If you took GROUNDHOG DAY, removed the comedy, and replaced Bill Murray with a young couple whose relationship is on its last legs and in need of some serious revising, you'd have something like the romantic drama LIFE OF SIGNIFICANT SOIL (2016).
Charlotte Bydwell is Addison, an aspiring dancer whose aspirations have dissolved into the malaise that is her relationship with Conor (Alexis Mouyiaris), an irresponsible, self-centered manchild who takes her for granted.
Con wants the stability of his life with Add, while maintaining a steady sex life with Jackie (Anna Jack), a ditzy blonde who lives in the apartment downstairs and has a sad unrequited love for him.
The GROUNDHOG DAY premise kicks in when Con and Add start reliving the same day over and over again, beginning with their air-conditioner conking out every morning and Add finding out, via a home testing kit, that she's pregnant.
Eventually they catch on to what's happening--even, in one of the more interesting scenes, visiting a doctor to find out if there's some medical cause--and, after accepting it as a fact, discover it to both accentuate the things that are wrong between them and also give them a chance to work them out.
Unfortunately, Con's irresponsibility and Add's dissatisfaction present seemingly insurmountable obstacles for their continued coexistence, with Add repeatedly trying to leave him while he begs her to stay.
Regardless of what they do, however--including Add getting an illicit abortion and then waking up later to find Con missing and presumed in bed with Jackie again--everything resets itself in the morning (including her pregnancy) and the same day must be played out yet again with varying results.
Writer/director Michael Irish, in his feature debut, gives the direction and photography a sort of artsy hand-held casualness that fits the low-key material. LIFE OF SIGNIFICANT SOIL isn't a comedy, although it has its sadly amusing aspects, nor does it veer into heavy drama, though sadly dramatic it often is.
Instead, there's a sort of resigned existentialism and wistfully meta melancholy running through the story, during which the characters engage in much introspection and contemplation of their lot in life. Add, especially, yearns for something more, yet is continually reticent to leave the dependant Con and venture into the unknown.
All of this must sound like chick-flick hell to some, yet LIFE OF SIGNIFICANT SOIL is surprisingly watchable and engaging if you settle into it just right. While the ending doesn't exactly blow the doors off the place, it's just oddly effective enough to leave me a bit wistful and contemplative myself.
“Prison Break” Event Series Arrives on Blu-ray and DVD June 27
“Prison Break” returns as a special event series with its most adrenaline-fueled storyline ever! Although he was buried seven years ago, pictures from a Yemen prison reveal that Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) may still be alive, which sends shock waves through everyone he knows.
Determined to rescue his brother, Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) enlists C-Note’s (Rockmond Dunbar) help. Meanwhile, Michael’s wife Sara (Sarah Wayne Callies) has remarried. And even if this biggest break-out yet is possible, is Michael the same man he was?
Also starring Robert Knepper and Amaury Nolasco, this action-packed series has more plot twists than ever. Catch all nine explosive episodes here, along with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the event series.
Additionally fans can pickup the “Prison Break” Collector’s Set Blu-ray featuring all five seasons chronicling Michael and Lincoln’s entire journey.
“Prison Break” Event Series Blu-ray & DVD Special Features Include ⦁ A Return Home: The Making of “Prison Break” Event Series “Prison Break” Collector’s Set Blu-ray Special Features Include ⦁ Seasons One through Four and Event Series ⦁ Audio Commentaries ⦁ Alternate / Deleted Scenes ⦁ Making of “Prison Break” ⦁ If These Walls Could Speak ⦁ Beyond the Ink ⦁ Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes & Interviews ⦁ The Plan, The Execution and The Bullet ⦁ Director’s World ⦁ Fade Out: The Final Episode “Prison Break” Event Series Disc Specifications Street Date: June 27, 2017 Prebook Date: May 24, 2017 Screen Format: Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: English DTS-HD-MA 5.1 (Blu-ray) English 5.1 DD (DVD) Subtitles: English / French / Spanish (Blu-ray & DVD) Total Run Time: Approximately 390 minutes Rating: TV-14 Closed Captioned: Yes
“Prison Break” Collector’s Set Blu-ray Disc Specifications Street Date: June 27, 2017 Prebook Date: May 24, 2017 Screen Format: Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: English DTS-HD-MA 5.1 (Blu-ray) Subtitles: English / French / Spanish (Blu-ray) Total Run Time: Approximately 3844 minutes Rating: TV-14 Closed Captioned: Yes ABOUT TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film. TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions as well as all third party distribution partners on DVD, Blu-ray™, 4K Ultra HD, Digital HD, and VOD (video-on-demand). Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets and digital stores throughout the world.
DAVID BOWIE & TREVOR JONES’ ICONIC LABYRINTH SOUNDTRACK TO BE RELEASED ON SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION COLORED VINYL PRESSINGS ON AUGUST 4 VIA UMe
1500 COPIES EACH OF GREEN & LAVENDER VINYL ONLY AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT UDISCOVER
HIGH QUALITY 120-GRAM BLACK VINYL RECEIVING SECOND PRESSING DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND
Los Angeles – June 27, 2017 – David Bowie and Trevor Jones’ iconic soundtrack to Jim Henson’s mesmerizing and enduring fantasy classic, Labyrinth, will be released on limited edition green and lavender vinyl on August 4 via UMe. Limited to 1500 copies of each worldwide, the special colored vinyl variants are available exclusively at UDiscover and now available for pre-order. Additionally, a second pressing of the album on high quality 120gm black vinyl will be made available the same day due to popular demand following the incredible response from the album’s release on May 12, which marked the first time the album has been released on vinyl since its original 1986 release. Long out of print, the album was remastered at Capitol Studios and includes the faithfully replicated original jacket and artwork, including the original EMI America logo and the printed inner sleeve featuring photos of Bowie from the film. Pre-order Labyrinth here: https://UMe.lnk.to/LabyrinthLP
Praised by film critics and moviegoers alike for its astonishing imagery and distinct characters, Labyrinth has been celebrated for being wildly ahead of its time. Directed by Jim Henson and executive produced by George Lucas, the film, which stars David Bowie as Jareth, The Goblin King, is full of memorable creatures brought to life by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™, working closely with acclaimed artist and conceptual designer Brian Froud.
In a 1986 interview with Movieline, Bowie recalled his first meeting with Henson to discuss the film: "Jim Henson set up a meeting with me while I was doing my 1983 tour in the States, and he outlined the basic concept for Labyrinth and showed me some of Brian Froud's artwork. I'd always wanted to be involved in the music-writing aspect of a movie that would appeal to children of all ages, as well as everyone else, and I must say that Jim gave me a completely free hand with it. The script itself was terribly amusing without being vicious or spiteful or bloody, and it also had a lot more heart than many other special effects movies. So I was pretty well hooked from the beginning.”
Described by The Atlantic as “101 minutes of Bowie rock opera and Hensonian spectacle,” Labyrinth was the second major soundtrack that Bowie worked on, falling between his 16th and 17th studio albums, Tonight and Never Let Me Down. He wrote and recorded five original songs for the film, including "Underground,” “As The World Falls Down” and “Magic Dance” with its famous oft-repeated opening: “You remind me of the babe/What babe? The babe with the power/What power? The power of voodoo/Who do? You do/Do what? Remind me of the babe.” All songs were performed by Bowie except “Chilly Down” which was sung by Charles Augins, Richard Bodkin, Kevin Clash, and Danny John-Jules, the actors who voiced the ‘Firey' creatures in the film. In the aforementioned interview with Movieline around the film and soundtrack’s release, Bowie revealed an obstacle he encountered while recording. “With ‘Dance Magic’ - the song for Jareth and the baby, sung by them and the goblins in the castle throne room - I had problems,” Bowie explained. “The baby I used in the recording studios couldn’t, or wouldn’t, put more than two gurgles together, so I ended up doing the baby-gurgle chorus myself! It’s an up-tempo song, and visually exciting.”
The 12-track soundtrack is rounded out with Trevor Jones’ memorable score. The synth-based instrumentals, described by All Music Guide as “synthesizers blended cautiously into orchestral ensembles to provide a suitably ethereal tone,” represent pivotal moments from the film and include “Into the Labyrinth,” “Sarah” “Hallucination,” “The Goblin Battle,” “Thirteen O'Clock” and “Home at Last.” Jones and Henson previously worked together on the live action fantasy classic, “The Dark Crystal.”
Labyrinth celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and the film and soundtrack have only grown in popularity since its release on June 27, 1986. Last year, a newly restored 4K version of the movie was released back in theaters with a limited engagement theatrical run in the United States giving fans the opportunity to see it back on the big screen. On September 20th, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray, next-generation 4K Ultra HD™, and as a multi-format 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition complete with unique “mirrorbox” packaging that included a mini replica of the film’s climactic and iconic final scene. All versions include a host of all-new bonus content and a gorgeous 24-page Digibook filled with rare photos and a look behind the scenes.
LABYRINTH OST TRACK LISTING
SIDE 1 1. Opening Titles Including Underground 2. Into The Labyrinth 3. Magic Dance 4. Sarah 5. Chilly Down 6. Hallucination
SIDE 2 1. As The World Falls Down 2. The Goblin Battle 3. Within You 4. Thirteen O’Clock 5. Home At Last 6. Underground
Matt Sconce's Altar Arrives on Digital HD Found Footage Festival Hit Now Available on All Platforms
"a found footage film well worth watching" --Found Footage Critic
Los Angeles, CA-- Movie Heroes Studios has partnered with Distribber for the nationwide VOD release of Matt Sconce's Altar. A group of old friends take a trip down memory lane in the Sierra Nevadas which ends in a bloody fight for survival.
Since its premiere at the Northern Virginia International Film Festival, Altar has picked up almost two dozen awards on the festival circuit, including 4 for Best Feature, 2 Best Actress Awards for Stefanie Estes and 2 for Best Director. After a limited theatrical release, Altar is now available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, PlayStation Network, and on Hulu as of July 1st.
Sconce (Stricken) directed from a script he penned. Stefanie Estes, Jesse Parr, Brittany Falardeau, Deep Rai, Jessica Strand and Tim Parrish star as the unfortunate group of former classmates.
Altar is the terrifying story of a group of college classmates who get lost driving to a reunion campout in the Sierra Nevada mountains. After stopping for the night, they stumble onto something darker and must escape the evil they've unleashed. Not only are their lives in danger, but their immortal souls as well.
JACKIE CHAN IN "THE FOREIGNER" In Theatres October 13, 2017
The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan, is a timely action thriller from the director of "Casino Royale."
The film tells the story of humble London businessman Quan (Chan), whose long-buried past erupts in a revenge-fueled vendetta when the only person left for him to love -- his teenage daughter -- is taken from him in a senseless act of politically-motivated terrorism.
In his relentless search for the identity of the terrorists, Quan is forced into a cat-and-mouse conflict with a British government official (Brosnan), whose own past may hold clues to the identities of the elusive killers.
A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO SNUFF (2016) is like comedy-revenge porn for all the poor, hapless victims--especially the pretty girls--who were snuffed in torture porn flicks over the years. The catch: the killers are just pretending this time, but the victim doesn't know that. And when she gets away...
The pretend-killers are aspiring (and perspiring) actors Dresden and Dominic, brothers from the sticks who just can't catch a break in Hollywood. In desperation, the less stable one, Dresden (Joey Kern, SUPER TROOPERS, ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE UNDEAD), hatches a plan in which they hold a fake casting call, kidnap the most promising actress in the bunch, and film a fake snuff film that will (in Dresden's clouded mind) win first prize in a film contest and make them famous.
All they have to do, he figures, is to take it to the brink and then reveal that it's all fake to the actress, who will then thank them for the opportunity for fame. Weak-willed brother Dominic (Luke Edwards, MOTHER'S BOYS, AMERICAN PIE 2) protests at first but eventually agrees, and all goes according to plan...until Dresden starts to take it all a little too seriously, and before Dominic knows it, he--and their unwilling actress--are caught up in an honest-to-goodness real snuff film.
Naturally, this would be horrible if we took it seriously for a second, but it's practically a live-action cartoon, so that's not really a problem. (Not at first, anyway.) There are some very amusing setpieces such as the actress audition montage ("Could you do that again, only this time do it as though you were a good actress?")
Naturally, the last one is THE one, and is she ever--Jennifer (Bree Williamson, "One Life to Live", "General Hospital") is the perfect gorgeous, self-confident, outgoing babe to help elevate these guys' piece-of-crap film project into something at least marginally watchable. BEGINNER'S GUIDE itself isn't a laugh riot, but it doesn't really try to be. It's just a consistently smart and amusing spoof that's sharply-done and fun to watch.
But that's the first half. The thing is, once they actually kidnap Jennifer and their whole plan is put into motion, things start to get real. Maybe even too real to be funny, depending on your tolerance level.
It's hard to maintain a premise like this as a funny ha-ha joke when we're seeing a couple of psychotic-acting guys (and let's face it, Dresden really is a psycho, while Dominic's insipid acquiescence to him is bad enough in itself) and a terrified girl whom we've learned to like.
And yet, as the film gets more violent, I begin to realize that director Mitchell Altieri is messing with me and my expectations big-time. Is it a harmless gore-movie spoof? Is it a funny (but in a really sick way) torture porn flick? Does it really even know what it is? My final answer: all of the above.
After the initial "Dresden goes too far" sequence, the movie doesn't really lighten up again until Jennifer gets away (I'm only revealing what the trailer already shows, so no spoiler here) and turns the tables on her captors in a big, bloody way. Which, by this time, is uncomfortable in a traditional torture-porn kind of way but with an off-kilter premise that keeps twisting one way and then the other.
Technically, it's a mix of conventional photography and "found footage" style which works pretty well most of the time. Performances are outstanding, totally manic and intense, with Bree Williamson a very dynamic Jennifer and Joey Kern giving us a Dresden who grows more despicably unhinged and narcissistic by the minute.
A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO SNUFF wants to keep us off-balance, uncomfortable, and wondering what the hell we're watching, and in that respect, it succeeds. I think gorehounds and torture porn aficionados will especially enjoy it, as well as those who prefer their humor dark and demented. I had mixed feelings at the end, but was glad I watched it because it's definitely a trip.
Tech Specs
Runtime: 87mins
Format: 1:78 HD
Sound: Dolby SR
Country: USA
Language: English
Website: www.IndicanPictures.com
Genre: Horror
Release Date: June 23, 2017 (Theatrical, Los Angeles) & July 11th, 2017 (VOD, DVD)
HICKOK (Cinedigm, 2017) is one of a current breed of modestly produced, low-key, but solid westerns that are just as entertaining as anything if you set your expectations accordingly.
I've grown quite fond of their simplicity, their often beautiful photography, their museum-quality Old West settings (things look brand new, but back then, for a while anyway, they were), and their earnest effort to give fans of the traditional western what the big studios rarely offer these days.
What's more, this easy-to-take saga of "Wild Bill" Hickok's younger days as outlaw-turned-lawman delivers the goods in a most satisfying way whenever it's time to clear leather and start blasting.
Luke Hemsworth (THE ANOMALY, "Westworld") stars as the young Civil War veteran making his way through the post-war west, as valor on the battlefield translates into a knack for survival in peacetime. This often necessitates straddling the line of the law and sometimes ending up on the wrong side of it.
Bill is cocky and arrogant but only kills when he has to, a quality that helps land him a job as marshall of a lawless town when the mayor (Kris Kristofferson, nowadays ably portraying wise old souls) sees the good in him.
This doesn't stop Bill from extorting protection money from the quietly dangerous saloon owner Phil Poe (Trace Adkins), whose wife Mattie (Cameron Richardson, OPEN WATER 2: ADRIFT) turns out to be an old and way-too-close acquaintance. (Which, unsurprisingly, will end up causing some very unfortunate complications.)
While engaging enough on their own, HICKOK's plot development and dialogue are frequently punctuated by welcome bursts of lead-slinging action that are excitingly staged and pack just the right kind of wallop.
What triggers the main conflict here is Hickok's decision to install one of those highly unpopular bans on guns within city limits, driving customers away from Poe's saloon and hotel.
Relations between the two deteriorate to the point where coldblooded killer John Wesley Hardin (Kaiwi Lyman-Mersereau, TRADED) is enlisted to eliminate the problem, resulting in one of the film's most surprising and suspenseful twists.
Hemsworth plays the lead role lightly at first--his "Wild Bill" has a mischievous streak and isn't nearly as full of himself as many western heroes tend to be--yet his character gains increasing gravitas as the story progresses. Physically, he's just right as someone who can take care of himself in a situation requiring fists and/or guns as well as wits.
His softer side is demonstrated during a heartfelt scene in which he relates a tall tale of his own derring-do for Mattie's son after he's been shot in the leg, while the Doc (the venerable Bruce Dern adding his considerable presence to the proceedings) digs the bullet out. Scenes such as this contribute to Hickok's evolution into a serious, thoughtful man with a sincere desire to set things right.
As his nemesis Poe, Trace Adkins (TRADED, STAGECOACH: THE TEXAS JACK STORY, DEEPWATER HORIZON) once again proves an imposing presence well-suited for this sort of robust, old-fashioned western. Tall, brawny, and possessing a voice like the lower registers of a pipe organ, Adkins ably conveys his character's dark, slowburn anger that will eventually erupt into violence.
Playing fast and loose with the facts--but in the most fun ways--HICKOK harkens back to a time when westerns were populated by actors who actually looked like, and often were, the kind of real men they were portraying. And when it's time for them to stop talking and start shooting, you can almost smell the gunsmoke.
Opens Theatrically July 7 in Top Markets Including Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas Also Available On Demand & Digital HD
"Will you welcome..." Johnny would usually say when introducing his next guest. Over the years there were countless "Will you welcome"s on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", some who would remain in relative obscurity, and others who would parlay their once-in-a-lifetime chance at fame all the way to stardom.
Time-Life's 3-disc DVD collection THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: JOHNNY AND FRIENDS FEATURING STEVE MARTIN, ROBIN WILLIAMS & EDDIE MURPHY is about three of those who became superstars in the field of comedy--Steve Martin, Robin Williams, and Eddie Murphy--thanks in large part to their early exposure with Johnny on his classic late-night talk show which is now such an integral part of television legend.
Johnny, of course, was no stranger to either television or comedy, having labored in both fields since the 50s as host or co-host of various comedy, variety, and game shows such as "Carson's Cellar" and "Who Do You Trust?" before finally replacing Jack Paar as host of "The Tonight Show" in 1962.
Each show began with an opening monologue, which was basically a new stand-up routine every night. It was here that Johnny really proved himself, getting more mileage out of bad jokes than most comics do with hilarious ones. In fact, his style was to willfully tell bad jokes--even telegraph them as being bad, building audience expectation--and then mine their groaning response for humor until he had them rolling in the aisles.
It was a totally unique comic style and sensibility that set Johnny apart from all other stand-up comics, and he excelled at it night after night. His loyal announcer and sidekick Ed McMahon, of course, played along beautifully, adding dry asides here and there in order to invite a sarcastic response from Johnny (often a mock threat to terminate his employment). To which Ed would respond, naturally, with his trademark belly laugh.
The show was, importantly, for everyone, regardless of their political persuasion. Johnny did get in some topical jabs here and there, but they weren't really all that caustic and he generally kept things goodnatured, unlike the profane, rabidly partisan hacks of today's late night shows. In other words, Johnny had something called "class", a quality in short supply on TV these days.
During the nine new-to-retail episodes in this Time-Life set, Johnny gives us old viewers some of our favorite bits such as "Stump the Band" and "The Mighty Carson Art Players." (Alas, there are no visits from either Art Fern, Karnak the Magnificent, or Aunt Blabby.) Flamboyantly-dressed bandleader Doc Severinsen and his sometime stand-in Tommy "Mr. Excitement" Newsom come in for their usual ribbing, while Johnny and Ed play off each other like the seasoned pros that they are.
Disc one features three appearances by Steve Martin, beginning in 1976 with a stand-up that lets us see young Steve in his banjo-playing, "happy feet" prime. A 1982 show finds movie-star Steve pushing his film DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID, and in 1991 a slightly more staid, reserved Martin talks about his starring role in FATHER OF THE BRIDE. Each appearance is loaded with plenty of comedy in his familiar style.
Other guests include the always beloved James Stewart, a spaced-out Karen Black, Sylvester Stallone (circa ROCKY III), comic Cathy Ladman, and singer Leon Redbone. Some of the classic commercials of the era (if you choose to watch them--the DVD gives us a choice) include "Coke Adds Life", the "NesTea Plunge", and the little guy who wants to talk to us about...diarrhea. In a 1982 segment Johnny jokes about upcoming TV shows such as "Silver Spoons" and "Knight Rider."
Disc two is a trio of hit-and-run appearances by the always hyper-frenetic Robin Williams, who would blow into the studio like a gale force wind and never let up. Whether in 1984 or in his two 1991 shows, Robin is a non-stop whirling dervish of gags, voices, and flailing physical comedy that dominates not only his time with Johnny but that of the other guests as well. It was as though he had no "off" switch, and was always dialed up all the way to eleven.
Even fellow kooky improv comic Jonathan Winters barely gets a word in while sitting there with Robin. Other guests don't stand a chance, including good sport Phyllis Newman, dulcet-toned Steve Lawrence, and southern-fried Park Overall. While Johnny does manage to converse with them in minimal terms, their presence is pretty much just another excuse for Robin to go wild. His fans will be ecstatic, of course.
Disc three finds breakout "Saturday Night Live" player Eddie Murphy on his blazing rocket to fame, with all three appearances occurring in 1982 but already plotting a quick trajectory to superstardom.
Eddie's first shot on the show is brash but in a controlled way--his ego has yet to become overinflated, and there's still a hunger in his clearly ambitious attitude. He's already at ease and in his element in the stand-up spots, wowing the audience with his sharp humor and confidence. He handles his time talking with Johnny well, too, easily getting laughs and charming both host and audience without breaking a sweat. (Not that we can see, anyway.)
His second appearance is much more confident, and his stand-up features a bold use of the "N" word in an innovative and borderline abrasive way that has the audience in a tizzy of laughter. By now, Johnny's regard for him has clearly grown, and by his third show, the cocky, brash, super-confident Murphy is getting a "superstar" ovation from the audience.
Other guests on this disc include McLean Stevenson and Wayne Rogers of TV's "MASH", boxer Randall "Tex" Cobb, Albert Hague of "Fame", and singer Angela Bofill.
Watching this 3-disc set, I can't help but be filled with that old warm glow of nostalgia for a time when we could turn on the TV and watch Johnny and company every weeknight. THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: JOHNNY AND FRIENDS FEATURING STEVE MARTIN, ROBIN WILLIAMS & EDDIE MURPHY gives both old and new fans of the show a chance to relive those times, courtesy of some of Johnny's funniest and most outrageous guests, and tune in to that unique vibe all over again.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Format: DVD/3 Discs Running Time: 499 minutes Genre: TV DVD/Comedy Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audio: Stereo Original Commercials: On/Off
West Hollywood, California (Thursday, June 22nd) - The Butcher Brothers - Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores - have completed their disturbing horror film, A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff. Darkly comedic, the film stars: Joey Kern (Super Troopers, Cabin Fever), Luke Edwards (Jeepers Creepers 2, The Wizard), Bree Williamson (True Detective, Haven), Brad Greenquist (Lone Ranger, Water for Elephants) and many others.
The film involves shooting a fake snuff film, to make one woman famous. But, the plan goes off the rails, from the get-go. A preview of A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff and its summer release is hosted here.
The story opens as two brothers, Dresden (Joey Kern) and Dominic (Luke Edwards) enact their scheme. Together, they decide to kidnap Jennifer (Bree Williamson), in the name of infamy and to make the greatest film of all time. The kidnapping quickly goes downhill. Now, the brothers find themselves being hunted by a raging actress, with an arsenal at her disposal.
The Butcher Brothers are best known for their work on vampire thriller The Hamiltons (2006), The Violent Kind (Sundance) in 2010 and they already have their next film finished – The Night Watchmen. Their latest production, A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff, has already won several awards, including: “Best Actor,” “Best Actress,” and “Best Feature Film” at FearNYC.
The film opens theatrically in June before Indican Pictures delivers this title, to horror fans, through Video-on-demand and on DVD - this July. More details on the summer release of A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff are hosted here.
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.
Sometimes there's a stalker in the forest; sometimes the stalker IS the forest. Or at least there's some evil force (force...forest) that permeates it, drawing in unwary victims like flies to a spider web.
Or...maybe it's all in Eric's mind, and the sylvan solitude and verdant vastness of this mysterious place WITHOUT NAME (2016) simply act as a catalyst for coaxing the crazy out of his already fevered psyche.
Eric (Alan McKenna, MALICE IN WONDERLAND, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN PARIS) is already in a bad place mentally, with an alienated wife and resentful son who make home life a misery for him. As a surveyor for a shady Irish land developer, he's glad to escape the concrete prison of the city and venture into a wild land where he's surrounded by vast panoramic vistas of overwhelming primitive beauty.
At first, that is. But before long, the forest begins to feel oppressive and strange in daylight, and dark--really dark--at night. It seems to close in on the creepy little stuck-in-time cottage he's huddled into, giving him, and us, an almost palpable sense of isolation mixed with a growing dread of the unknown.
The late arrival of his helper and mistress Olivia (Niamh Algar) brings a bit of spiritual warmth to Eric that's reflected in the music (it's the film's first semi-happy musical theme) but it doesn't last long as their first foray into the woods almost instantly takes an eerie turn for both of them. Not only is their equipment vandalized, but we get the feeling they're being watched. And that's not even the half of it.
A third character, the gregarious Gus (James Browne, TREE KEEPER), is a roving trailer-dweller spending some time in the woods himself. Gus knew the man, Devoy, who occupied the cottage until he went mad (Devoy's cryptic, handwritten journal, "Knowledge of Trees", which Eric becomes obsessed with, seems ample evidence of this) and his stories stoke the unease already coursing through Eric's veins.
Worse, he introduces Eric and Olivia to some of the potent magic mushrooms that grow wild in the forest, which begins a jarring dislocation from reality for Eric that will lead to some of the film's most disorienting and disquieting passages.
Needless to say, Eric's mental state, already not all that stable, takes a turn for the psychedelic as he goes off the deep end faster than Richard Boone's character in I BURY THE LIVING.
Director Lorcan Finnegan, in a noteworthy feature debut, has the kind of artistic eye that gives his film visual interest even when nothing exciting is going on, eschewing sensation for a deep-seated unease in which we spend much time on edge.
He builds the mood ever so slowly, letting us gradually get used to the idea that this forest is a quietly ominous place where anything might happen. Then, when something finally does happen, we get that queasy feeling as the director slowly twists the nerve and reality becomes as wispy as the fog wafting through the trees.
Thus, there are long stretches in WITHOUT NAME which, while lacking in action, are in the service of building a mood and atmosphere that gradually creep up on us like a draught of cold air.
Not visceral horror but closely akin to the weirdness and twistiness of "The Outer Limits", "One Step Beyond", and "The Twilight Zone", WITHOUT NAME leaves us feeling stranded in a dark place ourselves, albeit one which, thank goodness, we can blink away with the click of a button.
Now available in North America on major platforms including iTunes, Amazon Instant, Google Play, Sony PSN, X-Box Live, Vudu, Vimeo on Demand, Steam, Roku, Crackle, Hoopla, Seed & Spark and Tubi TV. Cable VOD will follow at a later date.
Film clip -- "A late night walk through the woods:"
THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE MOST INFAMOUS FAN-FICTION SHORT FILM OF ALL TIME
BEHIND THE MASK THE BATMAN: DEAD END STORY
Street Date: July 18, 2017
"A fascinating look at what it takes to make a superhero -- figuratively and literally...it should sit on your shelf" -- GeekNation
In 2003, Sandy Collora and his friends set out to make an ambitious short film. They wound up making history...
Available on DVD and Digital HD Platforms Including iTunes and Amazon, the "Behind-the-Scenes" Documentary Features Interviews with Collora, Comic Book Legend Neal Adams and Industry Luminaries Neal Adams, Sean Clark, Shawn Reevs and Jordu Schell
Official Trailer for BEHIND THE MASK
PROGRAM SYNOPSIS Director and writer Eric Dow (Honor in the Valley of Tears) goes behind the scenes of the most notorious fan-fiction short film of all time with BEHIND THE MASK: THE BATMAN: DEAD END STORY.
In the winter of 2003, commercial director Sandy Collora and some of his friends set out to make a low-budget short film for his demo reel. What they wound up doing, however, was making one of the most elaborate, most watched, most talked about and most controversial short fan-directed films ever made: "Batman: Dead End."
The film launched a nationwide craze when all eight minutes were unveiled at Comic Con in 2003. Director Kevin Smith called it "an amazing piece of work. Possibly the truest, best Batman ever made". In a Hollywood system where Batman movies are huge-budget, mega-merchandised projects, this low-budget short shattered all expectations, garnering an incredible amount of buzz outside of the Hollywood system. With appearances from The Joker, Alien, and Predator, the film was a hit with die-hard comic fans and modern action film lovers alike.
Considering the amount of buzz surrounding the film, Collora was expected to be propelled into the Hollywood stratosphere. Instead, his career sputtered. Now, BEHIND THE MASK gives audiences an insider's behind-the-scenes look at the buzz-worthy short and the people who help create it including Collora, comic book legend Neal Adams, and convention all-stars Sean Clark, Shawn Reeves and Jordu Schell.
An incisive look at the making of the short film, BEHIND THE MASK, called "a fascinating look at an eccentric man who was geekdom's king for a day (Chud.com)" truly uncovers what it takes to make it as a Hollywood A-lister.
PROGRAM INFORMATION Type: DVD//Digital HD (iTunes, Amazon, Google Play) Running Time: 99 mins. Rating: N/A Genre: Documentary Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audio: Stereo
About Candy Factory Films Candy Factory Films is a forward-thinking, filmmaker-friendly multimedia company dedicated to producing and distributing high impact, unique and compelling films. Embracing emerging distribution trends to successfully promote releases, Candy Factory is at the forefront of a new vanguard of independent distributors maximizing profit by reaching distinct audiences in numerous ways. With a catalog stocked with award-winning and acclaimed films across every genre, they're committed to creating and fostering communities around independent and progressive cinema. Avenues for distribution include all leading digital platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, iTunes and the national Video on Demand platform on cable television.
DreamWorks Pictures’ Thank You for Your Service follows a group of U.S.
soldiers returning from Iraq who struggle to integrate back into family
and civilian life, while living with the memory of a war that threatens
to destroy them long after they’ve left the battlefield.
Starring
an ensemble cast led by Miles Teller, Haley Bennett, Joe Cole, Amy
Schumer, Beulah Koale, Scott Haze, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Brad Beyer,
Omar J. Dorsey and Jayson Warner Smith, the drama is based on the
bestselling book by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and author David
Finkel.
Jason Hall, who wrote the screenplay of American
Sniper, makes his directorial debut with Thank You for Your Service and
also serves as its screenwriter. Jon Kilik (The Hunger Games series,
Babel) produces the film, while Ann Ruark (Biutiful) executive produces.
Genre: Drama Cast: Miles Teller, Haley Bennett, Joe Cole, Amy Schumer, Beulah Koale, Scott Haze, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Brad Beyer, Omar J. Dorsey, Jayson Warner Smith Directed by: Jason Hall Written by: Jason Hall Based on the Book by: David Finkel Produced by: Jon Kilik Executive Producers: Ann Ruark, Jane Evans
AMERICAN ASSASSIN follows the rise of Mitch Rapp (Dylan O'Brien), a CIA black ops recruit under the instruction of Cold War veteran Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton).
The pair is then enlisted by CIA Deputy Director Irene Kennedy (Sanaa Lathan) to investigate a wave of apparently random attacks on both military and civilian targets.
Together the three discover a pattern in the violence leading them to a joint mission with a lethal Turkish agent (Shiva Negar) to stop a mysterious operative (Taylor Kitsch) intent on starting a World War.
WATCH THE TRAILER:
CAST: Michael Keaton (Batman, The Founder), Dylan O’Brien (The Maze Runner, Deepwater Horizon), Taylor Kitsch (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Lone Survivor), Sanaa Lathan (Alien vs. Predator, Blade), Shiva Negar (The Art of More, My Babysitter’s a Vampire)
DIRECTED BY: Michael Cuesta (Kill the Messenger)
PRODUCED BY: Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Transformers), Nick Wechsler (Under the Skin, The Road)
Global Digital Releasing Unveils Trailer, Poster and Clip for Irish Horror Thriller WITHOUT NAME
“WITHOUT NAME is a trippy, delirious time lost in the woods where you won’t want to find your way out…” - Daniel Kurland, Bloody Disgusting
“… the truest, and perhaps finest, example of the Lovecraftian sensibility ever put on film…” - Peter Gutierrez, Screen Anarchy
LOS ANGELES, CA (June 19, 2017) - Global Digital Releasing recently announced the North American digital and VOD release date of the award winning horror thriller Without Name. Leading up to its official release on Tuesday, June 20th, the distributor is debuting the film’s official trailer, poster and a new clip ("A late night walk through the woods").
The story follows land surveyor Eric (Alan McKenna). He travels to a remote, unnamed, Irish woodland - to assess its suitability for a new development project. However, not all is as simple as it seems on this assignment. Intrigued by the wood’s foreboding mysticism, Eric finds himself drawn into a dangerous game, that could lead to him becoming a prisoner of this place without name.
Without Name has won several awards and it has been nominated for many more. At the 2016 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, Without Name won: “Best Feature,” “Best Director (Lorcan Finnegan),” “Best Editor (Tony Cranstoun)” and “Best Cinematography (Piers McGrail).” The film has also been nominated for “Best Sound (Aza Hand, Patrick Drummond),” at the 2017 Irish Film and Television Awards. As well, Without Name was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize, at the Nashville Film Festival, in 2017. This title is worthy of the praise and film fans can find out why June 20th.
The film will be available in North America on major platforms, shortly. Hosting platforms include: iTunes, Amazon Instant, Google Play, Sony PSN, X-Box Live, Vudu, Vimeo on Demand, Steam, Roku, Crackle, Hoopla, Seed & Spark and Tubi TV. Cable VOD will follow at a later date. Be sure to check out the official trailer and poster and the latest clip titled “A late night walk through the woods,” right here!
Film clip -- "A late night walk through the woods:"
