OXENFREE -- Movie Review by Porfle

Sort of a guy flick with feels, OXENFREE (Candy Factory, 2016) takes the cake for not letting on what kind of movie it's going to be at first and then surprising us with something that resembles a cross between LORD OF THE FLIES and "Kick the Can."

It opens at the secluded family cabin where Aaron (Steven Molony) awaits the arrival of his stepbrothers Roy (Paul Vonasek) and Benjamin (Timothy R. Lane).  Aaron clearly suffers from some health difficulty--an oxygen tank is never far from his reach--which he will hide from the others. 

We sense a strained relationship between him and both the burly, somewhat overbearing Roy and the more mild-mannered Benjamin stemming from old childhood hurts that have never healed. 

Their efforts to overcome them are awkward but earnest as they spend an evening around the campfire, relating old stories, tall tales, and memories of Aaron's biological father who adopted the other two boys before he was born.

But just as it appears as though their differences may be irreconcilable, Aaron sets his master plan into motion: to lure them, via a crumbling old map, across the lake and deep into the forest where they once built a makeshift fort and pretended to be heroic adventure characters. 

Roy and Benjamin arrive at the site of Fort Buttkicker, now rebuilt by Aaron and ready for action, and find themselves gradually drawn back into the world of make-believe that once captivated them.

That's when OXENFREE becomes an odd, almost surreal world of super-soakers, slingshots, war paint, imaginary battles, and random cosplay in which these three grown men gradually surrender themselves to a totally immersive childhood fantasy that brings them together, free from the constraints of adulthood and the outside world.

Director Dan Glaser (PINCHING PENNY, PETTY CRIMES) and a lean script by Timothy J. Meyer handle all of this well, without actually getting overly cute or silly with the idea. 

And neither do they pile on the maudlin sentiment when the brothers suddenly face the harsh reality behind their wild-child weekend and are forced to come clean with each other about old family grievances and other pressing matters.

Any more I dare not reveal, save to say that I found OXENFREE much more thoughtful, contemplative, and evocative than I originally expected.  Which is probably just the way Roy and Benjamin feel after this strangely liberating excursion into childhood abandon which Aaron has in store for them.  And us.

OXENFREE -- Movie Review by Porfle

“#FOCUSFRIDAYS” on Facebook Live -- Free Live-Streaming of Classic Focus Feature Movies on Friday Nights in Aug. & Sept.

“#FOCUSFRIDAYS” ON FACEBOOK LIVE

FREE LIVE-STREAMING OF CLASSIC FOCUS FEATURES MOVIES
ON FRIDAY NIGHTS IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER
CONTINUES CELEBRATION OF COMPANY’S 15th ANNIVERSARY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOS ANGELES, August 24, 2017 – A trio of film favorites from Focus Features will be streamed on Facebook Live over the next three Friday nights in August and September. #FocusFridays will take place each Friday night on the Focus Features Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/FocusFeatures/ beginning @6:00 PM PT. Promotional video can be viewed here.

The lineup of classic movies is as follows:
 
Friday, August 25th: The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) won the Academy Award for Best Original Song (“Al Otro Lado del Río”). Following an inspiring journey of self-discovery and tracing the youthful origins of a revolutionary heart, the Latin American continent is unveiled in all its glory as two friends experience life at its fullest.
 
Friday, September 1st: The Constant Gardener (2005) sweeps audiences along one man’s emotional and global journey to uncover the truth behind a personal loss and a worldwide conspiracy. For her performance opposite Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz won the Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globe, and Academy Award.
 
Friday, September 8th: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) earned Golden Globe Award nominations for its stars Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, in an unforgettable love story, a tumultuous relationship seen through a maze of memories. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

#FocusFridays is the latest celebration part of Focus 15 (www.focusfifteen.com), the initiative commemorating the founding 15 years ago of worldwide film company Focus Features, whose films have garnered 105 Academy Award nominations and won 21 Oscars. Film buffs and movie fans can sign up at Focus Insider for invites to retrospective screenings, limited-edition soundtracks and posters giveaways, and all Focus 15 updates through www.focusfeatures.com/subscribe.
 

Focus Features (www.focusfeatures.com) acquires and produces specialty films for the global market, and holds a library of iconic movies from fearless filmmakers. Current and upcoming domestic releases from Focus include Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled, winner of the Best Director award at the 2017 Cannes International Film Festival; the breakneck action-thriller Atomic Blonde, directed by David Leitch and starring Charlize Theron and James McAvoy; Victoria & Abdul, directed by Stephen Frears and starring Judi Dench as Queen Victoria; Darkest Hour, directed by Joe Wright and starring Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill; the untitled Entebbe project, a gripping political thriller directed by José Padilha and starring Rosamund Pike and Daniel Brühl; Jason Reitman’s new comedy Tully, starring Charlize Theron and written by Diablo Cody; and the untitled new film from Paul Thomas Anderson starring Daniel Day-Lewis.

Focus Features is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

“#FOCUSFRIDAYS” on Facebook Live -- Free Live-Streaming of Classic Focus Feature Movies on Friday Nights in Aug. & Sept.

STAR WARS Fans Invited to "Find the Force" As Unprecedented Augmented Reality Event Sweeps the Globe for Force Friday II

Star Wars Fans Invited to “Find the Force” As Unprecedented Augmented Reality Event Sweeps the Globe for

Force Friday II

Fans to reveal a new Star Wars: The Last Jedi character via social media

New product line for Star Wars: The Last Jedi launches globally at 12:01 AM September 1

More than 20,000 retail locations worldwide will become home to augmented reality Star Wars characters from September 1-3

GLENDALE, Calif. (August 24, 2017) –  Following the global phenomenon of Force Friday in 2015, Disney and Lucasfilm today announced Find the Force, a global augmented reality (AR) event rolling out on Force Friday II (September 1) to commemorate the worldwide launch of new products inspired by Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

The pop-up AR treasure hunt aims to unite fans around the world in the battle against the dark side in a unique three-day event at over 20,000 retail locations across 30 countries. As fans turn up to take home new Star Wars: The Last Jedi products, they will have the opportunity to activate a unique augmented reality experience featuring Star Wars characters, including fan-favorites and new surprise additions from the film.

“Force Friday II is a major milestone in the countdown to Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Star Wars has always championed new technology, and we are excited that augmented reality will allow fans to experience the universe in a whole new way,” says Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm.

From September 1-3, retailers around the world will invite fans to Find the Force by taking part in an AR treasure hunt. Here’s how it works: first, download the Star Wars App, which is your one-stop-shop for all things Star Wars (those who already have the app will need to download the latest version).

Then, visit any one of 20,000 participating retail locations to find a graphic that contains the Find the Force logo. When you scan the graphic using the Star Wars App, you’ll reveal a character, who through augmented reality, will appear in the room with you. You can then take photos, record videos, and share the experience on social media. Come back each day to reveal new characters
(15 in total across the program’s three-day run). Click here for more information: www.starwars.com/findtheforce. 

“Force Friday II puts fans right at the center of the action using augmented reality to bring our characters to life like never before. The technology theme continues in the Star Wars: The Last Jedi product line, which is our most innovative yet - we can’t wait for fans to see what’s in store.” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media.

Fans can download the latest version of the Star Wars App (v. 2.3 or higher) beginning Aug. 24 for an early look at the new Porg characters in AR before the AR treasure hunt goes live at retail.

By sharing photos or videos featuring the in-store AR characters on Twitter or Instagram using #FindtheForce and #Sweepstakes throughout Force Friday II weekend, fans in select global markets can participate in a sweepstakes for the chance to win the ultimate fan experience: tickets to the Star Wars: The Last Jedi premiere in December.

No Purchase Necessary. Enter sweepstakes between August 31, 2017 at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”)/3:00 p.m. British Summer Time (“BST”) and September 4, 2017 at 2:59 a.m. PT/10:59 a.m. BST. Open to legal residents in 50 U.S. + D.C., Canada (excluding Quebec), Australia, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, France, South Korea and Chile who are 18+ or the age of majority in their place of residence, whichever is older. Limit 15 entries per person. There is 1 Grand Prize available to be won (ARV: US $4,500). Grand Prize winner must travel to Los Angeles, California USA on or about December 12, 2017. Visit starwars.com/findtheforce. for Official Rules including details on how to enter, additional eligibility requirements, prize descriptions and limitations. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: The Walt Disney Company (Australia) Pty. Limited, Level 5, Chapel Street, South Yarra, Victoria 3141, Australia.

More information about Find the Force and a how-to video is available at www.starwars.com/findtheforce.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in U.S. theaters on December 15, 2017.

About Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media
Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media (DCPI) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) that brings our Company’s stories and characters to life through innovative and engaging physical products and digital experiences across more than 100 categories, from toys and t-shirts, to apps, books and console games. DCPI comprises four main lines of business: Global Licensing, Disney Retail, Publishing and Digital Media, and Games, Apps, and Labs. The segment is home to world-class teams of app and game developers, licensing and retail experts, a leading retail business (Disney Store), artists and storytellers, and technologists who inspire imaginations and bring the magic of Disney into the daily lives of families and fans around the world.

About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company’s activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.

STAR WARS Fans Invited to "Find the Force" As Unprecedented Augmented Reality Event Sweeps the Globe for Force Friday II

Strap in for Takeshi Kitano's Explosive Cinematic Masterpiece "HANA-BI" on Blu-ray 9/19 for the Very First Time!

"Frequently surprising... sure to keep an audience on its toes." -- Janet Maslin, The New York Times

"Bracing and original... a personal film that speaks to everyone." -- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

THIS SEPTEMBER, STRAP IN FOR THE HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED RELEASE OF TAKESHI KITANO'S NEWLY-RESTORED CINEMATIC MASTERPIECE, AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NORTH AMERICA

"HANA-BI (FIREWORKS)"

Winner of 19 International Awards, Including the Prestigious Golden Lion for Best Film at the Venice Int'l Film Festival, The Exclusive Collector's Release from Film Movement Classics Includes Commentary from Rolling Stone Film Critic David Fear, a "Making of Hana-Bi" Featurette and a Collector's Book

Beautifully Restored in HD, This Highly Original Crime Drama Will be Available on Blu-ray ($39.95srp) and DVD ($29.95srp) on September 19, 2017

SYNOPSIS
Feeling responsible for the shattered lives of his loved ones, beleaguered police detective Nishi (Takeshi Kitano, Ghost in the Shell, Brother, Violent Cop, Boiling Point) takes desperate measures to try and set things right in a world gone wrong. With his wife suffering from leukemia and his partner paralyzed from a brutal gangster attack, Nishi borrows money from a yakuza loan shark and then robs a bank to clear his debt.  The yakuza, however, are not so easily bought off, sending Nishi down a road paved with nihilism and violence. Considered Kitano's first true cinematic masterpiece, HANA-BI demonstrates the auteur's immense talents both in front of and behind the camera.

Available for the first time on Blu-ray in North America, this new digital HD restoration from Film Movement Classics offers cinema buffs a singular viewing experience of the film that Entertainment Weekly calls a "rich and visually beautiful work that, for all its stylized violence, manages to convey stillness, sweetness, and affecting emotional depth."

WATCH THE TRAILER

BONUS FEATURES
Commentary by Rolling Stone Film Critic David Fear
"Making-of Hana-bi" featurette
Collector's booklet featuring a new essay from film writer Jasper Sharp

CAST
Takeshi Kitano (as Yoshitaka Nishi)
Ren Osugi (as Horibe)
Kayoko Kishimoto (Nishi's wife)
Susumu Terajima (as Nakamura)
Tetsu Watanabe (as Junkyard Owner)

AWARDS
Awards of the Japanese Academy (1999) - Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Music Score
Blue Ribbon Awards (1999) - Best Film, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director
Camerimage (1998) - Silver Frog (Hideo Yamamoto)
European Film Awards (1997) - Screen International Award
Film Critics Circle of Australia (1997) - Best Foreign Language Film
French Syndicate of Cinema Critics (1998) Best Foreign Film
Grand Prix de I'UCC (1999)
Hochi Film Award (1998) - Best Film, Best Supporting Actor
Kinema Junpo Awards (1999) - Best Film, Reader's Choice Award/Best Film
Mainichi Film Concours (1999) - Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography
Nikkan Sports Film Award - Ishihara Yujiro Award, Best Supporting Actor
Russian Guild of Film Critics (1999) - Best Foreign Actor
São Paulo International Film Festival (1997) - Critics' Award
Venice Film Festival (1997) - Golden Lion for Best Film
Yokohama Film Festival (1999) - Best Supporting Actor

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Type:  Blu-ray/DVD
Running Time: 103 mins. + extras
Rating:  N/A
Genre:  Crime/Drama
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio:  Stereo
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles

About Film Movement
Celebrating its 15th year, Film Movement is a North American distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films based in New York City.  Film Movement has released more than 250 feature films and shorts culled from prestigious film festivals worldwide, and last year it had its first Academy Award-nominated film, Naji Abu Nowar's THEEB. Film Movement's theatrical distribution strategy has evolved to include promising American independent films, documentaries, and an even stronger slate of foreign art house titles.  Its catalog includes titles by directors such as Hirokazu Kore-eda, Maren Ade, Jessica Hausner, Andrei Konchalovsky, Andrzej Wajda, Diane Kurys, Ciro Guerra and Melanie Laurent. In 2015, Film Movement launched its reissue label Film Movement Classics, featuring new restorations released theatrically as well as on Blu-ray and DVD, including films by such noted directors as Eric Rohmer, Peter Greenaway, Bille August, Marleen Gorris, Takeshi Kitano, Arturo Ripstein, and Ettore Scola. For more information, please visit www.filmmovement.com

Strap in for Takeshi Kitano's Explosive Cinematic Masterpiece "HANA-BI" on Blu-ray 9/19 for the Very First Time!

This week: Frightfest Premiere of "MINDHACK" with Spencer Locke (TARZAN), Faran Tahir (IRON MAN), Chris Mason (BETWEEN TWO WORLDS)

HAS YOUR MIND BEEN HACKED?
FILM MODE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES THE FRIGHTFEST PREMIERE OF
"MINDHACK"
 
New sci-fi thriller featuring amazing special F/X delves deep into the controversial, chilling and terrifying world of bio-hacking starring SPENCER LOCKE (TARZAN), FARAN TAHIR (IRON MAN), SCOTT MECHLOWICZ (DEMONIC) and CHRIS MASON (BETWEEN TWO WORLDS)
   
LONDON (22, August 2017) – Film Mode Entertainment is pleased to announce the 2017 FRIGHTFEST Premiere of Sci-Fi Thriller MINDHACK: #savetheworld. The film stars Spencer Locke (TARZAN), Faran Tahir (IRON MAN), Scott Mechlowicz (DEMONIC) and Chris Mason (BETWEEN TWO WORLDS) and is commercial director Royce Gorsuch’s feature directorial debut.

”We were blown away by the originality and timeliness of Royce’s directorial debut.  This is one of the most creative and commercially relevant films in the marketplace that knows exactly who its audience is; Millennials and Gen Z” Said Clay Epstein, President of Film Mode Entertainment.

MINDHACK: #savetheworld is an action-packed sci-fi thriller about a brilliant scientist on a mission to hack into the human mind in order to save humanity from its own catastrophic errors. Once he begins work on the controversial project, there is no stopping him as he is pushed to do whatever is necessary to accomplish his mission.

The film comes at an extremely poignant and timely juncture where hacking has taken the world by storm, from governments and other sources hacking into the systems of their adversaries to actual mind hacking incidents throughout the Silicon Valley and elsewhere throughout the world. Major news outlets including The Telegraph, Yahoo News and others have been reporting on how scientists have discovered how to upload knowledge to the human brain. Additionally, there is scientific evidence noted in articles in these media outlets and many more that “mind-hacking” has been going on since ancient Egypt.

Never in the history of the human race has there been such rampant hacking.
"This film was born from the exponentially evolving technological world we now live in and tells the paradoxical story of a generation who can currently change the world from their computers, and in the future will change the world by enhancing the power of the human mind. It was incredible to see the cast not only grasp these far reaching concepts of the film, but bring it to life with incredibly thrilling and emotionally charged performances. We assembled a team of geniuses to execute film, and we are thrilled to now partner with Clay Epstein and his team of geniuses for its release." Said Gorsuch.


                                          MINDHACK trailer

Screening info at FRIGHTFEST 2017


FRIGHTFEST reported on MINDHACK: A brilliant scientist is on a mission to hack the human mind to save humanity from its own catastrophic errors and is pushed to do whatever is necessary to complete the assignment. An extraordinary visionary experience about the inner conflicts of being a culture-jamming creator, director Royce Gorsuch’s kaleidoscopic mindbender is an astonishingly visual tour de force about the cacophony of voices in our heads pushing us, confusing us, mixing signals, the ego, reason, and the mistaken evils which might come from accomplishing the goal.  An inner space odyssey through reconciliation, forgiveness and self-sacrifice for the greater good.

The film was produced by VIX PROD. CO.

Royce Gorsuch is represented by Matt Shichtman at The Gotham Group

Spencer Locke is represented by Paradigm, Faran Tahir by Greene & Associates, Scott Mechlowicz also by Greene & Associates, Chris Mason by 3 Arts / UTA / United Agents UK, Gbenga Akinnagbe by APA and Brandon Scott by Innovative Artists.

Clay Epstein’s Film Mode Entertainment is representing worldwide rights on MINDHACK: #savetheworld.

Lon Haber & Co is handling PR for the film, and for Film Mode Entertainment.

About Film Mode Entertainment
Film Mode Entertainment is a leading worldwide sales agent and production entity, focusing on commercially driven feature films of all genres and budget sizes. Film Mode represents projects at all stages of the filmmaking process, often as Executive Producer, with the aim of helping our producers and distributors achieve maximum exposure for their films. Film Mode’s recent successes include SUGAR MOUNTAIN starring Jason Momoa, LITTLE PINK HOUSE starring two time, Academy Award nominatee, Catherine Keener and the SXSW official entry, THE GOOD NEIGHBOR starring the legendary Academy Award nominee James Caan. Upcoming productions include VIKING DESTINY starring Academy Award nominee Terence Stamp. In 2017, Film Mode launched DocMode to focus on award winning Documentaries that impact the world. Film Mode is based in Beverly Hills, CA. with a satellite office in New York City.

This week: Frightfest Premiere of "MINDHACK" with Spencer Locke (TARZAN), Faran Tahir (IRON MAN), Chris Mason (BETWEEN TWO WORLDS)

One Woman Must Face Her Fears In This Movie Poster and Clip for Walter Moise's "THE DOCUMENTARY"

A Young Woman Finds Out What Really Scares Her in THE DOCUMENTARY Releasing from Terror Films

LOS ANGELES, CA (August 21, 2017) - Terror Films is set to release THE DOCUMENTARY onto digital platforms this Tuesday, August 22. The film was written and directed by Walter Moise (producer/editor of the award winning sci-fi indie Counter Clockwise).  The cast is comprised of Tristin Rupp, Jake B. Miller, and Aaron Bowden. The film’s official artwork and trailer are available now.

Through a found footage aesthetic, the story follows Sandra Novak (Rupp) who has agreed to be the subject of a documentary film. The documentary deals with “conquering fear.” Unbeknownst to her, the filmmaker that has chosen her may have ulterior motives as he infiltrates her home and begins to gather information to sabotage her relationship and her life.

Moise has something to say of the filmmaking process. Moise has said: “I was trying to capture the closest thing to actual reality. I shot the whole film in chronological order and chose not to write a script but a treatment that the actors would improvise.”  Moise also says that he has derived inspiration from the works of Michael Haenke and Stanley Kubrick.

In their ongoing effort to bring the best and most diverse indie horror content to the masses, Terror Films will release this film across multiple digital platforms. Platforms include:  iTunes, Amazon Instant/Prime, Vudu, Google Play/You Tube, X-Box Live and many others.  The release begins with North America and will be followed by a worldwide digital release on iFlix.

THE DOCUMENTARY Official Trailer

THE DOCUMENTARY clip “You told me about a fear…”

For more information on Terror Films, visit: www.terrorfilms.net
And here: www.facebook.com/TerrorFilmsLLC/

One Woman Must Face Her Fears In This Movie Poster and Clip for Walter Moise's "THE DOCUMENTARY"

THE ERRAND BOY -- Movie Review by Porfle

THE ERRAND BOY (1961) recalls the previous year's THE BELLBOY in that we find writer-director-star Jerry Lewis shooting a low-budget black-and-white feature which is simply a plotless series of gags set in one location (in THE BELLBOY it was a busy Miami Beach hotel, while this takes place in and around a bustling movie studio).

There's a semblance of plot involving studio head Brian Donlevy and his obsequious toady, played with verve by Howard McNear (Floyd the barber from "The Andy Griffith Show") but it's just an excuse to give Lewis the run of the place once again, packing each scene with as many imaginative gags as he can devise

Jerry is helped in this task by an excellent cast that also includes Stanley "Cyrano Jones" Adams, Kathleen Freeman, Doodles Weaver, Sig Ruman, Fritz Feld, Iris Adrian, and some surprise guest stars.

Much of it is as laugh-out-loud funny as you'd expect, while the rest is rather hit-and-miss. Jerry, of course, disrupts the orderly filmmaking process at every turn, at one point dubbing his own ear-splitting vocals into a lovely young actress' song interlude and elsewhere attempting to eat a quiet sidewalk lunch on the set of a war film.

The usual bathos occurs when the errand boy befriends some cute little puppets which come to life for him in a dusty storeroom--it's in these moments that Lewis tries too hard to be charming when we really want him to keep making with the funny.

This he does in one of his most celebrated sequences, in which he pretends to be the chairman of the board non-verbally chewing out his underlings while broadly pantomiming the instruments in a blaring big band tune. For this scene alone THE ERRAND BOY is well worth a look for Lewis fans, but it has so much more to offer as well including a raucous, slapstick finale.

THE ERRAND BOY -- Movie Review by Porfle

Olive Films Announces August 2017 DVD & Blu-ray Releases

COMING IN August 2017
ON DVD & BLU-RAY

From OLIVE FILMS

Olive Films is proud to announce the following August 2017 releases:

The Wedding Banquet (1993) - DVD/BD
Hell Up In Harlem (1973) - DVD/BD
Flipper Season 1 (1964 - 1965) - DVD/BD
Flipper Season 2 (1965 - 1966) - DVD/BD
The Stranger (1946) - DVD/BD
The Island Of Dr. Moreau (1977) - DVD
Dracula In Vegas (1999) - DVD
Spirits Of The Somme (2012) - DVD

-------------

FIRST TIME ON
BLU-RAY!

US+CANADA
PREBOOK:        8/22/17
STREET:            8/29/17

THE WEDDING BANQUET
DVD
CAT:                 OF1356
UPC:       887090135610
SRP:                 $19.95

THE WEDDING BANQUET
BD       
CAT:                 OF1357
UPC:       887090135719
SRP:                 $29.95
THE WEDDING BANQUET
MITCHELL LICHTENSTEIN
(Flawless, Streamers, Kangaroo Man)
WINSTON CHAO
(Eat Drink Man Woman, Island of Greed, Intimates)
MAY CHIN
(Woman Soup, Magic Sword, May Jane)
SIHUNG LUNG
(Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Eat Drink Man Woman; Pushing Hands)
AH-LEH GUA
(Eat Drink Man Woman, Intimates, Fleeing by Night)

Directed by
ANG LEE (Brokeback Mountain; Life of Pi; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

Ang Lee, the two-time Academy Award winner for Best Director (Brokeback Mountain – 2006, Life of Pi – 2013) co-wrote, directed and makes a cameo appearance in the comedy-with-heart The Wedding Banquet.

YEAR: 1993
GENRE: DRAMA
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH and MANDARIN (with optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 107 mins
RATING: R
VIDEO: 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio; COLOR
AUDIO: MONO

EXTRAS
Trailer
“A Forbidden Passion” Featurette

Ang Lee (Life of Pi) directs this heartwarming comedy about a young gay man who, in order to placate his traditional parents, must hide his “secret” and marry in The Wedding Banquet.

Gay couple Wai-Tung (Winston Chao, Eat Drink Man Woman) and Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein, Streamers) are happily cohabitating in New York when word comes from Wai-Tung’s parents, who, tired of waiting for their son to marry and give them grandchildren, have hired a dating service to get him closer to the altar. Wai-Tung and Simon hatch a plot that’ll see Wai-Tung married to Wei-Wei (May Chin, Woman Soup), an acquaintance in need of her green card. Problem solved. That is, until Wai-Tung’s parents announce a visit and insist that a customary wedding banquet is given to atone for the less-than-spectacular city hall marriage ceremony. And there’s another surprise. Could there soon be the pitter patter of little feet?

The Wedding Banquet, written for the screen by Ang Lee, Neil Peng and James Schamus, brings together an eclectic cast of American and Asian actors including Sihung Lung and Ah-Leh Gua, who would both appear in Ang Lee’s follow-up film, Eat Drink Man Woman.

-------------

FIRST TIME ON
BLU-RAY!

US+CANADA
PREBOOK:        8/22/17
STREET:            8/29/17

HELL UP IN HARLEM       DVD     
CAT:                 OF1360
UPC:       887090136013
SRP:                 $19.95

HELL UP IN HARLEM       BD       
CAT:                 OF1361
UPC:       887090136112
SRP:                 $29.95
HELL UP IN HARLEM
FRED WILLIAMSON
(Black Caesar; Hammer; Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon)
JULIUS W. HARRIS
(King Kong, Live and Let Die, Super Fly)
GLORIA HENDRY
(Black Caesar, Live and Let Die, Black Belt Jones)
MARGARET AVERY
(The Color Purple, Magnum Force, TV’s Being Mary Jane)
D’URVILLE MARTIN
(Black Caesar, Rosemary’s Baby, Dolemite)
TONY KING
(Shaft, Bucktown, The Toy)
GERALD GORDON
(One Man’s Way, Patty Hearst, The Judas Project)
BOBBY RAMSEN
(God Told Me To, It Lives Again, Nobody’s Perfekt)

Directed by
LARRY COHEN
(Special Effects, Black Caesar, It’s Alive)

Writer and director Larry Cohen’s ability to move smoothly between genres (Special Effects, It’s Alive, God Told Me To, Original Gangstas) is on full display in the blaxploitation film Hell Up in Harlem, starring Fred Williamson.

YEAR: 1973
GENRE: ACTION, DRAMA
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH (with optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 95 mins
RATING: R
VIDEO: 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio; COLOR
AUDIO: MONO

EXTRAS
NEW audio commentary with director Larry Cohen, moderated by Steve Mitchell, director of the upcoming documentary King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen.


He’s alive!?!

Fred Williamson (Black Caesar) returns as the Godfather of Harlem in director Larry Cohen’s sequel to the blaxploitation hit Black Caesar.

Recovering from an onslaught of bullets that would have killed a lesser man, Tommy Gibbs is out for revenge against DiAngelo (Gerald Gordon, One Man’s Way), a sleazy New York District Attorney with mob ties who set up the hit-gone-wrong. Tommy, with the aid of his father, Papa Gibbs (Julius W. Harris, Super Fly) is soon on the mend and putting his Harlem empire back on track. But there’s a catch. Could Tommy’s near-death experience have changed the man who was once called the “Overlord of the Underworld”? Is redemption stronger than temptation? All will be revealed in the action-packed sequel to Black Caesar featuring Gloria Hendry (reprising her role as Helen in Black Caesar), Margaret Avery (The Color Purple), D’Urville Martin (the returning Reverend Rufus of Black Caesar), Tony King (Shaft) and Bobby Ramsen (God Told Me To). Written, produced and directed by Larry Cohen (Black Caesar, Special Effects), Hell Up in Harlem is a Samuel Z. Arkoff presentation featuring a musical score by Fonce Mizell and Freddie Perren with songs performed by Edwin Starr.

-------------

FIRST TIME ON
BLU-RAY!

US+CANADA
PREBOOK:        8/22/17
STREET:            8/29/17

FLIPPER SEASON 1        DVD     
CAT:                 OF1362
UPC:       887090136211
SRP:                 $34.95

FLIPPER SEASON 1        BD       
CAT:                 OF1363
UPC:       887090136310
SRP:                 $39.95
FLIPPER SEASON 1
BRIAN KELLY
(Around the World Under the Sea, TV’s Straightaway, TV’s 21 Beacon Street)
LUKE HALPIN
(Island of the Lost, Shock Waves, Nobody’s Perfekt)
TOMMY NORDEN
(Five Miles to Midnight, TV’s Search for Tomorrow, TV’s Naked City)

Flipper, created by Ricou Browning and Jack Cowden and shepherded to the small screen by Ivan Tors, the veteran producer of the TV classics Sea Hunt, Science Fiction Theatre and Daktari, featured one of the catchiest theme songs (written by William “By” Dunham and Henry Vars) ever composed for television.

YEAR: 1964-1965
GENRE: DRAMA
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH (with optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME:  780 mins
RATING: N/R
VIDEO: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; COLOR
AUDIO: MONO


No one you see, is smarter than he! They call him Flipper …

The classic TV series Flipper, starring Brian Kelly (Around the World Under the Sea) as Porter Ricks, Chief Warden and Park Ranger at Coral Key Park and Marine Preserve, comes to DVD and Blu-ray in a beautiful new presentation that captures the pristine aquatic Florida backdrop in all its glory. Ricks, along with his two young sons Sandy (Luke Halpin, Island of the Lost) and Bud (Tommy Norden, Five Miles to Midnight) share weekly adventures aided by Flipper, their friend and pet, a highly intellectual and daring dolphin adept at protecting the preserve and sleuthing out unsavory characters.

Throughout its three-season run (1964 through 1967), Flipper featured a galaxy of guest stars including Burt Reynolds (Shark), John Kerr (South Pacific), Jessica Walter (Play Misty for Me), Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now), Barbara Feldon (TV’s Get Smart), David Soul (TV’s Starsky and Hutch), Bo Svenson (Heartbreak Ridge), Huntz Hall (The Bowery Boys), Daniel J. Travanti (TV’s Hill Street Blues), Marshall Thompson (It! The Terror from Beyond Space), Julie Sommars (TV’s Matlock), Pat Henning (On the Waterfront), Denise Nickerson (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory), John Castle (Blow-Up), Michael Conrad (TV’s Hill Street Blues), Aline Towne (The Invisible Monster), John Abbott (Gigi), Jon Cypher (TV’s Major Dad), Karen Steele (Marty), Andy Devine (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), Wende Wagner (Rosemary’s Baby), Jean-Pierre Aumont (Day for Night), and Gloria DeHaven (Summer Stock).

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FIRST TIME ON
BLU-RAY!

US+CANADA
PREBOOK:        8/22/17
STREET:            8/29/17

FLIPPER SEASON 2        DVD     
CAT:                 OF1365
UPC:       887090136518
SRP:                 $34.95

FLIPPER SEASON 2        BD       
CAT:                 OF1366
UPC:       887090136617
SRP:                 $39.95
FLIPPER SEASON 2

BRIAN KELLY
(Around the World Under the Sea, TV’s Straightaway, TV’s 21 Beacon Street)
LUKE HALPIN
(Island of the Lost, Shock Waves, Nobody’s Perfekt)
TOMMY NORDEN
(Five Miles to Midnight, TV’s Search for Tomorrow, TV’s Naked City)

Flipper, created by Ricou Browning and Jack Cowden and shepherded to the small screen by Ivan Tors, the veteran producer of the TV classics Sea Hunt, Science Fiction Theatre and Daktari, featured one of the catchiest theme songs (written by William “By” Dunham and Henry Vars) ever composed for television.

YEAR: 1965-1966
GENRE: DRAMA
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH (with optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME:  780 mins
RATING: N/R
VIDEO: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; Color
AUDIO: MONO


No one you see, is smarter than he! They call him Flipper …

The classic TV series Flipper, starring Brian Kelly (Around the World Under the Sea) as Porter Ricks, Chief Warden and Park Ranger at Coral Key Park and Marine Preserve, comes to DVD and Blu-ray in a beautiful new presentation that captures the pristine aquatic Florida backdrop in all its glory. Ricks, along with his two young sons Sandy (Luke Halpin, Island of the Lost) and Bud (Tommy Norden, Five Miles to Midnight) share weekly adventures aided by Flipper, their friend and pet, a highly intellectual and daring dolphin adept at protecting the preserve and sleuthing out unsavory characters.

Throughout its three-season run (1964 through 1967), Flipper featured a galaxy of guest stars including Burt Reynolds (Shark), John Kerr (South Pacific), Jessica Walter (Play Misty for Me), Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now), Barbara Feldon (TV’s Get Smart), David Soul (TV’s Starsky and Hutch), Bo Svenson (Heartbreak Ridge), Huntz Hall (The Bowery Boys), Daniel J. Travanti (TV’s Hill Street Blues), Marshall Thompson (It! The Terror from Beyond Space), Julie Sommars (TV’s Matlock), Pat Henning (On the Waterfront), Denise Nickerson (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory), John Castle (Blow-Up), Michael Conrad (TV’s Hill Street Blues), Aline Towne (The Invisible Monster), John Abbott (Gigi), Jon Cypher (TV’s Major Dad), Karen Steele (Marty), Andy Devine (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), Wende Wagner (Rosemary’s Baby), Jean-Pierre Aumont (Day for Night), and Gloria DeHaven (Summer Stock).

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US+CANADA
PREBOOK:        8/22/17
STREET:            8/29/17

THE STRANGER DVD
CAT:                 OF1367
UPC:       887090136716
SRP:                 $19.95

THE STRANGER BD       
CAT:                 OF1368
UPC:       887090136815
SRP:                 $29.95
THE STRANGER
ORSON WELLES
(Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil, Chimes at Midnight)
LORETTA YOUNG
(The Bishop’s Wife, Come to the Stable, The Farmer’s Daughter)
EDWARD G. ROBINSON
(A Hole in the Head, Key Largo, Double Indemnity)
RICHARD LONG
(The Dark Mirror, House on Haunted Hill, TV’s The Big Valley)

Directed by
ORSON WELLES
(Citizen Kane, Macbeth, Touch of Evil)

Academy Award winner Orson Welles (Best Screenplay, Citizen Kane) directs and stars in the thought-provoking noir The Stranger. Starring alongside Welles are Loretta Young (Academy Award winner for Best Actress, The Farmer’s Daughter – 1948) and Edward G. Robinson (Double Indemnity) in a film photographed by Academy Award winning cinematographer Russell Metty (Spartacus – 1961) from a story by Victor Trivas (Academy Award nominee for Best Writing, Original Story – 1947).


YEAR: 1946
GENRE: DRAMA
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH (optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 95 mins
RATING: N/R
VIDEO:  1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; B&W
AUDIO: MONO

EXTRAS
New audio commentary by Nora Fiore
“The Stranger: Murderers Among Us” – essay by Dr. Jennifer Lynde Barker


The Stranger, Orson Welles’ fourth outing as director, is a tautly paced noir that features Welles as Franz Kindler, a Nazi on the run who, posing as Professor Charles Rankin, insinuates himself into the town of Harper, Connecticut. Unbeknownst to Mary Longstreet (Loretta Young, The Bishop’s Wife), now married to Kindler, her husband’s past is quickly catching up with him when Mr. Wilson of the United Nations War Crimes Commission (embodied by Key Largo’s Edward G. Robinson) closes in on the sleepy hamlet.

The Stranger stands the test of time with its use of noir tropes, Russell Metty’s (Touch of Evil) chiaroscuro black & white photography and the bold decision to incorporate footage of actual Nazi atrocities into its plot to moving effect. With this striking new edition of The Stranger, Welles fans and film aficionados alike will fall under its spell.

The Stranger, directed by and starring Orson Welles (Citizen Kane) from a screenplay by Anthony Veiller, adapted by Victor Trivas (Academy Award nominee for Best Writing, Original Story, The Stranger - 1947) and Decla Dunning from a story by Trivas with uncredited contributions by Welles and John Huston, features supporting performances by Richard Long (The Dark Mirror), Philip Merivale (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), Konstantin Shayne (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty) and Byron Keith (Journey Into Light).

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US+CANADA
PREBOOK:       8/22/17
STREET:          8/29/17

THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU        DVD   
CAT:                 OF1371
UPC:       887090137119
SRP:                 $19.95
THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU
BURT LANCASTER
(Elmer Gantry, Atlantic City, 1900)
MICHAEL YORK
(Cabaret, The Three Musketeers, Logan’s Run)
BARBARA CARRERA
(Embryo, Lone Wolf McQuade, Never Say Never Again)
RICHARD BASEHART
(TV’s Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Moby Dick, La Strada)
NIGEL DAVENPORT
(Phase IV, Chariots of Fire, A Man for All Seasons)

Directed by
DON TAYLOR
(Damien: Omen II, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, The Final Countdown)

With a total of four Academy Award nominations under his belt for Best Actor (including a win for his performance as Elmer Gantry – 1961), Burt Lancaster stars as the twisted genius Dr. Paul Moreau in The Island of Dr. Moreau, based on the novel by H.G. Wells.
 

YEAR: 1977
GENRE: HORROR
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH (with optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 99 mins
RATING: PG
VIDEO:  1.85:1 Aspect Ratio; COLOR
AUDIO: MONO

EXTRAS
New audio commentary with Jeff Belanger and Dr. Dreck
“The Island of Doctor Moreau as Theological Grotesque” – essay by Gorman Beauchamp

The Island of Dr. Moreau, based on the H.G. Wells novel, stars Academy Award winner Burt Lancaster (Best Actor, Elmer Gantry – 1961) as the titular doctor in this screen adaptation that also features Michael York (Cabaret) and Barbara Carrera (Never Say Never Again).

Following a shipwreck, crewman Andrew Braddock (York) washes up on a mysterious island ruled by the seemingly benevolent Dr. Moreau (Lancaster). Braddock will learn that this “man of science” has been testing a serum on the island animals which is able to transform them into near-human beings.  As the deranged doctor slips ever closer to insanity, Braddock’s plans to escape the island along with Maria (Carrera), another of the doctor’s guests, is thwarted at every turn. Has Braddock’s discovery come too late? And at what cost?

Rounding out the cast in this top-notch horror film are Nigel Davenport (Phase IV) as Montgomery, Dr. Moreau’s right-hand man, and Richard Basehart (TV’s Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) as the island’s Sayer of the Law.

The Island of Dr. Moreau, directed by Don Taylor (Damien: Omen II) from a screenplay by Al Ramrus and John Herman Shaner (based on the novel by H.G. Wells), is photographed by Gerry Fisher (Fedora, Don Giovanni) and features a score by Academy Award nominee Laurence Rosenthal (Becket – 1965, Man of La Mancha – 1973).

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FIRST TIME ON
DVD!

US+CANADA
PREBOOK:       8/22/17
STREET:          8/29/17

DRACULA IN VEGAS       DVD     
CAT:                 ME036
UPC:       887090703604
SRP:                 $19.95
DRACULA IN VEGAS
MAXIMILLIAN GRABINGER
APRIL LEIGH
FLORA MYERS (Death Nurse, Death Nurse 2, Criminally Insane 2)
SAM GARTNER

Directed by
NICK MILLARD (Death Nurse, Death Nurse 2, Cemetery Sisters)

Cemetery Sisters director Nick Millard returns to fertile ground with the coming-of-age vampire comedy Dracula in Vegas.


YEAR: 1999
GENRE: HORROR
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH (with optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 62 mins
RATING: N/R
VIDEO:  1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; COLOR
AUDIO: MONO

EXTRAS
Audio commentary with director Nick Millard, Irmi Millard, and Slasher // Video’s Jesus Terán
Interview with director Nick Millard and Producer Irmi Millard
Photo Gallery
Trailer


Dracula in Vegas … and necking will never be the same.

It’s Auf wiedersehen, Germany. Hello, Las Vegas when young vampire Max (Munich’s very own Maximillian Grabinger) makes the University of Nevada his college of choice. Not only does the school offer great academic corpses, er, courses, the campus is teeming with beautiful young ladies and an ample blood supply.

But when Max falls for gorgeous coed Christine, his love for her and a desire to settle down comes under the scrutiny of his parents, nosferatu with a more traditional vampire ethos. Maybe Max’s Uncle Felonious, a director of “art” films (who espouses the cinematic philosophies of Hitchcock and Rossellini) will put him on the straight and narrow.

But don’t be fooled: Dracula in Vegas is not a bleak, Bergmanesque view of the undead. It offers thrills & chills, and laughs & gasps in equal measure, along with some awesome fang work.

Dracula in Vegas, the vampire film with bite, is written and directed by Nick Millard (Cemetery Sisters) and produced by Flora Myers (aka Frances Millard).

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FIRST TIME ON
DVD!

US+CANADA
PREBOOK:       8/22/17
STREET:          8/29/17

SPIRITS OF THE SOMME        DVD          
CAT:                 OF1364
UPC:       887090136419
SRP:                 $14.95

SPIRITS OF THE SOMME
Directed by
BOB CARRUTHERS


YEAR: 2012
GENRE: DOCUMENTARY
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH (with optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME:  52 mins
RATING: N/R
VIDEO: 1.78:1 and 1.33 Aspect Ratios; COLOR and B&W
AUDIO: MONO


The first day on the Somme, one of the darkest periods of World War I, is chronicled in the emotionally charged documentary Spirits of the Somme. Bob Carruthers, the Emmy Award winning writer of Dinosaurs Myths & Reality (1995), explores the battle that left 60,000 British casualties in its wake on the fields of Somme in France on July 1, 1916. Utilizing rare footage and archival photographs to tell its story, Spirits of the Somme is a gripping tale of the British, French and German soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Great War and the monumental efforts made by archivists, historians and the public alike to ensure that this piece of history is not forgotten.

Spirits of the Somme, produced and directed by Bob Carruthers, features on-camera commentary by Jeremy Banning, Peter Barton and Simon Jones of La Boisselle Study Group and Richard Dunning, Custodian of Lochnagar Crater, and is edited by Paula Badham with Clare Gambold and Gwilym Davies serving as executive producers.

Olive Films Announces August 2017 DVD & Blu-ray Releases

HOLY CELEBRATION BATMAN! Walla Walla to Honor Actor and Favorite Son ADAM WEST!

HOLY CELEBRATION BATMAN! WALLA WALLA TO HONOR ACTOR AND FAVORITE SON ADAM WEST WITH DAY OF FESTIVITIES ON SEPT. 19

‘Adam West Day’ includes screening of West documentary, Bat Signal lighting, Q&A panels, music, food, and more

(WALLA WALLA, Wash.) — Quick, to Walla Walla to honor legendary actor Adam West. Walla Walla is celebrating the life of its favorite son on Tuesday, Sept. 19 — known the world over as Batman and later the voice of Mayor Adam West on the show The Family Guy — in a way that only West’s hometown can.

Held on West’s birthday, as proclaimed in June by the City of Walla Walla, “Adam West Day” will include a day full of festivities. The event includes a showing of West documentary “Starring Adam West”, a Q&A panel, music, food, contests, an official lighting of the Bat Signal, activities for kids, and much more.

Adam West died on June 9 in Los Angeles, but his Walla Walla roots run deep. He was born in 1928 in Walla Walla as William West Anderson. He grew up in what was then a tiny southeastern Washington farming community, before moving to Seattle at age 15. After graduating from high school, though, he returned to Walla Walla and graduated from Whitman College.

In 1959, he changed his name to Adam West and began his acting career, famously portraying Batman in the 1960s television version of the comic book hero. Though he moved away from Walla Walla, he returned frequently throughout his life. And it seems most every longtime Walla Walla resident has a personal Adam West story to share.

“Adam West is beloved in Walla Walla like few others, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that he was Walla Walla’s favorite son,” said Ron Williams, executive director of Visit Walla Walla. “So it is only natural for the entire community to honor his life together. And in a way that befits the moniker, ‘The town so nice they named it twice,’ Walla Walla is inviting his fans from near and far to come join us in the celebration.”

Walla Walla, the unofficial capital of Washington wine country with more than 120 wineries, knows how to throw a party. The Adam West Day events include:

--Q&A panel at The Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center in downtown Walla Walla with Ruben Procopio, an American animation and comic book artist, animator, and sculptor, who West once called his personal sculptor.
--A showing of the documentary “Starring Adam West” at the Gesa Power House Theatre in downtown Walla Walla.
--Official lighting of the Bat Signal in the evening.
--Live music and kids activities in the downtown Walla Walla Plaza.
--The Adam West Experience, a joint effort of downtown Walla Walla businesses. Each
participating  business will display a bat sticker that indicates its     involvement, which could     include a special, a giveaway, or a drink or food item named in West’s honor. An award will be given to the three downtown   businesses wit the best decorations.

“This is a community joining together to honor someone who they love and that the residents of this city are quite proud of,” said Jonathan Grant, front office manager at the Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center and a co-organizer of the event.  “Frankly, it is something we should have done years ago, but I am excited that we are doing it now.”

All net proceeds from the event will be donated to Camp Rainbow, a camp based in Idaho for children who are either cancer survivors or are undergoing treatment for blood-related cancer diseases. West was a supporter of the camp.

For more information on planning a trip to Walla Walla, go to visitwallawalla.com. For more details on Adam West Day, visit www.adamwestday.com.

About Walla Walla:
As the unofficial capital of Washington wine country, Walla Walla is home to more than 120 wineries, a nationally recognized culinary scene, access to an abundance of outdoor recreation, and an arts & entertainment scene that rivals cities many times its size. This community of just over 30,000 residents is known for many things, including its friendliness and hospitality, the quality of its wine, and of course the famous Walla Walla Sweet Onion. An easy and scenic four-hour drive from Seattle, Portland, or Boise, Walla Walla can also be accessed via Alaska Airlines daily non-stop flights from Seattle. For more information and to begin planning a trip to Walla Walla, visit www.visitwallawalla.com.

Read our review of BATMAN: THE MOVIE

HOLY CELEBRATION BATMAN! Walla Walla to Honor Actor and Favorite Son ADAM WEST!

"OPEN WATER 3: CAGE DIVE" -- In Theaters, On Demand and on Digital HD TODAY

OPEN WATER 3: CAGE DIVE
LIONSGATE

Genre:    Thriller 
Rating: R for language and some bloody images.
U.S. Release Date:  August 11, 2017 (In Theaters, On Demand and on Digital HD)
Run Time:   80 minutes

Cast: Joel Hogan (Jeff Miller), Josh Potthoff (Josh Miller), Megan Peta Hill (Megan Murphy), Pete Valley (Greg)

SYNOPSIS
In this intense thriller, three friends from California head to the rugged Australian coast for a cage-dive encounter with deadly Great Whites. But after attracting a swarm of vicious sharks, their tour boat is destroyed by a massive rogue wave.

As clouds gather and darkness descends, the three friends find themselves alone and defenseless, afloat in the chilly ocean as hungry man-eaters begin to circle. With little hope of rescue, they must fight to survive using only their courage.

Directed by:  Gerald Rascionato

Written by:  Gerald Rascionato

Story by:  Gerald Rascionato
 Stephen Lister

Produced by:  Gerald Rascionato
 Antoine Mouawad
 Charles M. Barsamian
 Rana Joy Glickman

Co-Produced by:  Andre Stamatakakos

Executive Produced by:  Tony Rascionato
 Paul Adams
 Wilma Adams
 Pete Valley
 Marcel Mouawad
 John Mouawad
 Jacob H. Gray
 Robert Lambert
 Michael Favelle
 Herb Ankrom

Cinematography by:  Gerald Rascionato
 Andy Bambach

Production Design by: Angela Rascionato
 MacPherson Downs

Edited by:  Gerald Rascionato
 Antoine Mouawad
 Andre Stamatakakos

Casting by:  Gerald Rascionato
 Stephen Lister

Just One More Productions presents, in association with Odlin’s Eye Entertainment, a Gerald Rascionato Film.

"OPEN WATER 3: CAGE DIVE" -- In Theaters, On Demand and on Digital HD TODAY

FACE 2 FACE -- Movie Review by Porfle

So, when seriocomic cyber-drama FACE 2 FACE (2016) started out as two childhood friends reuniting online after many years, with the whole thing taking place on their webcams and iPhones and the dialogue all fluffy and cutesy and coy, I thought I was in for an ordeal of unendurable boredom. 

Thankfully, however, it gets better as we get to know these initially shallow characters--he, a lonely, friendless gamer nerd named Teel (Daniel Amerman, COLLEGE MUSICAL, "Arrested Development"), and she, an outgoing bundle of teen energy named Madison (Daniela Bobadilla, TEXAS HEART, MOTHERS OF THE BRIDE)--who eventually get to know one another well enough to suss out each other's weak points, insecurities, etc. and try to fix them.

For her, it means getting Teel to admit he's a friendless gamer nerd and do wild things like joining Facebook and auditioning for parts in school plays even though his mom wants him to be a jock.  For him, it means helping her appreciate her natural qualities and identifying various behavioral traits and social interactions that are in serious need of a tune-up.

It threatens to be a feature-length meet-cute at first, which much of the early section pretty much is.  But little by little, things start to get more serious, and that's when Teel and Madison begin to delve into one another's lives in depth.  Not surprisingly, this also makes the story that much more fun and involving for us.

In fact, FACE 2 FACE reaches a point somewhere along the way where we stop noticing the whole "found footage"-esque premise so much and just start following the story.

Director and co-writer (with brother Aaron) Matthew Toronto helps open things up as much as possible by switching to mobile cams now and then to catch outside action such as Teel getting beaten up by school thugs or Madison having way too much "fun" at wild parties to over-compensate for serious troubles in her personal life. 

There are a couple of plot twists to spice things up, one of which should come as no surprise to absolutely anyone (except Madison, who obviously isn't as perceptive as we thought), and another which I did find rather startling.  Both contribute greatly to giving the story a depth and gravitas that the initial scenes don't hint at, setting us up for the big finish. 

Of course, we're left to wonder if Teel and Madison would hit it off romantically if not separated by thousands of miles and limited only to contact in the digital realm.  This question, as you probably guessed, will be answered sooner or later, in somewhat predictable but still satisfying fashion. 

Performances by the leads are quite good.  Then again, they'd have to be in order for these two actors to carry the entire film with nothing but their faces and voices for much of the running time.  Mary Gordon Murray shows up a few times as Teel's overbearing mother, and we see various boyfriends and girlfriends here and there, but most of the other characters are fleeting background figures. 

FACE 2 FACE restricts itself to an unwieldy format from the start and then does its best to make it engaging and cinematic for us.  It succeeds to a pleasing degree, mainly because the lead characters and their stories have a way of growing on us until we actually care what happens to them next.

TECH SPECS:

Type: DVD/Digital HD

Running Time: 88 min.

Rating: N/A

Genre: Drama

Aspect Ratio: 1.85

Audio: 5.1 Surround Sound

Release Date: August 15

FACE 2 FACE -- Movie Review by Porfle

"30 YEARS OF GARBAGE: THE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS STORY" -- Documentary In Theaters Aug. and DVD/VOD Sept.

30 Years of Garbage: The Garbage Pail Kids Story
“From Counter-culture to Candy Culture”

West Hollywood, California (Tuesday, August 8th) - Indican Pictures is set to release the pivotal documentary on the Garbage Pail Kids. Titled 30 Years of Garbage: The Garbage Pail Kids Story, this documentary revisits the artists, who made these collectibles famous. Showing a rare glimpse into the corporate culture of Topps as they launched Garbage Pail Kids through the height of the cards fame, the downfall from the legal battle with the Cabbage Patch kids and their untimely demise.

The film is jam packed with interviews of over a half dozen artists. Each artist penned these counter-culture trading cards and each artist gives you the inside story of why these cards poked fun at: the collectibles’ movement, the 80’s culture of greed and gave kids a unique piece of historical fun. Details on the film’s theatrical and home entertainment launch are available here.

This documentary interviews actors from the ‘80s film, Garbage Pail Kids the Movie (1987). Interviews take place with: Mackenzie Astin, Debbie Lee Carrington and others. It also includes interviews with Pulitzer-prize winning novelist Art Spiegelman, Pumpkinhead screenwriter Gary Gerani, comic book artists Tom Bunk and John Pound. It even includes an interview with TV producer Adam F. Goldberg (creator of the Goldbergs TV Series).

Many of the artists from the original series are revisited, for their take on what made these cards so popular. The film also includes collectors, of the cards, who share their nostalgic memories and collections with the world, in this one-of-a-kind documentary. All of these people and more give their take on what made The Garbage Pail Kids so famous, such a worldwide sensation.

30 Years of Garbage: The Garbage Pail Kids Story hits theatres this summer in select cities. Indican Pictures will launch this title in several theatres, starting August 18th and continuing throughout the month of August and September. On 9/20/17, 30 Years of Garbage: The Garbage Pail Kids Story will show in front of an even larger audience as the film is launched nationwide, throughout the United States. All of the release details on this artistic movement and the collectors are hosted here.

The trailer for: https://vimeo.com/228398601

The film’s official synopsis: In the 1980′s some eclectic underground cartoonists parodied a popular doll craze (whose name cannot be spoken…). The resulting pop culture commercial trading cards/stickers tapped into an international zeitgeist that was brewing in a young generation who felt that this product spoke to the revulsion they had for the corporate junk that was being fed to them. Learn the truth behind the myth of The Garbage Pail Kids, the lawsuit that ensued and the resulting iconic status!

Release Date: August, 2017 (U.S., Limited Theatrical) and September 20th, 2017 (VOD/DVD).

Director/writer: Jeff Zapata, Joe Simko.

Interviewees: Art Spiegelman, John Pound, James Warhola, Adam F. Goldberg, Tom Bunk, Jay Lynch, Mark Newgarden, Gary Gerani, Len Brown, Mackenzie Astin, Debbie Lee Carrington, Arturo Gil.

More film details at Indican: http://bit.ly/2flLdAX

The film’s homepage: https://www.30yearsofgarbage.com/

About Indican Pictures

Indican Pictures acquires and distributes feature films to a broad range of entertainment outlets by providing a diverse selection of movies across: theatrical, home video, TV, VOD, PPV and streaming platforms.

"30 YEARS OF GARBAGE: THE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS STORY" -- Documentary In Theaters Aug. and DVD/VOD Sept.

"DEATH FIGHTER" -- Action-packed Thriller With Don "The Dragon" Wilson Now Out On DVD & VOD in the USA

ACTION-PACKED THRILLER MOVIE “DEATH FIGHTER” OUT NOW ON DVD & VOD IN THE USA

Los Angeles, CA – The all new action-packed thriller movie DEATH FIGHTER is now available on DVD and VOD in the USA, courtesy of Vision Films!

Starring Don “The Dragon” Wilson (“The Martial Arts Kid,” “Stealing Harvard”), Joe Lewis (“Jaguar Lives!,” “Force: Five”), Matt Mullins (“Straight Outta Compton,” “Divergent”) and Cynthia Rothrock (“Showdown in Manila “Sci-Fighter”), DEATH FIGHTER follows a young American cop with a bounty on his head. He teams up with a rage-filled ex-military outcast to avenge his slain mentor’s death. His mission proves a hard and dangerous one when he finds himself in a head-to-head showdown with one of the most notorious and ruthless criminals in the country.

Watch the Trailer:

DEATH FIGHTER was written by Lawrence Riggins and directed by Toby Russell. Kazu Patrick Tang is the Action Director and Stunt Coordinator. Tang has previously choreographed action scenes with Jackie Chan, Orlando Bloom and Jason Statham, among others. Karen Kaing.

Karen Kaing says:

“Making a film is like building a home. I was very excited to work with the talented cast. Joe Lewis was one of Bruce Lee’s students and Don Wilson has won 11 championships." 

Vision Films’ Managing Director/ CEO, Lise Romanoff says:

“The revenge plot, non-stop action and kickass authentic fight scenes in DEATH FIGHTER gives a modern spin on classic martial arts films. Fans of the genre won’t want to miss this one!”

DEATH FIGHTER is out now on DVD and VOD in the USA.

About Vision Films
Vision Films is an Independent Worldwide Distributor and VOD Aggregator of over 800 Feature Films, Documentaries and Music Programs from some of the most prolific independent film producers in the world.  Led by Lise Romanoff, Managing Director/CEO Worldwide Distribution, Vision Films releases 2-4 films a month through Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and manages all the windows between Theatrical, DVD, VOD and Television.

"DEATH FIGHTER" -- Action-packed Thriller With Don "The Dragon" Wilson Now Out On DVD & VOD in the USA

Phillip Noyce to Direct World War II Thriller "THE DEVIL'S BRIGADE"

PHILLIP NOYCE TO DIRECT WORLD WAR II THRILLER “THE DEVIL'S BRIGADE”

Foresight Unlimited to Handle International Sales with Principal Photography Commencing at the End of This Year

LOS ANGELES (August 9, 2017) — Foresight Unlimited has announced that Phillip Noyce (Salt, The Giver, The Bone Collector) has been tapped to direct The Devil’s Brigade. Moshe Diamant will produce the World War II action-thriller, and Foresight Unlimited will handle international sales. Principal photography is set to begin at the end of this year in France, with casting currently underway. 

The Devil’s Brigade tells the true story of how Davie Berman, the only Jewish member of the Luciano mob, is requested by the U.S. military to help turn the tide of events against the Germans in Italy. In organizing a team of Sicilian Cosa Nostra to work with the Americans, he almost single-handedly drives the Germans out of the southern region of Italy, and returns to America as a decorated hero.

Australian-born Noyce is known for his work across various action-dramas, most notably he directed Academy Award Nominated Salt starring Angelina Jolie and Liev Schreiber for Colombia Pictures. His previous work also includes the box-office smash hits Clear And Present Danger and Patriot Games, Collector also starring Jolie and Denzel Washington for Universal Pictures, and the critically acclaimed Rabbit-Proof Fence and The Quiet American.

Noyce is currently in production on TV drama series “Reside” starring Emily VanCamp and Matt Czurchry. He most recently completed crime-thriller Above Suspicion for Bold Films starring Emilia Clarke, Thora Birch and Jack Huston.

Noyce is represented by WME, Cameron Creswell Agency, and Fireman Entertainment.

Foresight Unlimited is currently in production on Todd Robinson’s The Last Full Measure, with an all-star cast led by Sebastian Stan, Christopher Plummer, William Hurt, Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris, Peter Fonda, and Amy Madigan. The Foresight slate also includes: Rob Cohen’s The Hurricane Heist, starring Toby Kebbell and Maggie Grace; Michael Mailer’s Blind, starring Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin; and the $130M sci-fi epic Inversion.

ABOUT FORESIGHT UNLIMITED
Foresight Unlimited is one of the industry’s leading independent film production, sales, and distribution companies.  With a pioneering entertainment career spanning over 50 years, CEO, Mark Damon is considered to be one of the leading authorities on international film financing, distribution and marketing strategies as well as being a successful independent producer. The company’s management group is helmed by President Tamara Birkemoe who oversees all aspects of the company’s slate.

Phillip Noyce to Direct World War II Thriller "THE DEVIL'S BRIGADE"

"JUSTICE" -- Revenge Has a New Name in Latest Western From Universal

JUSTICE

Release Date: 10/17/2017 
Theatrical Release: 9/15/2017

Synopsis: It's 1868 and the Civil War has been over for three years. An old, abandoned mine is now being transformed into a military stronghold by a corrupt mayor and a band of bloodthirsty outlaws hell-bent on reigniting the war.

When a U.S. Marshal comes to town only to find out that his brother, the town priest, has been murdered, his search for the killer leads to an inevitable clash that becomes a life or death struggle for a much greater cause.

Blu-ray Widescreen (61188189) : Disc 1 (Side A): Justice
 Format: Blu-ray
 UPC: 1-9132-90183-3-0
 Unit Type: Standard
 Number of Media: 1
 Street Date: 10/17/2017 11:38:00 AM
 Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 33 Minutes
 Language: English
 Disc Type: BD-50 (Single Sided)
 Packaging: Snap Case
 Layers: Single
 Audio:English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
 Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian, Latin Spanish
 Picture: Widescreen
 Version: Blu-ray + Digital
 Rating: R
 Bonus Features: • Digital Copy of Justice

DVD Widescreen (61188190) : Disc 1 (Side A): Justice
 Format: DVD
 UPC: 1-9132-90183-4-7
 Unit Type: Standard
 Number of Media: 1
 Street Date: 10/17/2017 11:38:00 AM
 Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 33 Minutes
 Language: English
 Disc Type: DVD-9 (Single Sided)
 Packaging: Snap Case
 Layers: Single
 Audio:English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
 Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian, Latin Spanish
 Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen
 Rating: R
 

"JUSTICE" -- Revenge Has a New Name in Latest Western From Universal

MGM's "DEATH WISH" With Bruce Willis -- See the Trailer Now

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's
DEATH WISH

RELEASE DATE: November 22, 2017
GENRE: Action- Thriller
DIRECTOR: Eli Roth

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures presents director Eli Roth's reimagining of the classic 1974 revenge thriller Death Wish. Dr. Paul Kersey (Bruce Willis) is a surgeon who only sees the aftermath of Chicago violence when it is rushed into his ER - until his wife (Elisabeth Shue) and college-age daughter (Camila Morrone) are viciously attacked in their suburban home. With the police overloaded with crimes, Paul, burning for revenge, hunts his family's assailants to deliver justice. As the anonymous slayings of criminals grabs the media's attention, the city wonders if this deadlyvigilante is a guardian angel or a grim reaper. Fury and fate collide in the intense, action-thrillerDeath Wish.

Paul Kersey becomes a divided person: A man who saves lives, and a man who takes them; a husband and father trying to take care of his family, and a shadowy figure fighting Chicago crime; a surgeon extracting bullets from suspects' bodies, and the vigilante called "The Grim Reaper" who detectives are quickly closing in on.

Updated from the original novel by Brian Garfield, director Eli Roth  and screenwriter Joe Carnahan's (The Grey, Narc) Death Wish also stars Vincent D'Onofrio (The Magnificent Seven, TV's Daredeviland Law & Order: Criminal Intent), Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas), Camila Morrone, Dean Norris (Breaking Bad) and Kimberly Elise (The Great Debaters). It's a knife's-edge portrayal that challenges our assumptions, and pushes our buttons.

By bringing the complex psychology of Brian Garfield's book up-to-the-moment and injecting new thrills and a stark, unflinchinglook at the American psyche in 2017, Eli Roth and Death Wish brings audiences to the height of unforgettable suspense.

A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures production, Death Wish is set for release on November 22, 2017. It will be distributed in the U.S. by APR and internationally by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. Death Wish stars Bruce Willis, Vincent D'Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Camila Morrone, Dean Norris, Kimberly Elise. Directed by Eli Roth.Screenplay by Joe Carnahan, based on the 1974 Motion Picture by Wendell Mayes from the Novel by Brian Garfield. Producer, Roger Birnbaum. Associate Producer, Stephen J. Eads. Executive Producer, Ilona Herzberg. Director of Photography, Rogier Stoffers.Edited by Mark Goldblatt. Music by Ludwig Göransson. Production Design by Paul Kirby. Costume Design by Mary Jane Fort.

SCREENPLAY: Joe Carnahan, based on a novel by Brian Garfield
PRODUCER: Roger Birnbaum
CAST: Bruce Willis, Vincent D'Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Camila Morrone, Dean Norris and Kimberly Elise

DEATH WISH Official Channels
Website: http://deathwish.movie/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeathWishFilm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeathWishMovie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DeathWishMovie

MGM's "DEATH WISH" With Bruce Willis -- See the Trailer Now