holly Wilson.

The trailer for Nightbeasts is here:

Visit the Nightbeasts' homepage here:

Nightbeasts' Official Website

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Dead Shadows Gets International Attention: New Trailer

2012-01-31T04:00:00.000-08:00

Director: David Cholewa.

Writer: Jule Vincent.

Cast: Fabian Wolfrom, Blandine Marmigère, John Fallon and Rurik Sallé.

The internet is abuzz with news about Dead Shadows, a French produced B-styled movie about Chris (Wolfrom Fabian), a lad whose parents were killed the last time Halley’s Comet passed through the solar system. That was 11 years ago. But on the night a new comet appears, this young man may have to relive uncomfortable memories when the people around him start to mutate and the military arrives to try and contain the situation.

Quiet Earth is suggesting that this film may contain some Lovecraftian tones. The idea of cosmic horror and the way the humans are mutating, tentacles and all, is not necessarily a characteristic of this seminal author’s style. It may be Japanese; this culture’s cinematic obsession with tentacles and sex is well known but that is not the direction this movie is going. The trailer suggests Delta Green meets Iczer One. The military task force is based on an idea created by Adam Scott Glancy, Dennis Detwiller, and John Tynes of Pagan Publishing, a company that specializes in role playing games. Iczer One is a classic anime with many Cthulhu inspired motifs, but most of it was due to inaccurate translation.

The teaser trailer has plenty of material for the curious to interpret. Early reports have unveiled a German distributor and a possible VoD release via Netflix. The movie is suggested to arrive in late 2012.

The trailer for Dead Shadows is here:

Sources:

Dead Shadows at Quiet Earth

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Take Shelter and A Film's True Meaning: A Movie Review

2012-01-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

*here be major spoilers.

Director/writer: Jeff Nichols.

If you have not seen this film, then wait to read this review. This reviewer is going to take a stab at explaining the film's ending. As backstory, Take Shelter received a limited theatrical run and now the film is moving to DVD and Blu-Ray February 14th. The film stars Michael Shannon as Curtis a man who sees apocalyptic visions in the skies and in his dreams. Even the first scene shows a man's face with an exploding head. What could that mean?

Curtis is your average family man: a blue collar worker, a brother, a father and a husband. However, he is extraordinary in his ability to see powerful visions. What he sees is an assortment of violent characters, bad omens, storms and the world going to hell. Curtis is also a man with a history of schizophrenia in his family. His mom was diagnosed with this mental illness in her 30s. Now, Curtis is thirty-five and all of the chips stack up to say that the protagonist is also developing paranoid schizophrenia. The ending says something completely different.

Early impressions of this film involve dread. David Wingo's score amplifies the tension and the music pairs with the film's tone; something this way comes. There are a number of scenes involving CGI, so fans of more practical effects might not enjoy this element. As well, the pacing is slow early, but once the nightmares begin there is steady build of tension right into the final scenes. This is a powerful film and thriller or drama fans should take notice. Only the ending leaves one with a little disappointment.

Centrally, Take Shelter is a film about coping with mental illness. This reviewer is enjoying this new approach to the subject of mental illness. Jeff Nichols, with his script, portrays a man devolving. Curtis loses his job because of his strange behaviour, including building a large storm shelter in his back yard. He gives his dog away and when he awakens his wife with seizures, you know something is wrong. Yet, Nichols takes the story one step too far and the only thing more annoying than the film's final set-up is the reading of how many critic's predicted this final scene. Oil begins raining from the sky and several funnels develop over the water. Curtis' predictions have come true and the film shifts from covering and coping with mental illness to something a little more short sighted. Perhaps Nichols is warning viewers of another looming apocalypse and the falling oil should signal where the end will begin. There is a looming environmental catastrophe on the horizon as Nichols would have you believe.

Outside of the final scene, this is an excellent film that covers the little tragedies that can befall a family whether the cause is emotional, physical or otherwise. Expertly written, Take Shelter keeps you watching until the tension filled ending. All other film elements from music to acting are also superbly done and this reviewer suggests that you pick up a copy of this film on Valentine's Day. And just see this film for what it is: a straight forward look at schizophrenia and its impact on family. Relating the film to a global apocalypse is not supported by much of the film and its inclusion is more of an attempt to unsettle the viewer and their feeling of safety, which is a similar feeling experienced by Curtis with his eerie visions. Don't miss this film!

Overall: 8 out of 10 (great writing, compelling, complex, layered, emotive, and very dramatic).

*can you see the exploding mind in the movie still? It is along the bottom border of the picture, but hard to see.

**actor Michael Shannon also recently starred in My Son, My Son What Have Ye Done? This was a film that also dealt with a man with mental illness.

Another review of this film at Variety (Justin Chang):

Take Shelter at Variety

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Indie Horror Alert: The Prospector's Curse to Bring Terror and Death in 2012!

2012-01-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

Just a few details are developing on The Prospector's Curse. The first poster for the film is here and the film's story involves a dying prospector, burial rites and a haunting. When two criminals renege on their oath to bury a dying miner his ghost returns for vengeance! Expect this film to release in 2012 with some early details and a fan page below.

Release Date: May 2012.

Director/writer: Josh Heisie.

Producers: Bruno Marino, Teodora Ilie, and Anam Abbas.

Cast: Dave Roberts, Johnny Quinn, Robert Nolan, and Amanda Ives.

The Prospector's Curse on Facebook:

The Prospector's Curse on FB

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Apartment 1303 3D Brings a Curse from Japan to North America: Preview

2012-01-28T04:00:00.001-08:00

The latest poster for Apartment 1303 3D has been available for awhile now, but this is the first time info' on this horror title has passed along the newswire. Apartment 1303 is a remake of a 2007 film from director Ataru Oikawa. Both versions of the film deal with a cursed apartment that leads many occupants to suicide over and over again. The curse cannot be broken. In the North American version, filmed in Montréal, Québec, the cast is made up of Mischa Barton (Homecoming) and Rebecca De Mornay (Mother's Day). Expect De Mornay to play the mother and Barton will play the older sister who has just lost her sibling to suicide. This film is in post-production and fans of the Japanese style of filmmaking might find something that draws them nearer in this latest title. More cast and crew details for Apartment 1303 3D are inside.

Writers: Jim Steele (screenplay), and Michele Taverna.

Cast: Mischa Barton, Rebecca De Mornay, Julianne Michelle, Corey Sevier and John Diehl.

Apartment 1303 3D at Monte Cristo Int.

Apartment 1303 at Monte Cristo Int.

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SyFy's Weather Wars and The End of It All: A Movie Review

2012-01-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

*here be spoilers.

Director: Todor Chapkanov.

Writer: Paul A. Birkett.

Cast: Jason London, Wes Brown, Erin Cahill and Stacy Keach.

With a title like Weather Wars, some viewers may think that the Gods of Olympus are feuding. Although David Grange (Jason London, Dazed and Confused) has issues with his brother Jacob (Wes Brown, We Are Marshall), these two forge an uneasy truce so they can deal with father dearest, Marcus (Stacy Keach). Dad has gone off the deep end. Ever since he showed favouritism towards David and left his boys to fend for themselves, he immersed himself in his work.

His inventions look like they are taken from what famous inventor Nicolas Tesla wanted to create; both had ideas in how to manipulate atmospheric ions so it could control the weather. Although Marcus was not able to build the HAARP array, his inventions are smaller and far more sinister. They could be subverted to become weapons of mass destruction. That was his plan.

But ever since his funding got cut, Grange Sr. has harboured a grudge towards the military, namely Senator Aldrich (Lance E. Nichols). To show the world what these 'weapons could do, the mad scientst does what any insane person woulld do: to turn Washington, D.C. into a combat zone. The carnage is delivered quite well, and this movie does a better job at budget made special effects than any other SyFy product.

After all, for world annihilation type films, who doesn’t want to see Washington, D.C. get taken down first?

At the same time, the two brothers are acting like they are back at school. The subplot of Jacob yearning for his father's acceptance sadly gets lost in the tempests going on, and when some movement happens in the plot, the steps taken are very short. Sadly, the scripting comes through as very uneven. It has a scene defining moment that is ripped off from a particular science fiction movie involving a father and son, which only diminishes this product. But for those looking for a subtext, that moment takes a turn for the worse, and it leads in to the other subplot.

The Grange boys are interested in Samantha, (Erin Cahill, "Saving Grace") the romantic lead. While that does not get fully explored, the hints of where the movie could go — if it gets a sequel — is a tale that not even George Lucas would explore. The strife is very evident in how Brown plays the part. Both Keach and Brown deliver the better performances in the road they have decided to travel.

Sometimes being evil is just fun, and Keach certainly was enjoying himself in this film.

But as with most SyFy products, many of the movies aired are just one-offs instead of a series of action-adventure trilogies that other networks used to produce, like TNT’s "The Librarian."

Overall: 6 out of 10.

Weather Wars at Active Entertainment:

Weather Wars at Active Ent.

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Exorcismus: The Possession of Emma Evans and Facing Your Demons: A Movie Review

2012-01-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

*here be spoilers.

Director: Manuel Carballo.

Writer: David Muñoz (screenplay).

Cast: Sophie Vavasseur, Stephen Billington and Richard Felix.

Emma Hawkins (Sophie Vavasseur) seems to be the typical everyday teenage girl living outside of London proper. She has her atypical problems and obvious life struggles with her parents. But when audiences have the foreknowledge of knowing where Exorcismus is going, any shock value is going to be rendered moot.

Although there are no scares to be found, the real fright is in seeing how this young lady deal with life lessons and responsibilities she tends to avoid. After she has a row with mom over not being able to go to London for a rock concert, what she does next seems visceral. She cuts her hand to alleviate the anguish.

That action is also an invitation for the devil to come knocking. He does and Emma has an epileptic seizure. Emma has no one to talk to, except her uncle, Christopher Taylor (Stephen Billington), a priest. At least she can talk to him with some relative comfort in knowing he can forgive. But Taylor is not without his own problems. He’s been suspended because he performed an exorcism that resulted in a teenage girl’s death.

Emma does not seem to care. She believes she’s possessed and wants his help. At least Taylor has the sense to say he needs the parent’s permission even though he does not go to the Bishop for a formal blessing. The act has to be done in secret, a recent trend in exorcism films, and that is just cause for his run-in with the devil as well.

And when most of the characters do not understand the reasons behind what causes the devil inside to manifest, at least the religious context is not being bashed over anyone's head. This movie is one that does not try to explore dogma. Mom wants medical answers instead of spiritual mumbo jumbo. Thankfully any discourse is quick and the film returns to exploring the emotional rollercoaster ride that Emma has to face as people start die around her.

Vavasseur does a very good job at expressing feelings of guilt. She has a beautiful punky style and tough-as-nails attitude in her performance. And when required, the grief she expresses creates some sympathy for this devil-in-disguise.

For most of Emma's life up until now, her parents tried to set up everything so that she will be grateful when she turns adult. But when she gets possessed, she's hardly in a position to be thanking anybody. This film is great in showing that she has to learn about the consequences of her actions, and when she reveals all, the onus is on her accepting the fact that she has to tame the Mr. Hyde in her. This movie is beautiful because the devil is hardly the cause of her problems. He is merely the navigator.

And this film reaches that cameo that everyone has been waiting for. Father Ennis (Doug Bradley) makes his appearance to help wrap up the story.

With relatively solid performances throughout, the character-driven plot helps make for one of the better possession related scenarios to be put to film. Instead of dealing with real demons, the tale is more about dealing with adulthood and the responsibilities that come with it.

Next time, Emma should be very careful in what to wish for.

Overall: 7 out of 10.

The film's homepage is here (Spanish):

Exorcismus' Homepage

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MS One: Maximum Security aka Lock-Out Brings the Prison Riot April 20th

2012-01-27T04:00:00.000-08:00

At last a film to look forward to seeing in theatres, MS One: Maximum Security. Also called the simpler Lock-Out, this film stars Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace and Peter Stormare in a sci-fi thriller taking place outside of the Earth's stratosphere. Here, in space, a prison turns from the inescapable to a place of torture with the president's daughter (Grace) held hostage. A man (Pearce) is sent after her and he is motivated by clemency after being charged with espionage. Can he get her free before the prison tumbles out of orbit? Have a look at the trailer for Lock-Out below and get set to find your theatre seat April 20th!

Release Date: April 20th (Theatrical).

Directors: James Mather, and Stephen St. Leger.

Writers: Luc Besson, and James Mather.

Cast: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace, Peter Stormare, Joseph Gilgun, Lennie James, Vincent Regan, Jacky Ido, Tim Plester, Anne-Solenne Hatte, Yan Dron, Bojan Peric, Nick Hardin, Marko Janjic, and Charlie Kranz.

The trailer for Lock-Out is here:

*budgeted at $20 million plus.

**available in high definition here (trailer):

Lock-Out Trailer at Youtube

Source:

Lock-Out at Film Book

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Full Moon's Puppet Master X Unveiling and Movie News

2012-01-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

Another installment of the Puppet Master franchise, Puppet Master X: Axis Rising, is being planned and last Monday, Full Moon unveiled the latest puppet, Blitzkreig. He will grace the screens along with three other additions. No news has been revealed yet as to the plot, but this film will no doubt continue in where Axis of Evil left off.

In the climax of the previous film, the Nazi threat in America is seemingly neutralized with the death of Max (Tom Sandoval). But Ozu (Ada Chao), the Japanese spy, literally exited the stage with all the puppets. This kidnapping attempt really must be followed up on, and for Danny Coogan (Levi Fiehler), he will get to follow his dream and go to war.

There is no word on whether or not these performers will reprise their roles, but chances are highly likely that they will. Charles Band may well be planning either a duology or trilogy that focuses on how the puppets can save World War II.

More details can be found at Puppet Master X: Axis Rising

Full Moon Horror's Official Website

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Mother's Day and Making Momma Proud: A Movie Review

2012-01-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

Director: Darren Lynn Bousman.

Writer: Scott Milan.

Unbelievably, Darren Lynn Bousman's (Saw III) Mother's Day never received a North American release; this film can only be found in the United Kingdom. That is a shame, because this is one of the better and most brutal films this reviewer has ever scene. Full of scenes of torture, Mother's Day is a hard watch. This is also a remake of the 1980 film from Charles Kaufman and Mother's Day has to be seen by fans of horror.

The story seems pretty simple, but the character's keep events complicated. This is a fight for survival after all. The Koffin family takes up residence in their old haunt after a bank robbery goes wrong. They ruin the new residents' party. Hostages are taken, torture ensues and the film turns into a bloody mess. You see, there is money at stake and mom does not like to be lied to: "where's the money!" A tornado on the horizon also keeps events tense.

Lots of sub-plots develop involving lost children, and stolen babies, but this reviewer enjoyed the moral dilemmas. Bousman brings some of this storytelling from the Saw franchise to create difficult situations for the hostages. At an automated teller robbery, Ike forces two girls to decide which of the two survives by giving them a knife and stating: "whoever kills the other lives." That is no easy task when you have to kill your best friend. Later, the survivors have to choose who will be raped by one of momma's boys. And Beth Sohapi (Jaime King) is later told to run over a police officer at gunpoint. The Stanley Milgram experiment would tell us that people really need very little provocation to torment their fellow human beings. So, it is surprising to see Beth spinning the wheel at the last possible moment. All of these scenarios keep the scenes compelling.

This reviewer really enjoyed this film over all. There are plenty of action scenes and the gore seems to fly about. So let this be your warning: if you do not like scenes of torture, then steer clear. As well, the film is very disturbing and some of the latter scenes are hard to watch. The adult material might have killed this film's chances of having a North American premiere. There are also lots of surprises here as survivor turns on survivor. One of the best scenes in the film involves a brawl between two men while country music plays in the background. You can almost see this same scenario happening in one of John Ford's westerns.

This reviewer would really encourage fans of horror to order this film from the United Kingdom. Mother's Day does not disappoint. Full of great lines from a sneering Rebecca de Mornay: "you always make such a mess," this film deserves a larger audience. Expect tragedy, expect difficult situations and expect to walk away from this film with a twisted smile on your face!

Overall: 8 out of 10 (good writing, lots of characters, complex scenarios, high production values).

*watching a woman strip for a man while his mom undid his pants was probably one of the strangest scenes this reviewer has seen.

The film's official website is here:

Mother's Day's Homepage

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Gangsters, Guns and Zombies Creates Chaos in the United Kingdom: Concept Poster

2012-01-25T12:49:00.000-08:00

LMV Productions is developing a horror comedy called Gangsters, Guns and Zombies. Shooting for this project is currently taking place in the United Kingdom. The story involves a diverse group of characters trying to survive in an apocalypse of the dead. There is even a crazy gun toting grandma! This film is still in the early stages, but fans of zombies in film can check out this early concept poster for the film courtesy of Imagination Worldwide.

Release Date: 2012-13.

Director/writer: Matt Mitchell

Cast: Vincent Jerome, Huggy Leaver, Fabrizio Santino

Join the film's fan page here:

Gangsters, Guns and Zombies on Facebook

The film's full plot can be read at Imagination Worldwide:

Gangsters, Guns and Zombies at Imagination

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The Culling Shows Characters Trapped by an Unspeakable Evil: First Photos

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Culling is a horror thriller from Safady Entertainment and Silver Lining Media Group that features Elizabeth Di Prinzio (The Devil Within) as Emily, a woman trapped in sinister plot. Lured by a young girl, a group of college age friends find themselves in an evil trap. The tension mounts as the girl's parents begin to cull the characters. The weakest die first!

Now, several movie stills have become available for this picture and two of them, from the set, are featured here. The first photo features actress Di Prinzio and the second one below features Chris Coy. Will either character survive? Those details will be revealed shortly when the trailer becomes available.

Director: Rustam Branaman.

Cast: Jeremy Sumpter, Elizabeth Di Prinzio, Brett Davern, Chris Coy, Linsey Godfrey, Virginia Williams, Johnathon Schaech, and Harley Graham.

*a trailer is coming soon.

Source:

Press Release. 24 January 2011.

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The Whisperer in Darkness and Bringing H.P. Lovecraft's Horrifying Vision to Fruition: A Movie Review (DVD)

2012-01-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

Director: Sean Branney.

Writers: H.P. Lovecraft (story), Sean Branney and Andrew Leman (screenplay).

Cast: Stephen Blackehart, Annie Abrams and Matt Lagan.

Enthusiasts of H.P. Lovecraft will eat up the cinematic adaption of the tale, The Whisperer in Darkness. Made by the members of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society, this film is very clearly a labour of love that came close to not finishing due to funding issues. But thankfully, Sandy Peterson, author of Call of Cthulhu, the role-playing game, saved the day by injecting the money needed to finish the project.

When turning Lovecraft’s works to cinematic expression, some liberties were taken. This movie nicely reproduces the style in films like Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy with the set designs and title cards. Also added is a Little Shop of Horrors style (the original) ending. But ultimately, this movie is an update than a wholly faithful adaptation. Had it of ended at a different point, the movie would still work and deliver the same shock value as one of Lovecraft’s tales.

In the tale about Albert Wilmarth (Matt Foyer), who finds himself at odds with Creationism, he’s going to learn more than he should and avoid a bargain with the devil. Foyer certainly delivers a worthwhile performance that demonstrates a detective’s level of inquisitiveness. But this film is still theatre level at best. That should come as no surprise when considering that is where most of the cast’s experience comes from. In his correspondence with Henry Akeley (Barry Lynch), they are limited to short monologues than a full discourse on screen. That’s just one of a few changes in the structure of this tale. It slowly builds to Wilmarth’s eventual trip to the Akeley farm.

Also equally worth noting is the attention to detail of recreating the feel of the Dirty 30’s. There are certainly a few noir style elements in a few segments, but when Lovecraft’s stories places emphasis on a creeping sense of dread, some set pieces end up being distractions than enhancements. At least the CGI blends well against the black and white screen palette.

What it does not hide is an attempt at pseudo-realism that many viewers will notice. This observation is more nitpicky than a criticism. When people are walking or standing in the rain for a long time, they should look drenched than simply sprayed with a rubber hose. No trench coat is that good at keeping people dry. A few other sequences feature digital rain than practical. At least the close-ups correct the problem.

The Mi-Go, the alien race Wilmarth encounters, are pseudo bio-mechanoid like creatures, rendered with CGI and practical set pieces. When only a few arms are required, they are animated with a pull strings and people behind the scenes to create some shadow effects. They come through as an expression of a B-movie product. But the exceptional work comes from the cinematography. The pans are smooth, and the transitions are seamless.

And the bonus disc will wet the appetites of many. Two extended sequences, “The Debate” and “Wilmarth Meets Akeley” are offered on top of the usual trailers and making-of featurettes. Many aspects of film production are explored, and one particular favourite is “Creating the Mi-Go.” The production team debated about how they wanted to create this monster.

H.P. Lovecraft provided the description, but to make such an incredible beast believable on screen, especially with their budget, would be difficult. While the winged creature looked truly alien, the horror really comes from the reactions of the characters than the audience. When the movie did not have the money to render the beast digitally, Sandy Peterson came to the rescue.

Other notable pieces include, “Miniatures & Models” and “The Hardest Shot in the Movie.” The only shame in the DVD menu construction is the lack of a ‘play all’ button.

The main featurette is also very entertaining. The tone is very tongue-in-cheek in a few segments. Viewers will easily learn that this film involved the labour of many dedicated individuals who worked at a level becoming of a Hollywood production. Without them, audiences most likely would never see certain tales written by H.P. Lovecraft put to screen.

Although Hollywood has tried, they simply failed. Just look at their versions of Cthulhu and the Dunwich Horror. And that does not include the worry over money when Guillermo del Toro pitched Mountains of Madness. Nobody wanted to make the investment. Some of Lovecraft’s works can easily be made in an independent filmmaker’s world.

Overall: 7.5 out of 10.

*special features include: three trailers, The Whisperer Behind the Scenes Featurette.

**tech featurettes include: "Creating the Mi-Go," "The Remains of Henry Akeley," "The Appearance of Charles Fort," "The Masterson Barn," "Miniatures & Models," "Gunplay," "Composite Shots," "The Star Map," and "The Hardest Shot in the Movie."

***deleted scenes: Eli Davenport’s Mansion (Full), The Debate Scene – Writers & Editor’s Version, Deer, Wilmarth Meets Ake-ley (Full), and A Terrible Cup of Coffee

The film's homepage is here:

Cthulhu Lives Homepage

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"Familiar" and Being Eaten From the Inside Out: A Short Film Review

2012-01-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

*full disclosure: an online screener of this film was provided by producer Zach Green.

Director/writer: Richard Powell.

Cast: Robert Nolan, Astrida Auza and Cathryn Hostick.

"Familiar" is the third film to be developed by Fatal Pictures. "Worm" was their previous outing and a review of this film is available here: (Worm Review). Much like "Worm," "Familiar" stars Robert Nolan as a very negative individual full of unexpressed resentment. His resentment takes form as a parasite wrapped around his body. Some self-surgery places this short film in the realm of psychological horror.

Nolan plays John Dodd a man in his '40s struggling through a mid-life crisis. He is tired of his wife and his daughter. He wants out but he does not have a plan. However, John does have a really negative voice whispering in his ear. It demands that he kill his wife and run away from it all. John's inner world is in conflict. Then, a growth begins to form on his body and John must cut his torso to rid himself of some sort of worm. Who is in control of John: himself or the parasite?

The parasites seems to win in the end and John is left with only a few final bloody moments. John is really central to the story; other characters are simply more of an aside. Almost all of the dialogue is solo as John struggles internally with his life's direction. His good seems to trump the bad involving: resentment, jealousy, apathy, boredom and many other negative human elements and emotions. Charlotte is John's wife and this character is only given a few lines. Yet, Charlotte does have a sub-plot involving a pregnancy. Something is gooing wrong with the birth, as well. Finally, the daughter, Jordan, is only given a few moments of screen time and her character stays comfortably on the periphery. This is a film about John, after all.

Thematically, the parasite represents the negativity of John's inner world or in a wider realm - cancer as the worm seems to be eating John alive. Where the parasite comes from is not explained so any investigation is based on conjecture, not evidence. Negativity was also a theme in Richard Powell's previous film "Worm," and its reoccurence seems to be more of an issue generated by this filmmaker than anything else. So, the film's message lies with Powell who might need to deliver his next film's message in a more obvious fashion to have greater impact.

"Familiar" has been completed for a few months now, so expect this film to make film festivals this year. This short is worth a watch, but the earlier parts of the film can be a little on the hostile side. The latter parts are visually horrifying. As noted by other reviewers, this film seems sourced or influenced by some of David Cronenberg's work such as The Fly or Naked Lunch. The make-up effects are excellent. Also, short in length at twenty-four minutes, this is a short and bitterly sweet film that might leave a few scratching their heads. However, the best films leave viewers guessing or using their personal interpretations to dissect what they have seen.

Overall: 7 out of 10 (overly negative, very similar to "Worm," the film's message is a little confusing, there is really only one character here).

The film's fan page is here:

Familiar at Facebook

More on "Familiar" at Fatal Pictures Blog:

Familiar at Fatal Pictures

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Tasmanian Devils to Feast on Skydivers in 2012: Concept Poster

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Tasmanian Devils is the last horror production set to debut on the SyFy Channel. In this latest outing, those cute furry marsupials are the villains. A group of these critters have escaped a research lab and they have their fangs set on a group of skydivers. Let the mayhem begin! Currently this movie is filming in British Columbia with Original Pictures BC and Vesuvius Productions backing the project. For now, enjoy the film's first concept poster as Tasmanian Devils gets set to premiere on television later this year.

Release Date: 2012 (Television).

Director: Zach Lipovsky.

Writer: Brook Durham.

Cast: Kenneth Mitchell, Mike Dopud, Roger R. Cross, Apolo Ohno, Rekha Sharma, Terry Chen, Joseph Allan Sutherland, Scott McNeil, and Julia Sarah Stone.

*a trailer is coming soon.

Source:

Tasmanian Devils at The Film Catalogue

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Sundance 2012: Red Lights Premiere and Audience Reactions

2012-01-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

During the Q&A that followed after the world premiere of Red Lights at Sundance 2012, Rodrigo Cortés is right to say, “I don’t think movies should give all the answers.”

And nor should he explain the ending of his movie to audiences as Daniel Miller wrote in The Hollywood Reporter. Cortés is beautiful to make such a statement because the best movies are those that are left up to personal interpretation. With that kind of emphasis, this movie is definitely one to be put under the radar. It is also a film that is earning high ratings amongst those who have seen the film.

Red Lights is about two people who delve into the world of paranormal investigation. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) is a psychologist and her assistant Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy) decide to investigate the claims made by a blind healer, Simon Silver (Robert De Niro).

With an all-star lineup for this product, interest will slowly build as this thriller opens to select markets this coming year. A date of March 2nd is being listed for when it will screen in Spain, but no firm date is made yet for North America.

The first official teaser trailer for the film is here:

Source:

Red Lights at the Hollywood Reporter

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The Terror Experiment Unleashes the Plague Carriers April 10th on DVD and Blu-Ray: DVD Artwork

2012-01-23T15:08:00.000-08:00

The Terror Experiment will be released by Anchor Bay Home Entertainment April 10th on DVD and Blu-Ray. This film involves one of 28DLA's favourite sub-genres, zombies! A secret government lab is experimenting with a dangerous virus when an explosion causes contamination. Soon, the world is in chaos as the virus infects one ravenous subject after another. Jason London (Out Cold) and C. Thomas Howell (The Hitcher) star in what could be one of the best horror indie features of the year. Enjoy the official DVD box art with an early movie still below.

Release Date: April 10th (Blu-ray™ and DVD).

Director: George Mendeluk.

Writer: D. Todd Deeken.

Cast: C. Thomas Howell, Jason London, Judd Nelson, Robert Carradine, Lochlyn Munro, Serah D'Laine, Alicia Leigh Willis, Edrick Browne, Alexander Mendeluk, Ted Ferguson, Patty Yu, and Zachariah Jay.

The Terror Experiment at Anchor Bay Entertainment w/more story details:

The Terror Experiment at Anchor Bay Ent.

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Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes and the Possession Phenomenon: A Movie Review

2012-01-23T07:30:00.000-08:00

Director: Jude Gerard Prest.

Cast: Nikki Muller, Gerold Wunstel, Kai Cofer and Christopher Karl Johnson, Nikki Muller.

Nearly every year, an exorcist/possession inspired film is guaranteed. Some productions are loosely based on actual cases of demonic possession and others are fiction.

Set in the 70's, Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes (also known as Paranormal Entity 3) is a very period-looking piece about priests from different faiths attempting to exorcise the devil out of a young girl. The real life case of Anneliese Michel is the basis for this product, but after she was exorcised, the cause of her death was heavily scrutinized in the legal system.

Some parts of her exorcism were recorded and if these audio recordings are authentic, no detail is provided as to whom purchased the rights for cinematic exhibition. For reasons unknown, the audio recordings are now in the public domain and they can be found on the Internet (i.e. Youtube).

While certain warning bells are raised, the rest of the movie purports to be an actual account. Even though this film is a mockumentary, a willing suspension of disbelief is required in order to continue through with this product. There are moments where this film gets under one's skin with the audio clips. On the video front, observing how Anneliese (Nikki Muller) writhes about is nearly as painful, but that is not what this product is about.

The attempt at making this film as realistic as possible is very good. Either the filmmakers used period equipment to get the soft focus in order to pull off the visual style or they selected the right digital filtering software to make the presentation as celluloid and low-fi as possible. The contrasting edits from colour to B&W certainly helps add to the schizophrenic style. Also, the pacing is appropriately slow to chronicle the months long exorcism. Some may feel more inclined to fast-forward to find the juicy bits.

Anyone who knows the real life details of this case will know how this movie will end. The girl is not really central to this film's scares. Instead, what is appropriate with this movie’s challenging theme is in how various doctors and pastors from different churches are at odds with one another. They do not agree in the methods of ridding a demonic possession and every denomination also has its own belief in why Anneliese was disposed. At least this film affirms an age-old problem that plagued the late Middle Ages and Renaissance Period in Europe: which method of exorcism is best, Protestant or Catholic?

Pastor Ernest Alt (Gerold Wunstel) and Father Renz (Christopher Karl Johnson) are often bickering, and doctors Frederick Gruber (Kai Cofer) and Kenneth Landers (Robert Shampain) are not helping the situation any.

They argue over what is the best method to treat Anneliese’s problem and question if she should be taken to a proper hospital. That also includes physical violence and starving her as a form of penance. But to see these representatives at odds with one another is like watching a "Jerry Springer" show in action. And blend in some Geraldo Rivera style exposé, this film is like waiting for a Al Capone’s vault to open. When will the fun begin? Will the devil expose himself? Anneliese certainly did, and when this movie begins with a media crew barging in to the home and never leaving, the curious fact that the family and priests do not care really needs to be asked.

If this product only had a better direction of providing a story than creating a long dragged out news piece, then the movie would have been a more satisfying watch. When considering how this film is structured, some pauses are required to digest it. Not every detail is accurate. Gruber and Landers were never involved in the actual case, and they were fictional add-ons.

Also problems in editing made this film a tough one to watch. Some pauses are required as this film barrages viewers with anguished screams from the audio clips. In a library, all can be silent and the curious can hit up newspaper archives about the real life case. All this movie does is to sum up general knowledge than to offer a new interpretation.

Overall: 4.5 out of 10.

To learn more about the real case, with actual audio clips, check out the accounts as reported on by Chasing the Frog:

Emily Rose at Chasing the Frog

*two other movies are also made which are inspired by the case of Anneliese Michel The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) and Requiem (2006).

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Beneath the Darkness and Stealing the Show: A Movie Review

2012-01-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Directed by: Martin Guigui.

Written by: Bruce Wilkinson

Cast: Dennis Quaid, Tony Oller and Aimee Teegarden.

Beneath the Darkness stars Dennis Quaid as a crazed mortician dancing with corpses in Smithville, Texas. Released theatrically January 6th, this film would be considered a thriller, but there is very little excitement to be found here. Quaid outclasses the other cast members in acting. However, the script from the now deceased Bruce Wilkinson does not contain enough tension to keep one film fan's interest.

Quaid plays Ely, a man with strange visions. His deceased wife becomes live again with a little self-delusion. While dancing in the windows with her corpse, a group of friends decide to find out what is really going on. Their break and enter does not go well. One youth is killed, the others are threatened and soon Quaid is delivering crazy one-liners like: "stairs can be very dangerous." Meanwhile, the local authorities are completely oblivious to Ely's murderous ways until the final climax. Even the locale of a graveyard cannot inject any adrenalin into this undeveloped story.

Ely is definitely the villain in this film. Yet, some of the other characters are equally despicable. Few of the minor characters are likeable across the board. Quaid as Ely is a bit of a treat to watch as this actor rarely portrays black hat characters. His lines sometimes come across as more humourous than the writer might have intended. And with a mortuary as cover, Ely has the perfect location to pile the bodies up. Travis (Tony Oller) is really the so-called hero, but even this comes into question. He leaves his love interest Abby (Aimee Teegarden) behind after a second break and enter goes bad. Some film fans might see him as more the cowardly lion than knight in shining armour. Therefore, Abby must use her wits to get herself away from the lunatic. None of the characters mentioned here and others are given any real attention or complexity.

And a thriller should have some thrills, right? There is very little excitement here and the film simply feels inane or the crew has taken a mediocre approach to filmmaking. The pacing is slow while the music is appropriate and forgettable. There are high production vales here and so is some weak acting. There is almost nothing shocking in the film and Beneath the Darkness seems very middle of the road.

This title will release on DVD and Blu-Ray February 28th through Image Entertainment, but you might want to stay away. Quaid's performance as a lunatic is the only reason to see the film and viewer's will want more than this solitary element. Horror fans will be completely disappointed by this film while thriller fans will be wanting more tension. This film could really have used a few more dancing corpses to keep things interesting.

Overall: 6 out of 10 (the script is alright, pacing is off, acting is so-so, minor characters are despicable and cowardly, predictable).

The film's fan page is here:

Beneath the Darkness on Facebook

A second review of this film is available at Monsters and Critics (Ron Wilkinson):

Beneath the Darkness at Monsters and Critics

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Shackled and Living a Nightmare: A Movie Review

2012-01-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

*full disclosure: an online screener of this film was provided by Midnight Releasing.

Director: Dave McCabe.

Writers: Dave McCabe, Ambrose McDermott, and Stephen Cumiskey.

Cast: Brian Fortune, Ruth McIntyre, Donna Bradley, Andy Blaikie, Gerry Shanahan, Vivienne Connolly

Brian McDonald (Simon Fogarty) was never a man of mystery in the movie Shackled. He rose up the ranks to become a police detective and there was one special case that he was hot on the trail of … but days later, when he is found dead on a beach by law enforcement, more than a few people are talking.

In the days following his funeral, his sister Sarah (Donna Bradley) still feels emotionally distraught. She has to undergo therapy and inherits Brian’s journal. But that is not enough closure for her. She and Michael Grant (Andrew Blaikie), a childhood friend of the McDonald clan, have far too many questions still to ask. And what they uncover is a conspiracy that ties into the mother’s side of the family.

Both Sarah and Brian were fostered. Their father never explained, and the siblings never pushed to get the answers they wanted until now. All roads seem to lead to Sarah’s heritage. She stands to inherit the fortune and secrets that the Bell Estate has. Instead of the rustic decay of the old castles and stone edifices that some people may equate Ireland to, this one stays rooted in modern times.

The two friends act like Mulder and Scully, but this movie is not "X-files." And nor does it try to introduce a romantic angle later on in the film. The movie is beautiful in that regard. Not all films require the heroes to suddenly fall in love. They have a mutual respect for each other that stands out as the tale moves along. When they look deeper into what Brian was investigating, they wander into a lair of subterfuge.

But this film is also a gentle thriller that nicely divulges as well as tantalizes. The matriarch, Margaret Bell (Ruth McIntyre), knew what happened at the family estate. But by the time Sarah and Michael reach her, other people are out to stop them. This movie gets more engaging from this point on and the aging process done by the makeup artists on Bell must be praised. Not much needs to be done to make her look old, but that’s one of the more appreciable subtle elements of this film.

Director Dave McCabe does a very good job at offering the clues when this film needs to engage the viewer. They keep interest alive during the slower parts of the narrative and raise the action to keep the blood pumping. Also fascinating are the dreams that Sarah has. They are etheric in quality and whenever the mysterious black robed spectres appear, linking Sarah’s experiences to Brian’s, viewers will have to ask who are they? The porcelain masks give these strangers an Asian quality to this film. These sequences are also an accurate representation of how some nightmares can play out.

In what Sarah tries to figure out from them, that is subject to interpretation. Viewers can rewind the video when the DVD releases March 6th to figure out the revelation for themselves.

Overall: 7 out of 10.

*DVD special features:
-Audio Commentary
-"The Making of Shackled" Featurette
-Blooper Reel
-Introduction to the Film by Director Dave McCabe
-Short Film: "The Hollow Girl"

The film's homepage:

Shackled at Midnight Releasing w/Trailer

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Community Brings Hoodie Horror and Violent Youth in this Second Trailer

2012-01-21T12:51:00.000-08:00

28DLA's friends over at Quiet Earth have debuted a second trailer for Community courtesy of High Point Media. In the second clip there is more horror as a hybrid brand of marijuana changes parents into the lackadaisical and their children into killers. The latest movies from the United Kingdom that involve horror have tackled themes of youth run rampant. Eden Lake (2008), Harry Brown (2009) and the recent Attack the Block (2011) show the ills of urban living and the difficult choices therein.

Also, Community stars Elliott Jordan who set Cinemas in Bolton ablaze with another horror effort titled The Toybox. The Toybox was also shot in the United Kingdom and instead of drug dealing hoodies this film dealt with witches and ancient myths. Jordan continues to be one of the standouts in modern British horror with Darren Kent (The Incident) and Terry Bird also starring in Community. Enjoy the second trailer for the film inside.

Release Date: 2012.

Director/writer: Jason Ford.

Cast: Elliott Jordan, Darren Kent, Terry Bird, Jason Ford, Oliver Stark, Ian Ralph, Paul McNeilly, Jemma Dallender, Ian Floodgate, Jo Dyson, Arash Salimi, and Dan O'Malley.

The second trailer for Community is here (rated mature):

*this film was previously titled Final Project.

**production began in August, 2011 on Community and the film is now in post-production.

Source:

Community at Quiet Earth

Community at High Point Media

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It's a Disaster Brings the Apocalypse and an Early Concept Poster

2012-01-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

*this poster has been removed because the owners of the film have threatened legal action against this Blog. And no thanks was received for being the only site to promote this silly looking film. So, please feel free to boycott It's a Disaster when the film is finally released as this is the course of action this film fan and free promoter for It's a Disaster will be taking.

A few details are coming in about a new comedy thriller called It's a Disaster. In this post-apocalyptic adventure, four couples meet only to find their relationships devolve into panic as the world comes to an end. An early concept poster for the film is seen left and Maya Entertainment has acquired distribution rights for this title. A release date is coming soon. For now, have a gander at the early cast details which include Julia Stiles (The Omen), David Cross ("Arrested Development") and America Ferrera.

Completion Year: 2012.

Director/writer: Todd Berger.

Cast: Julia Stiles, David Cross, America Ferrera, Rachel Boston, Erinn Hayes, Jesse Draper, Todd Berger, Rob McGillivray, Kevin Brennan, Blaise Miller, and Laura Adkin.

*a trailer is coming soon.

Source:

It's A Disaster at The Film Catalogue

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Donner Pass and What Happens Next?: A Movie Review

2012-01-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

Director: Elise Robertson.

Writer: R. Scott Adams.

The Donner Party was a group of pioneers who took a new path west in the 19th Century. They became trapped in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and relief was difficult because of the Mexican American War. Cannibalism and murder took place during one of the worst snowstorms to hit that region. These tragedies have been recorded in many films including the recent The Donner Party (2009) and even in 1999's Ravenous. In Donner Pass, the legend of cannibalism is still here, but this movie modernizes the legend. A truly innovative independent film, Donner Pass brings the cannibalism and the murder while also bringing a smart little story full of sub-plots and interesting characters.

In this thriller, three friends are invited to a cabin hideaway for a few days of relaxation. The place they choose to let their hair down also has a rich history, the Sierre Nevada Mountains. A group of party crashers increases the cast of characters and the body count. You see, there is an active murderer in the region and he may or may not have a partner. Beware the quiet ones in horror films! The cast dwindles and it becomes clear that not all of the Donner Party survivors are ready to roll over into their graves. A curse then moves from character to character turning the bitchy or the cocky into blood thirsty killers.

The cast of characters in this feature is large. There are lots of minors and central characters and there is some difficulty in identifying who the protagonists are or even the main antagonist, early in the film. R. Scott Adams' first script keeps a lot of the main plot in mystery, but late in the picture Kayley (Desiree Hall) and Mike (Colley Bailey) are the only characters doing any good. Some of that good involves hammer smashes to the face (they had it coming). One of the villains is really more of a misdirection and about the only element this reviewer guessed right was the true killer. Meanwhile, Derek (Dominic DeVore) is dealing with infidelity and Nicole (Adelaide Kane) is coming to terms with a drunken rape the best way she knows how, through more and more killing. Thomas (Eric Stocklin), the host, seems intimidated by the large cast of characters; however, when the chips are down Thomas knows how to the spill the blood as good as anyone else. Other minor characters are just given enough screen time to say hello before being dispatched. Many of the characters are given varying degrees of depth depending on their importance to the story.

Donner Pass is one of the best independent horror films that this reviewer has seen. The music amplifies tense scenes, the script veers when one might expect it to go straight, the story is well written and characters matter. The film is simply more than a slasher film. The use of a curse in the film means that the ending will be open ended and its explanation is interesting. Feeding characters a little bit of blood brings some late thrills as they look to satisfy and unending hunger. The make-up effects are especially well done with bodies showing up with scarred torsos. Simply put, this is a horror film to see.

Donner Pass released on DVD January 17th and this is a film that horror fans need to check out. Full of unpredictable twists and sub-plots, this film left this reviewer often thinking: what the hell is going on? This praise is noteworthy as this reviewer has reviewed hundreds of horror films and few films bring this much spontaneous excitement. See this one now as the movie has released on multiple formats and Donner Pass will satisfy that hunger in each of us to see something truly thrilling.

Overall: 8 out of 10 (multi-layered characters, gory, well written script, many events are simultaneously taking place in the story, an open ending, the directing style could have been slightly more innovative, great film).

Another review of this film at Fear.net (Scott Weinberg):

Donner Pass Reviewed at Fear.net

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The Afflicted and A New Breed of Sadism: A Movie Review

2012-01-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

*full disclosure: an online screener of this film was provided by Midnight Releasing.

Director/writer: Jason Stoddard.

Cast: Leslie Easterbrook, Kane Hodder and J.D. Hart.

Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned but in the case of The Afflicted, Hell should be afraid ... very afraid of Maggie (Leslie Easterbrook). She is a loving wife one day and a paranoid bi-polar Bible thumping she-devil the other.

That might be the trauma that affects her, and as she unleashes her seething anger, people should be running away. Even Hank (Kane Hodder, Friday the 13th series) proves he's no Jason against Maggie. After a seemingly nice birthday for daughter, Carla (Katie Holland), the happiness has gone south. He sees something wrong with his wife, and needs time to figure it out. Perhaps the hug she gave the pastor John (J.D. Hart), better known as the Cowboy Profit, a tele-evangelist, was more than he could handle.

When he needs to go take a walk, perhaps for good, Maggie is there to intercept him, and the nightmare is just beginning. This movie takes a dark look at more than just a perturbed mind. It shows how a family unit can fall apart when all there is is misbegotten faith and dark demons plaguing Maggie's soul.

Her three girls, Carla, Cathy (Michele Grey), and Grace (Randi Jones) have to take the abuse. They are trapped in a cage with no bars. Although they could have fled anytime, who they could go to is limited.

There's the neighbour, the cowboy profit who seems to only make life worse. Maggie believes in his word perhaps too much. Any other friend or family is not really considered, and that makes life even more unsettling.

This psychological thriller becomes too self-contained, and it shows the various degrees of her sanity going off kilter more than once. But interestingly, when she was out in public, she seems to be controlled. But what goes on in her mind is still an anger that is convincingly hidden. Easterbrook does a great job at the emotional connection, and although her performance is over-the-top, that can be dismissed just to watch her slip into a stereotypical Texan style performance. The accent may not be fully authentic either.

The girls are a point of being afraid of anything they do can set her off and kudos have to go to the young actresses for playing characters that not many may want to undertake. The theme of child abuse is a difficult one to tackle, and this film handles the various points of views fine. Even though this movie is a product of fiction, it takes some inspiration from the case of Theresa Knorr, an equally sadistic woman who had two sons involved in her misery. This is where this film delivers more chills than in what the lone son, Bill (Cody Allen), does.

He obeys mama without question. Some may even wonder what the punishment is in Texas for being an accomplice to murder. He has the potential to be the next Norman Bates, (or Michael Meyers for that matter) but this film does not go that far and no time is spent in developing this character. The most understated character is terribly underutilized. The movie prefers a clean ending to a questionable one, and in the horror this film breeds, it's one that will get people talking.

Mama may know best but not when she is listening in.

Overall: 7 out of 10.

*DVD release date: April 3rd, 2012.

The film's homepage is here:

Afflicted's Official Website

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The Haunted Boy, The Secret Diary Of The Exorcist: A Movie Review

2012-01-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

Directors / writers: Christopher Saint and Philip Adrian Booth

Writer: Raymond Bishop (original treatment)

The Booth Brothers made a name for themselves amongst certain groups within the paranormal community. They produce feature length film documentaries that explore some of America's famous haunts, like the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, and they take their time in constructing a compelling case. In Spooked, the old asylum takes on a new life. In The Haunted Boy, the demons said to be still lingering get tackled. Not many people will realize that the real life case of the St. Louis Exorcism was the inspiration of William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist.

Much like the book, this movie can easily be divided into parts. The opening act looks at the origins of what caused the young 13-year-old boy to become possessed in 1949. Although his name was never revealed, certain aspects of his exorcism slowly became part of the local folklore. In the years following, The Church and family decided to protect the young lad's anonymity so he can live out a normal life. How the producers managed to find a relative must have been a huge challenge, and even this person requested to be digitally masked before speaking out. Sadly, the information revealed is neither hearsay nor truth.

In some media reports, the boy is simply known as Robbie Doe. His possession supposedly came from the fact his aunt played with the Ouija board and saw no harm in teaching him what she knew. But in what came afterwards were noises that could not be explained and poltergeist activity that needed to be seen to be believed.

This documentary primarily focuses on William Bowdern, a Jesuit Roman Catholic Priest. His attempts of exorcising the demons out of Doe were recorded in a journal, as required by the Church, but as for why a copy was found in an abandoned hospital wing, that really needed explanation. Not even Father Francis X. Cleary, Senior Jesuit Priest and Exorcism Historian could provide it. This octogenarian is sometimes hard to comprehend, and this DVD does not offer subtitles.

And nor did any of the interviews reveal why the book was left behind. Another copy does exist in the archives, presumably at the Vatican, and this sidetrack does not help for establishing any coherency in this documentary. Some viewers may be left puzzled as to why Robbie was taken from one isolation center to another as attempts to rid his body of the demonic continued on.

The main reason is that a thousands of demons are inside the boy and no one building can contain them all. LEGION was one of the names Robbie uttered in amidst his screams. Only Occultists and Demonologists will know that 'name' consists of 6,666 agents sent by Satan to infest, oppress and possess the lonely victim! Quite often, true to Biblical tradition, these infestations are tests of faith, for everyone involved. Bowdern certainly has his work cut out for him.

After what he has seen after World War I and experienced in protecting what his family calls 'his boys,' the students he taught in school, not even the army of demons that he had unleashed can shake the foundations of his faith. He believed that he could rid the beasts that are in Robbie. In what he banished out of Doe, they had to go somewhere, and most of them remained trapped in the gates of a purgatory made by human hands. Those places include Robbie's home, the Alexian Brothers Hospital, and St. Francis Xavier Church.

With the exception of the church, which is now demolished, these structures are still haunted and the Booth Brorthers, along with a small group of paranormal investigators, go there to find the shadowy entities said to still exist.

Some mention is made by Bishop James Long about the need to bless all the rooms where the exorcism took place. This way, the demons are trapped and, like it or not, they are forced to manifest. But is this magical spell permanent? When considering all the folklore that has been said over time about the locations, these entities are indeed still present. The Exorcist House has become a tourist attraction now, and that begs the question of who are the real greedy beasts.

Most of this product does move at a sensationalist type of pace. Edgy music, heavy drum beats, sharp editing and moody dual-tone cinematography can be found throughout. That style is the Booth Brother's way to keep viewers glued to the screen. Even their period recreations evokes the same kind of mystery as the movie, The Exorcist, right down to the music.

And the extras found on the DVD offers all the juicy bits that only the die-hards will want to watch. These clips give the details that are missing from the feature film product. Some of which should have been kept locked up. They enforce the fact that dabbling with the occult is indeed a dangerous hobby.

Although much of the product believes that the St. Louis Exorcism case is real, the counter-argument of it being a case of Tourette's syndrome—or a case of a boy in desperate need of attention—is very miniscule. At least this movie gives Father Bowdren the treatment he deserves. He is a hero because he gave Robbie the same treatment as the schoolboys he saw off and watched die during the war.

The debate over fact or fakery really does not matter here.

Overall: 7.5 out of 10

For further reading (Strange Magazine’s “The Haunted Boy”):

The Haunted Boy at Strange Mag

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Resident Evil: Retribution and Rinse and Repeat: First Trailer

2012-01-19T09:53:00.000-08:00

Well, the first trailer for Resident Evil: Retribution is a little disappointing. If you can get by the thirty second product placement, then you will be met by smoke and mirrors but very little story. Director Paul W. S. Andersen has a knack for creating a great visual style. However, this film looks plotless based on the early promotional material. Have a look and make your own judgements below.

As well, based on the film's synopsis, this latest sequel follows the same story as the previous three films. Alice descends into an Umbrella corporation facility to discover this corporation's evil secrets. This is exactly what happened in Resident Evil (2002), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) and Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010). The film looks like simple rebranding from this film fan's perspective.

Release Date: September 14th, 2012 (Theatrical).

Director: Paul W. S. Andersen.

Cast: Milla Jovovich, Kevin Durand, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Isaacs, Sienna Guillory, Oded Fehr , Johann Urb, Bingbing Li, Shawn Roberts, and Boris Kodjoe.

The trailer for Resident Evil: Retribution is here:

*in fairness, very little can be determined from 1.5 minutes of a 90 minute movie.

A fan page for the film is here:

Resident Evil: Retribution on Facebook

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A Dead Genesis Zone and the Vomit Bag: A Movie Review

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Director/writer: Reese Eveneshen.

Cast: Emily Alatalo, Lionel Boodlal and Colin Paradine.

If there is ever a movie that requires viewers to keep a bottle of Advil nearby, Dead Genesis is it. The problem is with all the headache inducing camera-shaking going on. Has anyone in the production team heard of a tripod?

Shaky-cam is a style that some movie and television shows can pull off only when it adds to the drama. Sometimes, the jarring movement is soft and natural, and other times, it is like standing still while an earthquake is happening. But when such a movie is done with no thought towards keeping the camera steady at all, sometimes a vomit bag is required!

But when the principal cinematographer was replaced after a day, based on the triva written for this film on the IMDB, writer/director Reese Eveneshen was very bold to continue on and take on the job himself. Points are earned for him wanting to finish what he has started. But in where it goes, the look really required post-processing the footage with a video editing program with a de-shaking filter and re-matting the film's edges.

Or this movie can be listened to with the television turned off. The story is worth paying attention to even though the plot sounds all too familiar. The war on terror is a theme that has been visited often ever since 9/11 and George Bush ingrained it into the public's consciousness. But with a new decade, how many people still care?

That fear and worry is still on the minds of some people, and this film's tale is about those who cannot put it behind them. This film is a character study more than anything else. At least Eveneshen is being bold again by reminding viewers that it is time to move on, as Jillian (Emily Alatalo) eventually learns to do.

The story is primarily centered about her learning about what the Dead Heads, a team of zombie hunters, does in the documentary that she’s trying to make. She has her camcorder and the cameraman is not too far behind. This team is roaming a wilderness to kill strays. Had this movie been set within a city, a more powerful sociological statement could have been made. When this team is isolated, they are only serving themselves than the society they are supposed to represent.

The zombies that are found in a forest are not threatening by any means and the logic of why go kill them may get understood by trophy hunters compared to anything else. In what this film tries to present, all that is offered has the mark of missing the target. As the title of the movie implies, the only people being hunted here are each other as the zombie virus overtakes them.

Overall: 4 out of 10.

Dead Genesis' fan page:

Dead Genesis on Facebook

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The Point of Regret and Bringing Secrets Out of the Dark: A Movie Review

2012-01-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

*full disclosure: a screener of this film was provided by Gravitas Ventures.

**here be some spoilers.

Director/writer: Simon Tate.

The reality of sexual abuse in Canada is that there were 13,600 reported child victims in 2008. Even more disturbing is the likelihood that only 10% of such cases are reported. In the fictional world of film, sexual abuse has been a theme in films like Sleepers (1996) and Mysterious Skin (2004). In The Point of Regret, the topic is equally disturbing as the character William (Aj Nicol) reveals his past years of torture. Somehow the film manages to be uplifting despite the dark subject matter. Perhaps just talking about such a disheartening part of society can bring others forward to reveal their secrets.

William has spent thirty years in prison after murdering his father and mother at the age of eleven. The public demanded the death penalty for this youth offender, but their was, as lawyers like to say, a motive. William could not speak of the horrors in his youth. As an adult, he finds Ryan (Christopher Hatherall) a struggling local reporter. He begins to tell his tale of sexual abuse at the hands of his father and the rescuing of his brother, Richard. However, he is unable to move forward from his past. Sexuality is equated to pain for this character from here on out. As well, Ryan now has the story of his career, but is he too close to it?

Ryan is really the protagonist in the story. He is a family man struggling to rise above bills, the temptation of infidelity and a life of the mundane. William brings the excitement; however, he also brings a new truth for Ryan. William is the antagonist. He is constantly conflicting with Ryan about when to reveal the truth of his past. The truth comes out in the end after some cat and mouse discussions. Meanwhile, Kat (Siobhan Bermingham) is left at home with the insecurities of her marriage. Is Ryan philandering or is he actually following the story of his life? A sub-plot involving more infidelity looms on the periphery for this character also.

The tone of this film is a little dark and some might not enjoy the subject matter as entertainment. But, sometimes film is about confronting difficult topics. Also, The Point of Regret is not really out to educate. Yet, for a film made for under 500 pounds, the film is a testament to the strength inherent in indie filmmaking. The story is relayed with some great dialogue and the writing makes the events in the film almost seem real. Is this fiction or someone's reality? As the statistic above suggests, this story is taking place somewhere right now.

The Point of Regret is a tense dramatic thriller with an interesting but disturbing storyline. The film is never graphic, thankfully and director Simon Tate offers a heart-wrenching tale of abuse that will not soon be forgotten. This film is sometimes stark, but somehow The Point of Regret rises above its theme to offer a message of sacrifice. That message comes through most strongly when the protagonist realizes what his life could have been like without William's intervention.

Overall: 7.5 out of 10 (good writing, good characters, believable, film quality is moderate, powerful message).

*this title has released on video-on-demand this month (Jan. 2012).

A list of available video-on-demand retailers is available at Gravitas for this title:

Gravitas Ventures' Homepage

A staggering statistic involving violence and youth in Canada is available here (eye opening):

Sexual Abuse Statistics at Stat. Can.

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Apocalypse, CA Arrives on iTunes!

2012-01-18T07:30:00.000-08:00

Apocalypse, CA is now being listed on iTunes USA and Canada. Digital downloaders also have a choice of renting or buying a standard definition version or going high def.

This fun, quirky, film is one to view during these coming cold nights, lest one lives near the equator. But here, all John Parsons has to do is to figure out how he really wants to live his final days. He can do it alone, or mend some fences.

Director/writer: Chad Peter.

Stars: Nick Mathis, Erin Bodine and Anne McDaniels.

The trailer for the film is here:

Available at iTunes now:

Apocalypse, CA on iTunes

To learn more and read the full review, please refer back to:

Apocalypse, CA Reviewed on 28DLA

Apocalypse, CA at Facebook:

Apocalypse, CA on Facebook

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The Divide and Hoping for the Best: A Movie Review

2012-01-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

*full disclosure: a DVD screener of this film was provided by Anchor Bay Films.

Director: Xavier Gens.

Writers: Karl Mueller and Eron Sheean.

Cast: Courtney B. Vance, Ashton Holmes, and Michael Eklund.

The Divide is a film from first time scriptwriters Karl Mueller and Eron Sheean. The visual display is handled by French filmmaker Xavier Gens (Frontier(s)). The reviews of this film have been ambivalent and after watching the movie this reviewer knows why. Recently released theatrically January 13th, The Divide is a somber film that highlights the worst of humanity's qualities: depravity, humiliation, sexual dominance and perversion. This film took the spring out of this reviewer's step and left the jaw slack as characters turn on characters in horrible fashion.

This film is not uplifting. However, at least the film's story offers some mystery early as a nuclear strike on New York City goes unexplained. Could the writers not even hint at the Mcguffin's purpose? Then, a group of tenants hide below with a paranoid superintendent (Michael Biehn). He has stockpiles of supplies to wait out the irradiated storm above. Yet, living underground with a group of misfits turns the group inward for a large murderous implosion. At least the characters are interesting.

Mickey (Biehn) is prominent early as he tries to control the group. Once he is strapped to a chair during some torture, his influence wanes. Meanwhile, Eva (Lauren German) defines the term "sexual complex." A drug using life on the streets has turned her away from sexuality and her husband (Ivan Gonzalez). She finds her release by turning on the few morally upright characters in the film as she turns into a true black widow. The ambivalence continues with Josh (Milo Ventimiglia) turning into the bully of the group. He uses those lower on the social ladder as his sex slave with Marilyn (Rosanna Arquette) learning self-respect a little too late. There is little light in the bunker and within many of these depraved characters.

And this is the main critique of this film: could it not have been more hopeful? Apocalyptic films are this reviewer's favourite genre, but destruction can be used to signal rebirth. Here, destruction foretells more and more humiliation. As well, the soundtrack comes in like a flaky friend. Sometimes he is there and usually he is not. The acting is solid while the horrors turn the film's tone towards misery. Even those who fight for what is right (respect, understanding) do not make it out of this film. Surely, there is hope for humanity, but this is not the message that The Divide delivers.

This film will be released by Anchor Bay Films on home entertainment formats shortly and this sci-fi thriller is only given a half-hearted recommend. If you do see this film, then go in with a misanthropic look at life as writers Karl Mueller and Eron Sheean spin a modern Lord of the Flies yarn. However do not stay in this head space for long nor linger on the film as finding hope in difficult situations is a much higher pursuit.

Overall: 6.5 out of 10 (the set is confining, lots of diverse characters, a hard watch, horrifying, a negative look at humanity, no message, plotlines are undeveloped or offered as red herrings).

The film's homepage with theatrical locations available:

The Divide Official Website

A second review of this film at Beyond Hollywood:

The Divide Reviewed by Todd Rigney

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The Midnight Disease and Finding Murderous Inspiration: A Movie Review

2012-01-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

*full disclosure: an online screener of this film was provided by Midnight Releasing.

Director: Ryan Fowler, and Robbie Ribspreader.

Writer: Robbie Ribspreader.

The Midnight Disease is an indie thriller set for DVD April 3rd through Midnight Releasing. The midnight disease is also known as writer's block and in the film, Jack has a bad case of this fictional ailment. He spends his nights staring at white paper until a mysterious vial of blood is delivered to his apartment. From here on out, the film gets very messy as characters disappear.

Along the way, Jack (Laurence R. Griffin) meets Michelle (Mia Chiarella), a neighbour. They strike up a friendship and Michelle relates her boyfriend troubles. Jack has his own problems as a voice from his closet beckons him to murder! Jack must continue killing in order to produce more pages for the greatest book of his career. Then the cops come calling and Jack's murder spree has to kick into high gear.

The Midnight Disease is really like a stage play set to film. Almost all of the scenes take place in one small apartment. Here, Jack lazes about single and alone initially. Later, this character shows a couple levels. Jack might be induced to murder because of a tumour or due to the supernatural. The final scene will reveal which is the true source of his murderous rage. As well, the directing style of this film is uninspiring due to the limits of the budget. The Midnight Disease was likely made for under $5,000, so there is very little room for experimentation. The acting is delivered from a cast of newcomers. Yet, the film is comedic in parts and horrifying near the end. This reviewer enjoyed the film overall.

This film is for fans of indie horror or thrillers. Both genres are represented here and The Midnight Disease is well written by Robbie Ribspreader. The central characters are interesting and only a few slow moments hamper full enjoyment. See this film when it releases April 3rd for an exercise in quality independent filmmaking.

Overall: 7 out of 10 (well written, good characters, some shocking scenes, too much time in one set, few exterior shots).

*the above artwork is not final.

Check the Midnight Releasing homepage for future release details:

Midnight Releasing's Homepage

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Biography Channel's "Paranormal Trauma" and Hauntings from the Past: A Television Review

2012-01-16T13:00:00.000-08:00

Writers: Marcus Goodwin, Bert Klasey and Lisa Knapp.

Executive Producers: Matt Chan and Lisa Knapp.

Biography Channel has a new series called "Paranormal Trauma." Unlike its cousins that investigates the unknown, this program offers up a different formula that is heartily welcomed. This show deals with the people affected by their encounter with the supernatural and explores how they are coping.

The anxieties and dread these people felt has affected their daily life for far too long, and they are tired of it. Unless they get help, those emotions they harbour are just going to drag them down.

In the pilot episode, two cases are explored. The most intriguing one is about Matt, a man with a child’s fear of the dark. This problem developed after having encountered the ghost of his grandfather and cousin when he was at the age of 13. He was very close to them when they were alive, and their death affected him greatly. When these ghosts reached out to him for some unknown reason, the young Matt was by no means ready to comprehend the experience.

Matt resorted to drugs to sedate his anxieties and he developed a rough-and-tumble attitude. At the same time, he cannot hold a job and his life is constantly in the dregs. Everyone close to him is concerned, and until he gets the counseling he needs, he's not going to improve.

This series is interesting because it does not dwell on simply recounting the incident. Instead, it focuses on the healing process through psychiatry. Although the in-video process is a controversial method, to listen to Matt talk about how he has to get past his fears is somewhat interesting. To seeing him revisit the places where he encountered those spirits helps build some tension, and for Matt, the anxiety feels real. But no healing process happens overnight. It's a gradual one that, hopefully, the series will explore by following the clients they have introduced and seeing them through the entire process.

Even psychiatrist Dephyne Platner says there is a lot more work ahead of Matt. Both of them acknowledged that more has to be done. What viewers are seeing is that first appointment. Sometimes reasoning is all that's needed to explain what Matt is going through but sadly, that does not get explored. Matt's encounter could have simply been a product of him simply waking up. The perceptual world is still coming into focus but he is not 100% there yet.

With Biography Channel as the network broadcasting this show, this product comes through as slightly more believable. Their other program, "My Ghost Story," which features celebrities recounting their encounters, is a double-edged sword. These are actors who do what they do best, and the question of what viewers want to believe is simply on them. To sate the needs of a more demanding audience looking for some authentic ghost stories, "Paranormal Trauma" is at least getting original.

For paranormal television shows to evolve, it has to move away from the traditional formula of investigation and focus in on the people affected. This potentially new series does a reasonable job in getting viewers to emphathize with the victims. And instead of exploiting them, they are offered treatment that hopefully this program will chronicle instead of leaving off. Eventually, Matt will overcome his fear of the dark, and hopefully understand that his ghostly encounter is simply of his loved ones visiting to simply say, “we are doing okay.”

But for a young child, he is not going to understand that. His fright response is natural. And if the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is indeed fear, as author H.P. Lovecraft wrote, then the most powerful medicine is to have the desire and hope to be healed. Without either of these emotions to motivate individuals to mend themselves with, nobody is going to crawl out of the hole, and that's a message "Paranormal Trauma" nicely delivers.

Overall 6 out of 10.

A preview of the show is available at the Biography Channel website:

Paranormal Trauma Video Preview

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"The Walking Dead" Prepares to Return to Television February 12th: New Clip ("Nebraska")

2012-01-16T07:30:00.000-08:00

The AMC marketing team for "The Walking Dead" is unstoppable as they confirm 16 episodes for Seas. 3. As well, they have debuted a mid-season poster for this undead series seen left. Rick Grimes is again holding his .357 Magnum (Colt Python) warning viewers of the dangers ahead. Also below is the latest clip for the upcoming episode "Nebraska." In the short clip, two new characters appear as Grimes pleads his desperate case. Seas. 2 restarts February 12th and rumours state that the second half of the season will heat up action-wise. Check out the latest on "The Walking Dead" below.

Release Date: February 12th (Episode 8).

Creator: Frank Darabont.

Cast: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, IronE Singleton, Norman Reedus, Melissa Suzanne McBride, Lauren Cohan, and Scott Wilson.

The latest clip for "Nebraska" is here:

More on "The Walking Dead" at the AMC:

The Walking Dead's Homepage

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Columbus Circle Turns One Character into a Recluse and Another into a Killer: First Trailer

2012-01-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

Universal Studios Home Entertainment will release the thriller Columbus Circle on Blu-ray, DVD and other formats March 6th. The film stars Selma Blair as an heiress imprisoned in her apartment to escape the limelight. After she witnesses her neighbour's murder she becomes even more withdrawn. But when new neighbours come knocking Abigail (Blair) is forced to act. Can she stop a new round of violence? Fans of the exciting can find out in just a little bit as Columbus Circle brings a few twists and turns thanks to Kevin Pollack's script. Enjoy the trailer below.

Release Date: March 6, 2012 (Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Download and On Demand).

Director: George Gallo.

Writers: George Gallo, Kevin Pollak.

Cast: Selma Blair, Amy Smart, Jason Lee, Giovanni Ribisi, Kevin Pollak, and Beau Bridges.

A trailer for Columbus Circle is here:

*rated PG-13.

The film's fan page is here:

Columbus Circle's Official Website

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Moonstone Book's "Zombies vs Cheerleaders:" A Graphic Novel Review

2012-01-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

For the people who have missed out in buying Moonstone Book's "Zombies vs Cheerleaders" because of its irregular release schedule, a trade paperback is available. This volume offers plenty of fan-service and teenage angst. The conflict is eternal and these self-contained tales offer up some hilarity and art from a variety of writers and artists.

Most of the standout tales come from issue #2. "Finality," by writer Brandon Jerwa (Battlestar Galactica, GI Joe) with art by Remy Mokhtar ("Phases of the Moon"), offers a thoughtful romantic tale where the last zombie and cheerleader on Earth have made peace. They have to band together to save mankind. Hopefully Jerwa will continue the tale, but in an anthology series that is barely two years old, only time will tell. "A Piece of Work," by series creator Steven L. Frank gives new meaning to the art of being a zombie, and its a tale that some will chuckle at.

Out of all the shorts offered by this regular writer, "Golden Anniversary," is perhaps one that comes out as charmingly enduring. It has a quaint 50’s vibe in both artistic style and storytelling.

While this collection does not include the recent issues #4 and #5, which released in the same month, this collection does have a bonus story and reprints all the front covers so that readers may be interested in buying the collection again. With the New Year, hopefully this series will be back on track with a regular schedule.

Included in the graphic novel edition are the first three issues of the series, the "Geektacular" special (featuring The Three Geeks by creator Rich Koslowski), and the "Flips Out" standalone feature.

"Zombies vs Cheerleaders" at Moonstone Books:

Zombies vs Cheerleader's Details

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CW's "Supernatural" and It's "Time" for Another Time Travel Story: A Television Review

2012-01-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

Director: Phil Sgriccia.

Writer: Robbie Thompson.

Ever since CW’s "Supernatural" decided to toss time-travel into its formula, the episodes have generally been very good. And Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) is often beside himself with glee. He gets to visit eras that he’s very fond of. Last year, the episode “Frontierland” took him to the Wild West and this year it’s “Time After Time After Time” where he ends up in the mid 40’s.

Despite all the time-travelling episodes he’s been in, Dean has yet to learn that everything he sees at the movies is not 100% true. That makes for some great hilarious moments because everyone from the past thinks he has gone bonkers. Nobody talks like that (much) or behaves like how Dean thinks they should.

Not even Eliott Ness (Nicholas Lea, "X-Files") thinks Dean is in the right. But at least they are fellow Hunters. Both of them are chasing after Chronos, the God of Time (Jason Dohring, "Veronica Mars"). It seems he is smitten with a dame from 1944, but in order to walk through time and space, he needs some very powerful batteries, souls, to fuel his time-jumps.

In the present, that has drawn the attention of Sheriff Jodie Mills (Kim Rhodes, "Suite Life of Zack and Cody"). The shriveled up corpses left behind always appears in threes—perhaps a hint with the three sisters of fate coming back. And since the sheriff does not know what is going on, she calls up the boys.

But in trying to catch this time-traveller, Dean made the mistake of leaping into the thick of things and gets swooped back in time.

Mills and Sam Winchester do their best to figure out the date that Dean and Chronos ended up in, and how to bring them back to the future. In the past, Dean gets a new mentor who shares some advice. Ness simply says to Dean that he better enjoy the life he has now because one day, his number will be up. That’s almost suggestive of telling Dean to get out of the Hunting game and resume some normalcy that he once had before season six started. He had a great life with Lisa and Ben Braeden.

Now if that means those two will show up again, that is most likely not going to happen. Both Lisa and Ben had their memories wiped by Castiel, and unless some other godly force appears to restore them, Dean will have to find someone new to fall in love with.

This episode seems very self-contained with Dean getting most of the screen time. Both Ackles and Lea look like they were enjoying themselves on the set originally built for the movie Watchmen. For any red-blooded genre junkie, to go Gangbusters is living a dream come true, especially when audiences see the two behind the wheels of a vintage automobile.

But before the Greek God of Time gets dispatched, he reveals one tiny detail to the story-arc involving the Leviathans. He sees a very dark future for the Winchester brothers. “It's covered in thick black ooze. It's everywhere. They're everywhere. Enjoy oblivion."

By that indication, the brothers are not going to be tossed into the deep blue sea anytime soon. At the rate they are going with dealing with deities who are associated with time, destiny and fate, they might become the news masters of time instead. They will have to if they are to avoid their ordained doom!

Overall: 7 out of 10.

"Supernatural" at the CW:

"Supernatural's" Homepage

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Resurrection County to Release on DVD March 20th through MTI Home Video: DVD Artwork

2012-01-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

MTI Home Video has picked up Matt Zettell's (The Cellar Door) Resurrection County for distribution on DVD March 20th. The film involves several friends travelling through some backwoods. In Enoch, they find an inhospitable welcome and vigilante justice when a small event turns into a bigger and bloodier deal. The DVD artwork is left in blood reds and the release will be sparse on extras, but the trailer promises a few thrills with a town of murderous rednecks. Check this one out on DVD in just a few weeks.

Tagline: "In this town there are no second warnings."

Release Date: March 20th, 2012 (DVD).

Director: Matt Zettell.

Writers: James Cotten and Matt Yeager.

Cast: Dayton Knoll, Adam Huss, Kathryn Michelle, Robert Miano, and Rus Blackwell.

One of the official trailers for the film is here:

*special features: Trailers.

**completed in late 2007 or early 2008.

Source:

Resurrection County at MTI Home Video

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Possessions Debuts a Modern Horror Tale: First Poster

2012-01-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

Greed aka Possessions is a French language thriller being distributed by TF1 International. In the film, a young family travels to a remote cabin for a serene vacation. They were never heard from again. Now, their last moments will be documented in this film from director Eric Guirado. Possessions will premiere in Europe this March with a North American release unsecured. For now, have a look at the film's first poster with release details to come.

Release Date: 2012.

Director: Eric Guirado.

Producers: Thomas Anargyros and Edouard de Vésinne.

Cast: Jérémie Rénier, Julie Depardieu, Little Lili, Lucien Jean-Baptiste and Alexandra Lamy.

Source:

Possessions at TF1 Int.

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Mystery Suspense Thriller Guidestones to Debut Online!

2012-01-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

*launching February 2012

Just what purpose does the Georgia Guidestones serve? To the people who have been to Elbert County in the state of Georgia to see them, what exists there are six granite slabs with inscriptions. Writer and director Jay Ferguson has observed that the writing inscribed on them is very prescriptive. His web series, "Guidestones," will explore possible answers in a 50-episode run.

“They really do seem to offer advice for a 'future' civilization,” says this director. "Perhaps these 'commandments' have come from what the builders presume to be good practices in past civilization building?”

Each episode will have a varying run time from a minute to five each, and, depending on what viewers choose to receive to view, get offered tantalizing clues of the 'truth.' In order to erect this megalithic structure, great planning, labour and cost were required. This series will offer a new delivery device to get users involved the building of good suspense.

“Our initial rollout utilizes a 'push' distribution method, meaning users can enter their email address and have links to the episodes emailed to them in 'real time,'” says Ferguson.

This technique will create an immersive experience allowing viewers to follow along with the characters. The theories are wide and varied. Mankind’s fascination with stone circles is not limited to North America. In the British Isles, they are just as prominent too. Ancient people have been buried there and ancient rites have been practiced on site. Some theorists have alleged that these circles are where ley lines intersect.

“Trust me, once you get within ten miles of the monument, all 'roads' point in only one direction!” says Ferguson.

Director: Jay Ferguson.

Writers: Jay Ferguson & Jeremy Diamond.

Cast: Supinder Wraich, Dan Fox, David Fox, Rosemary Dunsmore, Damir Andrei and Amber Goldfarb.

*total running time: 120mins.

The trailer for the film is here:

Official website (Sign up to watch here):

Guidestones Homepage

The film's fan page:

Guidestones on Facebook

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Hunted by Night and Checking the Watch: A Movie Review

2012-01-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

*full disclosure: a DVD screener of this film was provided by MTI Home Video.

Director/writer: Juan C. Bofill.

Cast: Jencarlos Canela, Al Galvez, Sonya Smith, Seth Gordon and Gabriel Porras.

You do not see many reviews of action thrillers on this site and after Hunted by Night, you will not read many more. This film was developed by stunt coordinator Juan C. Bofill to some very mild affect. A drug drop in the Florida Everglades goes wrong when three hunters intercept the cargo. The next hour and a half is just a cat and mouse interchange with gunfire. This review will serve as a warning: do not rent or buy this film!

Really, the story has already been summed up in the one sentence above. Simply, three hunters see a drug drop by plane and two vote for stealing the illicit merchandise. One is against it and of course this is the hero. He is also the only one to survive out of a cast of twenty or so. Oops, there is a spoiler. There are lots of well choreographed fights, some gunplay and some convoluted discussion of angels. Then, the film finally ends.

"This movie is terrible," "this is a D grade film," "the acting is awful" and "this movie is so bad" were some of the thoughts that went through this film fan's head. And within the first fifteen minutes there are audio level problems. The dialogue from outside locations is indecipherable. Then, once you have turned up the volume, the music booms through the speakers to startling effect. Can we get a competent sound man please? The film does not improve as the film highlights some of the worst acting in recent history. The premise is predictable and really the film is just setting up one action seen after the other. After all, this film was developed by a stunt coordinator, so what would you expect?

Do not expect a quality film in Hunted by Night and expect to walk away mildly angry as the film robs you of an entertaining night. Skip this one once it releases on DVD January 31st. The writing for this film is absent. Bofill's first feature is understandably an experiment and this experiment fails on several levels. Finally, a late message of protective angels ends this film in a laughable and inappropriately light fashion. After witnessing so many people killed, you would think there would be a stronger message than angels protecting mortals. Competent filmmaking this is not.

Overall: 5 out of 10 (audio issues, acting is atrocious, zero writing, most of the actors look like gym junkies).

*this was a painful watch.

**the DVD cover features helicopters, but there are none in the film?

Watch the film's trailer at the Hunted by Night fan page:

Hunted by Night on Facebook

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Caught Inside to Charge North American Shores April 10th on DVD

2012-01-11T13:00:00.000-08:00

Caught Inside is an Australian shot thriller that deals with six surfers on the vacation of their lives. However, some lives will end when a seductive new surfer uses her sexuality to turn rival against rival. Tensions explode April 10th when Screen Media Films releases this movie on North American shores. For those who have not seen the trailer, the clip is hosted below.

Release Date: April 10th, 2012 (DVD).

Director: Adam Blaiklock.

Cast: Ben Oxenbould, Daisy Betts, and Sam Lyndon.

Watch the trailer for Caught Inside here:

*the surfing term "Caught Inside" refers to being caught along the shoreline during an oncoming breaking wave.

More on Caught Inside at Screen Media Films:

Caught Inside at Screen Media Films

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Kill List and the Drums of War: A Movie Review

2012-01-11T07:30:00.000-08:00

Director: Ben Wheatley.

Writers: Ben Wheatley, Amy Jump.

Cast: Neil Maskell, MyAnna Buring, Michael Smiley and Harry Simpson.

One of the greatest flaws in the building of civilization is the human beast. Can we rise from certain primal instincts? Just what kind of atrocities can a man commit on another? With Kill List, several ideas are being mixed into a cocktail. What comes out is a slow reveal of who Jay (Neil Maskell) really is.

After the war in Iraq, he’s returned to civilian life and, true to today’s times for a lower-middle class family, he is struggling to make ends meet. He has a wife and son, and while audiences do not see him as having emotional scars, a good part of the film focuses on exploring his well-being.

The scars simply do not reveal themselves until much later; they are both figurative and real. This movie looks into the Heart of Darkness. Joseph Conrad's book must have been an influence in this product because of how the narrative is broken up. There are three chapters, and each of them delves into what Jay has to confront.

During this film, the individuals Jay has to kill represent more than just a role; they are allegories to vestiges of what man has to attain to achieve culture. Two victims, the Priest and Librarian, are just rungs in the ladder.

But which direction is Jay going? It’s obviously down, and he’s taking his slow time at entering the belly of the beast. His partner, Gal (Michael Smiley) is not really holding this ladder, and his wife, Shel (MyAnna Buring) is a wild card. She’s hardly an angel and might be representative of Eve holding the apple out to Adam. These two most likely met and were engaged during the war, and very little detail is given about their operation in Kiev to reveal how it impacts their civilian life. This trio of actors play well off one another, and when the credits reveal that the entire cast contributed to the dialogue as well, the spontaneity of their contribution comes off as very believable.

Even though that may have been hell for video editor Robin Hill, he did an excellent job of putting the story together. While most of this film was deliberately slow paced, he introduces new elements into the product so the build-up to the Hammer Films style product is not all together surprising. Not many viewers may appreciate that. Either they have finally tasted the sweet spot of that drink, or it’s just sour.

For Jay, only one Spanish proverb comes to mind: "it's the grinding of his teeth that awakes the blacksmith's dog, not the noise of the hammer." In what has awoken in Jay is only a terror that even he cannot fathom. The drums of war are loud.

Overall: 6 out of 10.

The film's homepage is here:

The Kill List Homepage

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