"THE ABDUCTION OF JENNIFER GRAYSON" Escapes Onto DVD March 28th

The Abduction of Jennifer Grayson Grabs Audiences on Video
Debuts Nationwide on DVD March 28th
Available Now on Cable VOD and Digital HD
   
New York, NY - Wild Eye Releasing has announced the March 28th DVD release of The Abduction of Jennifer Grayson. 

Starring James Duval (Independence Day, Donnie Darko), WWE superstar Tommy Dreamer (WWE, ECW, Beyond the Mat), Nick Principle (Hatchet II, Laid To Rest) and Rachel Jane Conn (Model Hunger) as the titular victim, Jennifer Grayson centers on a conflicted young woman standing between justice and a pathological killer. 

Writer-director Corynn Egreczky's debut feature is currently available on cable and digital platforms, including DirecTV, FiOS, Dish, iTunes, Amazon Instant, Vudu and more.

Kidnapped after spurning a man's advances, a young woman slowly falls for the charms of her captor. He eventually sets her free, but is he the serial killer the police have been hunting for? Only Jennifer Grayson can help them stop him once and for all.


                           Watch the Trailer


Order The Abduction of Jennifer Grayson on Amazon

The DVD release of The Abduction of Jennifer Grayson (SRP $19.95) will exclusively include a feature-length commentary with writer-director Corynn Egreczky, music videos and trailers.

"THE ABDUCTION OF JENNIFER GRAYSON" Escapes Onto DVD March 28th

"MISSION CONTROL: THE UNSUNG HEROES OF APOLLO" -- SXSW Acquisition Announcement & Trailer Premiere

THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE APOLLO SPACE PROGRAM

‘MISSION CONTROL: THE UNSUNG HEROES OF APOLLO’

TO ARRIVE IN THEATERS AND ON DEMAND APRIL 14
                    
Gravitas Ventures Acquires Worldwide Rights for SXSW 2017 Film from Haviland Digital

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 23, 2017) — As the world watched the outcome of the Apollo space missions, crowded around televisions and radios, the heroes of NASA – the controllers and support teams inside Mission Control – clenched their fists and sweated every detail through each liftoff and descent. Now, the compelling untold story behind this extraordinary team comes to life in the new film “Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo,” which will arrive in select theaters across the U.S. and VOD on April 14.

Gravitas Ventures has secured worldwide rights from Haviland Digital to the compelling untold story behind this extraordinary team, told with unprecedented access to archival footage and stories from the men who lived it, including the creator of Mission Control, Dr. Chris Kraft, retired NASA Flight Directors Gene Kranz (portrayed by Ed Harris in “Apollo 13”), Glynn Lunney and Gerry Griffin. Also appearing are Flight Dynamics Officer Jerry Bostick, Flight Controller John Aaron, iconic astronaut Captain James Lovell (played by Tom Hanks in “Apollo 13”), and moonwalkers Charlie Duke and the late Captain Gene Cernan.

Mission Control was at the very heart of the Apollo program and its heroes were born against a backdrop of economic turmoil and global conflict. Some came from a rural lifestyle unchanged since the 19th century. Others grew up in a gritty, blue-collar America of mines and smoke stacks. They ranged from students straight out of college, to soldiers toughened by military service. Yet, from such ordinary beginnings, an extraordinary team was born.

They set out on what JFK called “the most hazardous, dangerous, and greatest adventure upon which mankind has ever embarked.” Through the team’s testimony and the supporting voices of Apollo astronauts and modern NASA leaders, “Mission Control” explores their journey from the faltering start of the program to Mercury and Gemini missions, the tragic Apollo 1 fire and the glories of the Moon landings. This was achieved through a team whose average age was around 27 years old.

                     WATCH THE TRAILER


“Mission Control” was directed by David Fairhead and produced by Keith Haviland and Gareth Dodds. The three men came to the story of “Mission Control” after their work on “The Last Man on the Moon,” which bowed at SXSW in 2015 and told the tale of Astronaut Gene Cernan. Cernan, who flew three times in space and twice to the Moon, passed away in January 2017.

“It’s a real privilege to tell this epic story of a remarkable decade. It shows what vision and teamwork can achieve,” said Haviland. Fairhead continued, “The Apollo program is one of mankind’s greatest achievements. To make this film of the unsung heroes has been a fantastic experience.” Dodds added, “We are excited to be working with Gravitas Ventures to bring our film to a global audience. It’s a story that we hope will inspire and move people everywhere.”

“Mission Control” has Gravitas collaborating with Producers Dodds (“Last Man on the Moon”) and Haviland (“Last Man on the Moon,” “Dying Laughing”) once more. “Flights into space capture the imagination as much today as they did 50 years ago,” stated Gravitas Ventures’ CEO and Founder, Nolan Gallagher. “From Space X to ‘Hidden Figures’ to ‘The Martian,’ the dreams of millions are carried out by hundreds of heroes both in the air and on the ground at Mission Control. We are thrilled to be working with Gareth and Keith to share this remarkable piece of history with audiences everywhere.”

The deal was negotiated by Nolan Gallagher for Gravitas, and Dodds and Haviland for Haviland Digital.

The film is now available to pre-order from iTunes: http://apple.co/2meT16A.

Keep up with film news on Facebook and get the SXSW screening schedule here.

ABOUT HAVILAND DIGITAL LIMITED
Haviland Digital is an independent production company dedicated to intelligent film, TV and digital media. It specializes in space and STEM related content. Future projects in development include films and TV concepts around manned and unmanned space flight, sport, aviation and more.

ABOUT GRAVITAS VENTURES
Gravitas Ventures is a leading all rights distributor of independent cinema. Founded in 2006, Gravitas connects independent filmmakers and producers with distribution opportunities across the globe. Working with more than 500 content partners, Gravitas Ventures has distributed thousands of films into over 100 million homes. Recent releases include Katie Holmes’ feature directorial debut, “All We Had,” Jonathan Hock’s “Fastball,” Colin Hanks’ “All Things Must Pass,” “Being Evel” from Academy Award® winning director Daniel Junge and producer Johnny Knoxville, “Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of,” and “For The Love of Spock” from Director Adam Nimoy.

For more information, please visit gravitasventures.com and sign up for their e-newsletter, follow @GravitasVOD on Twitter and @gravitasventures on Instagram.

"MISSION CONTROL: THE UNSUNG HEROES OF APOLLO" -- SXSW Acquisition Announcement & Trailer Premiere

BIG BAD -- Movie Review by Porfle

I thought I was watching a seriocomic, slyly tongue-in-cheek spoof of teen slasher movies at first, but it eventually dawned on me that BIG BAD (Indican Pictures, 2016) is a full-blown, willfully silly horror comedy, and if it looks like it's having trouble being subtle about this, it's because it has absolutely no intention of being subtle about anything.  Which, after finally getting into it, I was totally okay with.

It starts out with some teens getting drunk around a campfire, telling campfire stories.  Some of them go off into the woods, encounter a mysterious and terrifying creature, and die in a way that will become yet another campfire story. 

Then, a full sixteen minutes into the movie, the main titles begin, and they're the fancy kind that look like they cost as much as the rest of the movie combined.

 

After that we get to know a whole new cast of characters, and this time our ill-fated teens are spending the night in an abandoned prison in the woods because of some kind of school fund-raising thing--it's such an obvious plot contrivance that I didn't bother to understand it--whereupon they and their nerdy teacher, Professor Howell (Danny Dauphin), are attacked by the same hairy, ill-tempered creature we didn't quite see in the teaser sequence.

The rest of the story is increasingly harrowing, with the monster always just one step behind them as they escape their jail cells and flee into the woods, and increasingly funny as these stock teen-movie characters--Donny the jock (Cameron Deane Stewart, BAD KIDS GO TO HELL, "Aquarius"), Chase the airhead cheerleader who's Donny's on-again, off-again girlfriend (Ainsley Bailey), and Crystal the smart girl with a crush on Donny (Madeline Thelton) --get funnier and more endearing the more we get to know them.

With the creature (which they decide must be a werewolf) still hot on their heels, the terrified teens seek shelter in an old cotton gin along with plucky lady cop Deputy Marcus (Hannah Bryan). It's here that the exciting final confrontation with the "big bad" beast occurs, and while the comedy keeps on coming, this finale actually manages to be more suspenseful than the ones in many of the more serious horror flicks of this kind that I've had to sit through over the years.

 

First-time feature director Opie Cooper has a keen visual style and keeps things zinging along as the likably irreverent script by Cooper, Dauphin, and Beth Kander pops various horror-movie cliches like colorful party balloons.  (While pulling a few nifty surprises on us along the way.) 

Even ditzy cheerleader Chase's constant jabbering manages to be funny without getting too annoying, while at one point the town sheriff (Clint Carmichael) is allowed a memorably heroic line before sacrificing his life for the others: "Tell campfire stories about me!"

On the minus side--at times the very busy score tends to be either overbearing or cutesy, although there are also several moments in which it's quite effective as well.  That's about it.  Oh, and before I forget to mention it, the creature suit is outstanding.

At first I was making a mental list of things I didn't like about this movie, but they faded away as I started to get what it was going for, and it just kept winning me over...and over...and over. (Even the closing credits are freakin' hilarious.)  BIG BAD isn't the best horror comedy ever made, but it sure left me with a big goofy grin on my face.

Buy it at Amazon.com

Tech Specs:
Indican Pictures
Runtime: 87min
Format: 2.35
Sound: Dolby
Country: US
Language: English
Website: www.IndicanPictures.com
Genre: Family, Horror Thriller

BIG BAD -- Movie Review by Porfle

"The Saint" with Roger Moore -- Now Streaming on PRO Classic TV

“A charming fairy tale in the form of a spy mystery…”
– Pop Matters

GET READY FOR THE ORIGINAL INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY

“THE SAINT”
WITH ROGER MOORE

The original series now streaming on
PROClassicTV.com

Hollywood, CA. - PROClassicTV.com is giving classic TV fans a binge worthy treat with all 71 original episodes of the ‘60s action-adventure series “The Saint” on PROClassicTV.com. Launched last year by the Peter Rodgers Organization, PROClassicTV.com is a transactional streaming site offering every episode of legendary television series from a vast library of iconic shows and hard to find cult favorites. “The Saint” perfectly fits into the streaming sites goal to be the first stop for those looking for classic TV online.

Debonair, charming and determined to see justice done with style, Simon Templar, aka “The Saint,” is back and bolder than ever in the series that gave TV a hip modern-day version of Robin Hood. A hero to those in distress, especially those in a dress, “The Saint” travels the globe in a sexy, sleek and saintly white Volvo P1800, romancing women and bringing crooks to justice.

Playing it all with a smile (and a halo) is Roger Moore, who gives this glamorous man of mystery a sly Brit wit and a heart of gold. Moore as Simon Templar has impeccable taste in clothes, cars and ladies, moving from one heart-pounding adventure to another, forever chased by Scotland Yard's peppermint-chewing Inspector Teal.

This is swinging, stylish and ultra-cool entertainment at its best and gave Roger Moore a template for his version of James Bond when he took that role over a few years later.

Alongside “The Saint” PROClassicTV.com also offers “The Rifleman,” “The Adventures of Black Beauty,” “Tarzan,” “My Favorite Martian,” “Celebrity Bowling,” “I Spy,” “Cisco Kid”, “Movin’ On,” “Hopalong Cassidy” “Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse” and many more programs.  

Other legendary TV series and unique features will be added to PROClassicTV.com regularly.

Go to: https://proclassictv.com/

Please join us on Facebook and Twitter

About PROClassicTV.com:
(PRO) For over 40 years the Peter Rodgers Organization has been a top name in film and TV distribution and with the launched PROClassicTV.com in 2016 they gave classic television series a home where fans can purchase individual episodes or get a monthly unlimited membership that allows them to watch complete seasons. Iconic TV charterers like “The Rifleman” and “My Favorite Martian” are here alongside more fan favorites like the truck driving drama “Movin’ On” and the campy “Celebrity Bowling.” Every episode is uncut, uninterrupted and ready to entertain a new generation of TV fanatics and those who remember these shows fondly.

PROClassicTV.com is carefully curating an exceptional catalog of programming that can be enjoyed in an easy streaming format that is becoming the first stop for classic and unique TV shows.

About Peter Rodgers Organization (PRO):
The Peter Rodgers Organization (PRO) is celebrating over four decades in the film and TV industry as one of the most respected independent distributor of quality entertainment properties on all media platforms. Acting as agent for over 37 producers, distributers and legendary estates, PRO maintains one of universally recognized libraries in the world and is the home to some of television’s most beloved characters and universally recognized brands.

For more information:
http://www.profilms.com/index.php

"The Saint" with Roger Moore -- Now Streaming on PRO Classic TV

"EMERGENCY! SEASON ONE" DVD Coming March 9

EMERGENCY! SEASON ONE
Release Date: 5/9/2017

Synopsis: Catch 11 action-packed episodes of the complete first season of Emergency! - the pioneering TV series that was one of the first to show the real-life drama of those who save lives every day.

Race to the scene with the heroic men on paramedic Squad 51 and the emergency staff of Rampart Hospital as they respond round-the-clock to LA's most dire emergencies, from women in labor to an out-of-control epidemic.

Kevin Tighe and Randolph Mantooth lead an acclaimed cast as two hard-working paramedics trying to deal with the daily crises of their jobs with wit, humor and bravery.

Along for the ride in the complete season are such popular guest stars as Tony Dow, Ronne Troup and Jeff Donnell. Including the thrilling TV movie "The Wedsworth-Townsend Act" and available on DVD for the first time ever, it's the gripping series that blazed the trail for all action series to come!

DVD Full Frame TV Set(61178137) : Disc 1 (Side A): Emergency! Season One
 Format:      DVD      UPC:      0-2519-23513-9-6
 Unit Type:      TV Set      Number of Media:      1
 Street Date:      5/9/2017      PreOrder Date:     
 Run Time (HH:MM):      3 Hours 18 Minutes          
 Language:      English      Disc Type:      DVD-9 (Single Sided)
 Packaging:      Snap Case      Layers:      Single
 Audio:     English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
       Subtitles:      English SDH
Spanish

 Edition:      -      Picture:      Full Frame
 Version:      -      Color/B&W     COLOR
 Rating:      Not Rated    

DVD Full Frame TV Set(61178137) : Disc 2 (Side A): Emergency! Season One
 Format:      DVD      UPC:      0-2519-23513-9-6
 Unit Type:      TV Set      Number of Media:      1
 Street Date:      5/9/2017      PreOrder Date:     
 Run Time (HH:MM):      2 Hours 33 Minutes          
 Language:      English      Disc Type:      DVD-9 (Single Sided)
 Packaging:      Snap Case      Layers:      Single
 Audio:     English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
       Subtitles:      English SDH
Spanish

 Edition:      -      Picture:      Full Frame
 Version:      -      Color/B&W     COLOR
 Rating:      Not Rated          

DVD Full Frame TV Set(61178137) : Disc 3 (Side A): Emergency! Season One
 Format:      DVD      UPC:      0-2519-23513-9-6
 Unit Type:      TV Set      Number of Media:      1
 Street Date:      5/9/2017      PreOrder Date:     
 Run Time (HH:MM):      2 Hours 33 Minutes          
 Language:      English      Disc Type:      DVD-9 (Single Sided)
 Packaging:      Snap Case      Layers:      Single
 Audio:     English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
       Subtitles:      English SDH
Spanish

 Edition:      -      Picture:      Full Frame
 Version:      -      Color/B&W     COLOR
 Rating:      Not Rated          

DVD Full Frame TV Set(61178137) : Disc 4 (Side A): Emergency! Season One
 Format:      DVD      UPC:      0-2519-23513-9-6
 Unit Type:      TV Set      Number of Media:      1
 Street Date:      5/9/2017      PreOrder Date:     
 Run Time (HH:MM):      2 Hours 33 Minutes          
 Language:      English      Disc Type:      DVD-9 (Single Sided)
 Packaging:      Snap Case      Layers:      Single
 Audio:     English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
       Subtitles:      English SDH
Spanish

 Edition:      -      Picture:      Full Frame
 Version:      -      Color/B&W     COLOR
 Rating:      Not Rated      

Buy it at Amazon.com

"EMERGENCY! SEASON ONE" DVD Coming March 9

Brad Pitt in "ALLIED" - Now Available on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Combo Packs

“Magnificent.  Immensely entertaining.”
— Scott Mantz, “Access Hollywood”

“Brilliant in every way.”
— Mark S. Allen, ABC-TV

BRAD PITT AND MARION COTILLARD STAR IN DIRECTOR ROBERT ZEMECKIS’ INTENSE THRILLER

Epic Drama Arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ and Blu-ray™ Combo Packs February 28, 2017
Digital HD Debuts Two Weeks Early on February 14

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.  – Hailed as “gripping, powerful, and epic ” (Scott Mantz, “Access Hollywood”) Academy Award®-winning* director Robert Zemeckis’ (Forrest Gump, Cast Away) seductive thriller ALLIED makes its home entertainment debut on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand February 28, 2017 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  The film arrives two weeks early on Digital HD February 14.

Oscar® winners Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard star as Max Vatan and Marianne Beauséjour, two of the world’s deadliest spies, who fall in love while undercover on a top-secret mission and marry during World War II.  But when Max learns his wife may be secretly conspiring with the enemy, he has only 72 hours to prove her innocence and save his family before he must do the unthinkable. 

The film features an outstanding supporting cast  including Lizzy Caplan (“Masters of Sex”), Jared Harris (“The Crown”), August Diehl (Inglourious Basterds) and Matthew Goode (“Downton Abbey”).  In addition, ALLIED’s sumptuous and unforgettable costumes earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design.

The ALLIED 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Combo Packs include over an hour of behind-the-scenes special features, with in-depth looks at the film’s production design, costumes, cast, visual effects, vehicles, music and more.

ALLIED Blu-ray Combo Pack
The ALLIED Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The combo pack includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-ray
⦁    Feature film in high definition
⦁    Bonus Content:
⦁    Story of Allied
⦁    From Stages to the Sahara: The Production Design of Allied
⦁    Through the Lens: Directing with Robert Zemeckis
⦁    A Stitch in Time: The Costumes of Allied
⦁    ‘Til Death Do Us Part: Max and Marianne
⦁    Guys and Gals: The Ensemble Cast
⦁    Lights, Pixels, ACTION! The Visual Effects of Allied
⦁    Behind the Wheel: The Vehicles of Allied
⦁    Locked and Loaded: The Weapons of Allied
⦁    That Swingin’ Sound: The Music of Allied

ALLIED 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Fans can enjoy the ultimate viewing experience with the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, which includes the Blu-ray detailed above, as well as an Ultra HD Disc presented in 4K Ultra HD with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The Combo Pack also includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film.

The Blu-ray Combo Pack and 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack available for purchase include a Digital HD Version of the film that can be accessed through UltraViolet™, a way to collect, access and enjoy movies.  With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them—reliably and securely—to a variety of devices.   

ALLIED Single-Disc DVD
The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The disc includes the feature film in standard definition.

http://www.AlliedMovie.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlliedMovie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlliedMovie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AlliedMovie
Amazon: http://j.mp/BuyAllied
iTunes: http://j.mp/AlliedWebsite

Paramount Pictures presents a GK Films production of a Robert Zemeckis film:  Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard “Allied.”  Music composed and conducted by Alan Silvestri.  Executive producers Patrick McCormick, Steven Knight, Denis O’Sullivan, Jack Rapke and Jacqueline Levine.  Produced by Graham King, p.g.a., Robert Zemeckis, p.g.a. and Steve Starkey, p.g.a.  Written by Steven Knight.  Directed by Robert Zemeckis.

About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.  PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), home to premier media brands that create television programs, motion pictures, consumer products, and digital content for audiences in 180 countries and territories.  The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment and transactional digital distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and applicable licensing and servicing of certain DreamWorks Animation titles.  PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and transactional distribution across worldwide digital distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies. 

ALLIED
Street Date:            February 28, 2017 (4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand)
            February 14, 2017 (Digital HD)
U.S. Rating:       R for violence, some sexuality/nudity, language and brief drug use
Canadian Rating:    14A for sexual content, violence

“ACADEMY AWARD®” and “OSCAR®” are registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Brad Pitt in "ALLIED" - Now Available on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Combo Packs

"ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY" on Digital HD March 24th and Blu-ray April 4th

“The best Star Wars yet” – Pete Hammond, Deadline

THE MISSION COMES HOME
GET “ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY” EARLY ON MARCH 24TH
on Digital HD, and on Blu-ray April 4th

Fans go behind the scenes with filmmakers and cast for a revealing look
at the stories behind the first Star Wars standalone film

BURBANK, Calif. (Feb. 22, 2017) — Lucasfilm’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” the first of the Star Wars standalone films, has established its place within the Star Wars universe and the hearts of moviegoers, becoming the seventh highest-grossing film of all time in the U.S. Fans can own the epic action-adventure thriller -- nominated for two Academy Awards® -- early on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on March 24, and on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and On-Demand on April 4.

Never-before-seen “Rogue One” bonus material will take fans behind the scenes with the movie’s diverse, dynamic cast and inspired team of filmmakers. An intimate collection of stories reveals how the film came to life, as well as hidden Easter Eggs and film facts that audiences may have missed in the theater.

 

Bonus features include*:
⦁    A Rogue Idea – Hear how ILM’s legendary VFX wizard John Knoll came up with the movie’s concept and pitched it to producer Kathleen Kennedy – and why it’s the right film to launch the Star Wars standalone films.
⦁    Jyn: The Rebel – Get to know the defiant, resourceful survivor at the heart of “Rogue One,” and find out what it was like for actor Felicity Jones to bring her to life on-screen.
⦁    Cassian: The Spy – Actor Diego Luna shares insights into his complex, driven character, who rises to heroic action through selflessness, perseverance and passion.
⦁    K-2SO: The Droid – Explore the development of this reprogrammed Imperial enforcer droid, from initial pitch and character design to the scene-stealing personality and humor that actor Alan Tudyk brings.
⦁    Baze & Chirrut: Guardians of the Whills – Go deeper into the relationship between these two very different characters, and examine their essential contribution to the team, with Chinese superstars Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen.
⦁    Bodhi & Saw: The Pilot & The Revolutionary – Actors Forest Whitaker and Riz Ahmed reflect on Saw Gerrera, broken leader of the rebellion’s extremist faction, and Bodhi Rook, the Imperial cargo pilot whose defection sets the story in motion. 
⦁    The Empire – Meet a dangerous new adversary, the Director of Advanced Weapons Research for the Imperial Military … and cross paths once more with the most iconic villain of all time.
⦁    Visions of Hope: The Look of “Rogue One” – The filmmakers describe the challenges and thrills of developing a bold new look for the movie that can fit within the world of the original trilogy.
⦁    The Princess & The Governor – See what it took to bring the vibrant young princess of “Star Wars: A New Hope” – as well as one of her most memorable foes – back to the screen.
⦁    Epilogue: The Story Continues – Filmmakers and cast celebrate the premiere of “Rogue One” – and look forward into the future, to the Star Wars stories yet to be told.
⦁    Rogue Connections – Uncover Easter eggs and film facts hidden throughout the movie that connect “Rogue One” to the Star Wars universe.

* Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is directed by Gareth Edwards (“Godzilla,” “Monsters”) and produced by Kathleen Kennedy, p.g.a., Allison Shearmur, p.g.a. (“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Cinderella”) and Simon Emanuel, p.g.a. (“The Dark Knight Rises”). Veteran ILM visual effects supervisor John Knoll, (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest) whom shares a long history with the Star Wars films, is executive producer alongside Jason McGatlin (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “War of the Worlds”). The story is by John Knoll and Gary Whitta (“The Book of Eli,” “After Earth”), and the screenplay was written by Chris Weitz (“The Golden Compass,” “About a Boy”) and Tony Gilroy (“The Bourne Legacy,” “Michael Clayton”).            

Felicity Jones (“The Theory of Everything,” “Like Crazy”) heads up the cast and stars opposite Diego Luna (“Milk,” “Elysium”). Joining them are Ben Mendelsohn (“Bloodline,” “Animal Kingdom”), Mads Mikkelsen (“Casino Royale,” TV’s “Hannibal”), Alan Tudyk (“Frozen,” “I, Robot”), Riz Ahmed (“Nightcrawler,” “Jason Bourne”) and Forest Whitaker (“The Last King of Scotland,” “The Butler”). The film also welcomes two of China’s biggest stars, Donnie Yen (“Ip Man,” “Blade II”) and Jiang Wen (“Let the Bullets Fly,” “The Sun Also Rises”). In addition, Anthony Daniels (“Star Wars: A New Hope,” “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back”) reprises his role of C-3PO, marking his eighth appearance in a Star Wars film.

To create the distinctive and contemporary look of the film, Edwards chose revered cinematographer Greig Fraser (“Zero Dark Thirty,” “Foxcatcher”). Visual effects supervisors John Knoll and Mohen Leo (Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man,” “The Martian”) team up with special effects supervisor Neil Corbould (“Black Hawk Down,” “Saving Private Ryan”) and ILM animation supervisor Hal Hickel (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest,” “Iron Man”). Star Wars veteran Doug Chiang (Star Wars Episodes I and II, “Forrest Gump”) and Neil Lamont (supervising art director on “The Force Awakens” and the “Harry Potter” film series) join forces as production designers, and Neal Scanlan (“Prometheus”) returns to do special creature effects, having recently worked on “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Additional key crew include costume designers Dave Crossman (costume supervisor on The Force Awakens and the “Harry Potter” film series) and Glyn Dillon (“The Force Awakens” and “Kingsman: The Secret Service” costume concept artist), as well as stunt coordinator Rob Inch (“The Force Awakens,” “World War Z”).

The music is by composer Michael Giacchino (“Star Trek Beyond,” “Zootopia”), with original Star Wars music by John Williams. The editors for the film are John Gilroy, ACE (“Nightcrawler,” “The Bourne Legacy”), Jabez Olssen (“The Hobbit” trilogy) and Colin Goudie (“Monsters”).

 

DISC SPECIFICATIONS:
FEATURE RUN TIME:        Approximately 133 min.
RATING:                    PG-13 in U.S.; PG in CE; G in CF
ASPECT RATIO:            Blu-ray 3D Feature Film =2.39:1
Blu-ray Feature Film =    2.39:1
                        DVD Feature Film = 2.39:1                   
AUDIO:                      Blu-ray = English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks
DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio Language Tracks
LANGUAGES:            English, French & Spanish
SUBTITLES:        English SDH, French & Spanish

SOCIAL MEDIA:       
Website: http://www.starwars.com/rogue-one
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/StarWarsMovies
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWars
Instagram: http://instagram.com/StarWarsMovies
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/starwars

ABOUT “ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY”:
From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The story is by John Knoll and Gary Whitta, and the screenplay is by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” opened in U.S. theaters on December 16, 2016.

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.

ABOUT DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE (DMA):
Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) is an engaging and family-friendly cloud-based digital movie service that makes it easy to buy Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies once and watch them anywhere. Viewers can enjoy their digital movies from the comfort of their living room and across multiple mobile platforms by simply adding the free DMA app or channel to their devices, such as iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android mobile phones and tablets, Android TV, Amazon’s Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Roku, and Xbox 360, and connecting to their DMA account with participating providers including iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, Google Play, Microsoft Movies & TV and Fios by Verizon. DMA users can explore Disney’s library of over 450 digital movies, discover hours of new and exclusive short-form content, redeem Digital Movie codes found in eligible Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars product, and earn Disney Movie Rewards points with every digital purchase.
 
ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS:
For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.


© 2017 & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.  

"ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY" on Digital HD March 24th and Blu-ray April 4th

"HACKSAW RIDGE" Now Available on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD

“The best war film since Saving Private Ryan”
⦁    Rex Reed, New York Observer

Nominated for Three Golden Globes Including
Best Motion Picture - Drama

From Academy Award®-Winning Director Mel Gibson*, the Inspirational WWII Film Arrives on Digital HD February 7 and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-rayTM Combo Pack and DVD on February 21 from Lionsgate

SANTA MONICA, CA (December 19, 2016) – Based in the incredible true story of one man’s faith, strength and courage during one of the bloodiest battles of WWII, the Golden Globe®-nominated Hacksaw Ridge arrives on Digital HD on February 7 and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital HD), Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD), DVD and On Demand February 21 from Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE Company. From Academy Award®-winning director Mel Gibson (Best Picture, Braveheart, 1995), with  screenplay by Robert Schenkkan (The Quiet American) and Andrew Knight (The Water Diviner), Hacksaw Ridge features breathtaking visual effects and stunning production design and has been nominated for three Golden Globes®: Best Picture – Drama, Best Director – Motion Picture, and Best Actor – Motion Picture for Andrew Garfield. Garfield (The Amazing Spider-man) gives a moving performance as American hero Desmond Doss, alongside an all-star cast, including Sam Worthington (Avatar), Luke Bracey (Point Break), Teresa Palmer (Warm Bodies), Hugo Weaving (The Lord of the Rings franchise), Rachel Griffiths (Saving Mr. Banks), and Vince Vaughn (HBO’s “True Detective”).

Hacksaw Ridge is the extraordinary true story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) who, in Okinawa during the bloodiest battle of WWII, saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun. He was the only American soldier in WWII to fight on the front lines without a weapon, as he believed that while the war was justified, killing was nevertheless wrong. As an army medic, he single-handedly evacuated the wounded from behind enemy lines, braved fire while tending to soldiers, was wounded by a grenade, and hit by snipers. Doss was the first conscientious objector to ever earn the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Digital HD releases feature an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the film in “The Soul of War: Making Hacksaw Ridge,” a comprehensive documentary detailing the making of the film, including the real-life people and story, casting, filming, special effects and stunts with interviews from Mel Gibson, Andrew Garfield and others. In addition, the release will contain deleted scenes and a special Veterans Day Greeting from Mel Gibson. The DVD will feature the special Veterans Day Greeting. The 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray discs of Hacksaw Ridge will feature Dolby Atmos audio remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. Hacksaw Ridge will be available on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD for the suggested retail price of $42.99, $39.99 and $29.95, respectively.

4K/BLU-RAY/ DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES
⦁    “The Soul of War: Making Hacksaw Ridge” Documentary
⦁    Veterans Day Greeting with Mel Gibson
⦁    Deleted Scenes

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
⦁    Veterans Day Greeting with Mel Gibson

*Best Director, Braveheart, 1995

                         Watch the Trailer:


Website: www.lionsgateathome/hacksawridge/
Facebook: facebook.com/HacksawRidge
Instagram: @HacksawRidge
Twitter: @HacksawRidge

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2016
Title Copyright: © 2016 Cosmos Filmed Entertainment Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Type: Theatrical Release
Rating: R for Intense Prolonged Realistically Graphic Sequences of War Violence Including Grisly Bloody Images
Genre: Action, War, Drama
Closed Captioned:  N/A
Subtitles: Spanish, English SDH
Feature Run Time: 139 minutes
4K UHD Format: 2160p Ultra High Definition 16x9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
BD Format: 1080p High Definition 16x9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
DVD Format: 16x9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
4K UHD Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio, English 2.0 Dolby Digital Audio Optimized for Late-Night Listening
BD Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio, English 2.0 Dolby Digital Audio Optimized for Late-Night Listening, English Descriptive Audio
DVD Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio, English Descriptive Audio

ABOUT DOLBY ATMOS
Dolby Atmos delivers moving audio — sound that can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in three-dimensional space, including overhead. It brings entertainment alive all around the audience in a powerfully immersive and emotive experience. To learn more about Dolby Atmos, visit dolby.com/Atmos.

ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is a vertically integrated next generation global content leader with a diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, premium pay television networks, home entertainment, global distribution and sales, interactive ventures and games and location-based entertainment.

With the acquisition of Starz, Lionsgate adds to its portfolio of businesses the flagship STARZ premium pay network serving nearly 25 million subscribers and the STARZ ENCORE platform with over 31 million subscribers.  The combined company will operate five over-the-top (OTT) streaming services and the Starz app delivering content directly to consumers.

The Company’s feature film business spans eight labels and includes the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, the Now You See Me and John Wick series, the Golden Globe-nominated La La Land, Hacksaw Ridge and Hell or High Water (in partnership with CBS Films),  Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween, Roadside Attractions' critically-acclaimed Manchester by the Sea, Codeblack Films’ concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain and Pantelion Films’ Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.

One of the largest independent television businesses in the world, Lionsgate’s slate of premium quality series encompasses nearly 90 shows on more than 40 different networks.  These include the ground-breaking Orange is the New Black, the fan favorite Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the acclaimed drama The Royals, the acclaimed Casual, the breakout success Greenleaf and hit Starz series including Outlander, Black Sails, Survivor’s Remorse and Power, the second highest-rated premium pay television series of 2016.

Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates.  Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of more than 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment and Starz brands are synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com

"HACKSAW RIDGE" Now Available on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD

Robin Pront's "THE ARDENNES" on DVD & VOD March 7th

FILM MOVEMENT RELEASES ROBIN PRONT’S
AWARD-WINNING DRAMA THE ARDENNES
ON DVD & VOD ON MARCH 7th

"Tense and violent... rough beauty...like something out of a grisly storybook…" – Bilge Ebiri, Village Voice

Belgium’s Official Submission for the 89th Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film

February 20, 2017 (New York, NY) – Film Movement, the New York-based distributor of independent, foreign and documentary films, is pleased to announce that THE ARDENNES, the debut film by Belgian writer-director Robin Pront, will be released on DVD,VOD and digitally  on March 7th. Drugs, crime, and the bonds of brotherhood create this dark crime thriller, which stars Kevin Janssens; Jeroen Perceval, who also co-wrote the film; Veerle Baetens (THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN); and Jan Bijvoet (BORGMAN). THE ARDENNES was produced by Oscar-nominee Bart Van Langendonck (BULLHEAD) and was Belgium’s official submission for this year’s Academy Awards.

Four years after Kenneth (Janssens) is released from prison for a botched robbery and home invasion, he anxiously comes home to pick up where he, his brother, and his girlfriend – his partners in crime – left off, ready to resume the drug-crime lifestyle again. But both Dave (Perceval) and ex-girlfriend Sylvie (Baetens) have since adopted clean lifestyles and, unbeknownst to Kenneth, have started dating. After a failed attempt at a real job at a car wash, Kenneth corrals his brother to help him cover up one last crime he has compulsively committed, taking them to the namesake forest where they meet up with Kenneth’s eccentric former cellmate (Bijvoet) and a gaggle of other questionable characters.

Called “a straight-on, lean-and-mean genre film from Belgium” (Film-Forward), the award-winning film has been shown at numerous international and domestic film festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival, where it debuted in 2015; International Film Festival Rotterdam, and the Chicago and Palm Springs International Film Festivals, among others. Indiewire calls THE ARDENNES an “imaginative debut film…calling up comparisons to FARGO, TRAINSPOTTING and the early films of Quentin Tarantino,” while Todd Brown of the Screen Anarchy notes that “straddling the line between arthouse and genre, THE ARDENNES is a very strong debut sure to challenge and reward fans on both sides of that divide.”

Additional praise for THE ARDENNES:

    “Thrillingly nasty and darkly funny” –Robin Holland, Talking Pictures
    “Gritty... attention-grabbing” –John DeFore, The Hollywood Reporter
    “Starts with a splash and ends with a bang” – Christopher Llewellyn Reed, Hammer to Nail​

THE ARDENNES will be available on DVD and premiere on VOD and digital outlets on March 7th. The DVD will be available to own from FilmMovement.com, Amazon.com and other retailers.

Bonus features on the DVD of THE ARDENNES include an interview and commentary with director Robin Pront and actor Kevin Janssens; a making-of featurette; and Pront’s acclaimed 15-minute short film INJURY TIME, about an Antwerp football fan who seeks revenge after being brutally beaten by a group of rivals.

In addition to THE ARDENNES, holdover on-demand programming in March will include SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE, an award-winning indie directed by Lanre Olabisi (AUGUST THE FIRST) which chronicles the rocky relationship of a couple who each subsequently begin messy affairs with beautiful younger women.

These VOD titles can be found on Charter Spectrum, Verizon, Suddenlink, Mediacom and other smaller cable providers as well as digital platforms Amazon Video, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Xbox and others.

A full list of March films available On Demand from Film Movement follows:

New to On Demand this Month:
THE ARDENNES – premieres March 7th – View Trailer
Directed by Robin Pront. With Kevin Janssens, Jeroen Perceval, Jan Bijvoet, Veerlee Baetens, Sam Louwyck, Viviane de Muynck, and Eric Godon. Belgium. Drama, Thriller. Flemish and French with English subtitles. Not rated. 2015. 93 minutes A Film Movement Release.
The rivalry between two brothers comes to a slow-burning climax during a sinister trip to the Belgian countryside.

Holdover Title on Cable and Digital VOD:
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE – View Trailer

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 Koreeda, 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.

Robin Pront's "THE ARDENNES" on DVD & VOD March 7th

CUT TO THE CHASE -- Movie Review by Porfle

Triple-threat filmmaker Blayne Weaver wrote, directed, and starred in the steamy Louisiana-based crime thriller CUT TO THE CHASE (2016), and it's a corker.  This is straight-up pulp fiction, with a sleek visual style and a winking sense of humor.

Max Chase (Weaver) is a two-bit career criminal with only one saving grace--his love for younger sister Isobel (Erin Cahill in an endearing performance), an assistant D.A. who's always putting herself on the line for him. 

But after Max runs up against crime kingpin The Man (Lance Henriksen) one time too many, Isobel disappears, and Max frantically turns both the city and his own life upside-down looking for her.

 

Max is a wiry little wiseacre with a quick wit, and he's likable enough even though we, like his sister, know that he's a hopeless case.  We like him even more when her disappearance brings out a selfless determination that drives him to go up against the baddest hired killers in town, suffering more beatings and various other abuse than Bruce Willis in the process.

But what starts out as a simple hunt for his sister takes Max down the rabbit hole into something deeper and much darker than he expected, and before long neither he nor we are sure of anything. 

The good part is that this isn't just an excuse to string together ninety-odd minutes of action and violence, because each encounter Chase has with the people in his life -- Travis, The Man's burly head enforcer (Patrick Day), Chase and Isobel's surly old man Cotton (Richard Folmer), etc. -- is a scintillating vignette cracking with snappy acting and dialogue.

 

Character development is good even among the lesser bad guys, who instead of being just faceless heavies are mostly people Travis has known and dealt with for years, for various reasons.  One is even an old schoolmate who asks if he's going to the next class reunion if he happens to survive the next few minutes. 

Henriksen is his cranky, acerbic self as The Man, while beautiful Lyndie Greenwood shines as Nola (good name for a Louisiana girl), a witness in his upcoming trial who ends up on the run with Max as he starts getting blamed for various violent deaths that start happening all over Shreveport.
 
As for Weaver, he's so in tune with his character that it carries over into how he directs the film itself.  The jittery editing and quirky visual style seem to spring straight from Chase's own fidgety disposition, so it's like we're really inside Chase's head.  Which is kind of a scary place to be.

CUT TO THE CHASE starts out kind of like a film noir without the noir, until Max's search for Isobel becomes more and more desperate.  It never quite loses its wry sense of humor or its desire to entertain us with lots of hard-hitting action and suspense, with a final scene that makes us glad we stuck with Max till the bitter end.


 
Opens theatrically in limited markets on February 28th and is available nationwide on VOD/Digital March 7th with a DVD release in August.

Website cuttothechasefilm.com
Facebook facebook.com/cuttothechasefilm

CUT TO THE CHASE -- Movie Review by Porfle

DESERTED -- Movie Review by Porfle

I like to learn at least one thing from every movie I watch, and if DESERTED (2016) has taught me anything, it's not to go galumphing off into Death Valley in an RV full of strangers in the middle of the night. 

Because before you know it, you could be right in the middle of a sun-baked predicament movie where the simple act of staying alive will eventually become a grueling ordeal.

Of course, that's exactly what happens to Jae (Mischa Barton, the poisoned girl in THE SIXTH SENSE), who has just been released from prison for killing her mother (we won't go into that now), and her brother Robin (Jackson Davis), whose bright idea it was for them to go to some dorky weekend music festival that they had to go through Death Valley to get to.

Along for the ride are three other women who grew up with the two siblings and, as it happens, don't really care much for Jae.  These include snooty gal-pals Heather (Dana Rosendorff) and Jasmine (Kelly Brannigan), and Rosemary (Winter Ave Zoli, BAD ASS), who, to Jae's dismay, is now engaged to Robin.

These two girls have a history that isn't too good but I'll let you find out about that for yourselves because it's one of those little pockets of character drama interspersed throughout the movie that help make it more interesting.

Naturally Robin's SUV breaks down as soon as they go near Death Valley and they end up getting a ride to the "Burn the Moon" festival with another group of music lovers in a rickety RV, which, as you've already guessed, will also break down just as soon as they're lost in the middle of the desert in the pitch darkness.  (With no cell phone reception, natch.)

Up till that point the movie is having a good time teasing us with various red herrings such as a creepy Jake Busey and an unsavory Sebastian Bach as DELIVERANCE types who tow Robin's SUV back to their garage and set about fixing it.  Lance Henriksen also pops up for a few seconds somewhere (to tell you the truth, I missed him).

But as it turns out, DESERTED isn't that kind of movie--we needn't worry about bad guys showing up and terrorizing our hapless travelers HILLS HAVE EYES-style.  Once they get good and stranded out there, the desert becomes the bad guy and it's downright heartless. 

It's a shame, too, because some of the impromptu girl-guy combos are getting along nicely that first night around the cozy campfire and we start warming up to these characters (Jae is especially sympathetic), which makes it all the more heartrending when impending misfortune turns their desert jaunt into a life-or-death situation.

In short order, one person croaks outright due to a peyote overdose, and then once they set off into the desert to try and make their way back to civilization the bad things start to happen one right after another, including a deadly snake bite and a really scary sandstorm that catches them unawares.

I'm loathe to reveal much more, so suffice it to say that this is one of those predicament movies that puts likable, identifiable characters into inescapable peril through which we must suffer with them every step of the way. 

The weird thing about it is that the more successful the movie is, the more unpleasant and anxiety-inducing it is for the viewer, as is definitely the case here. 

 

Everything about DESERTED, in fact, is a success.  The cast and production values are fine, with beautiful desert photography and a capable writing/directing job by Ashley Avis, who writes good natural-sounding dialogue and depicts the eventual social deterioration of the group in realistic fashion. 

Once they start bickering amongst themselves and going off in different directions, it becomes a matter of who will die when and how badly.  (Don't stop watching after the end credits begin or you'll miss out on the fate of one person in particular.)

Unlike many films in this genre, the deaths aren't presented in a sensational manner for our enjoyment, but quietly, matter-of-factly, with emphasis on the senseless and hopeless tragedy of the situation.  

Before it's over, each character will bare his or her soul, some to each other and some just to us, the viewer.

DESERTED doesn't try to be an edge-of-your-seat thriller.  The suspense is gradual and gripping, and the film is equally intent on conveying how survival instinct can give way to eventual despair when hope becomes futile.  It's a good movie, but it doesn't want you to enjoy it very much. 

Buy it at Amazon.com:
DVD
Amazon Video

DESERTED -- Movie Review by Porfle

Sony Classical Set To Release "John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection" On March 17

Sony Classical Set To Release
John Williams & Steven Spielberg:
The Ultimate Collection
On March 17, 2017

"Marion's Theme from 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'"
Now Available via The Hollywood Reporter, here: https://goo.gl/g1Vusx

Pre-Order via Amazon

Special 3-CD Collection Includes New Recordings
Plus Bonus DVD Featuring Documentary
Steven Spielberg & John Williams: The Adventure Continues

February 16, 2017 - Celebrating one of the most definitive and beloved partnerships in the history of motion pictures, John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection delivers an essential sampling of Williams's musical scores for Spielberg's films - a critically acclaimed, award-winning, chart-topping collaboration now in its fifth decade. Comprised of a three-CD set and bonus DVD, John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection is available from Sony Classical on March 17, 2017.

This collection brings together Williams's two previous discs of his music for Spielberg films, which he recorded with the Boston Pops Orchestra for Sony Classical: The Spielberg/Williams Collaboration (1991) and Williams on Williams: The Classic Spielberg Scores (1995). Those discs include music from Sugarland Express (1974) through Jurassic Park and Schindler's List (1993).

Bringing the collection up to date is an all-new third disc, recorded in 2016 with Williams conducting the Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles, and with Spielberg as executive producer. It features the first release of brand new recordings of music from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Amistad, The BFG, Lincoln, The Adventures of Tintin, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Saving Private Ryan, War Horse, The Terminal, Munich and Spielberg's 1999 documentary The Unfinished Journey.

The bonus DVD that accompanies this new three-CD collection presents Steven Spielberg & John Williams: The Adventure Continues, a new documentary by filmmaker and film historian Laurent Bouzereau, who has been documenting Spielberg's work for more than twenty years.

"I was very happy with the fact that when I was music director of Boston Pops, we were able to record a lot of the music that I'd written for Steven's films," Williams said about the first two discs in the collection. "So I said to him, 'Steven, wouldn't it be great if we could complete the Sony collection and put in all the things that we didn't have when the last disc was recorded, this time with our great orchestra here in Los Angeles?'  To which Steven responded, 'This is a great idea. Let's do it!'"

When Steven Spielberg made his first theatrical feature The Sugarland Express (1974), he sought John Williams to compose the score. With two exceptions, all of Spielberg's films have featured a Williams score. In its continuity and its infinite range of style and expression, their partnership is unique, even in light of other such legendary collaborations in film history, including Bernard Herrmann with Alfred Hitchcock, Nino Rota with Federico Fellini, and Ennio Morricone with Sergio Leone.

"Oh, this has been a great adventure," Spielberg tells Williams at the end of Bouzereau's film. "This has been a greater adventure than all the Indiana Jones movies put together for me ... It's been an honor for me to work all these years with John and to have his friendship, his partnership, his brotherhood. When we made Sugarland Express, we didn't realize we'd set our paths to be partners and friends for the rest of our lives."

In his ongoing career, now in its sixth decade, Williams has won five Academy Awards (three for Spielberg films), seven BAFTA (British Film Academy) awards, four Golden Globes, and twenty-two Grammy Awards for his film scores. His fifty Academy Award nominations, as of 2017, are a record among composers, and he is second only to Walt Disney in holding the most Academy Award nominations by an individual artist.  Fifteen of those nominations are for scores from Spielberg films.

Sony Music Masterworks comprises Masterworks, Sony Classical, OKeh, Portrait and Masterworks Broadway imprints. For email updates and information please visit www.SonyMasterworks.com.

John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection Tracklisting:

DISC 1 - CD
1 Raiders of the Lost Ark from "Raiders of the Lost Ark" 
2 Theme from "Always" 
3 Adventures on Earth from "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial"
4 Theme from "Sugarland Express"
5 Title Theme from "Jaws"
6 Out to Sea / The Shark Cage Fugue from "Jaws" 
Out to Sea
The Shark Cage Fugue from Jaws
7 Exsultate Justi from "Empire of the Sun" 
8 Parade of the Slave Children from "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"      
9 Over the Moon from "E.T. The Extra Terrestrial" 
10 March from "1941" 
11 Cadillac of the Skies from "Empire of the Sun" 
12 Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"
13 Close Encounters of the Third Kind/When You Wish Upon a Star Medley
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Excerpts)
When You Wish Upon A Star (interpolated)  

DISC 2 - CD
1 Flying from "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial"   
2 Theme From "Jurassic Park"    
3 Remembrances from "Schindler's List"   
4 Flight to Neverland from "Hook"     
5 The Battle Of Hollywood From "1941" (includes the Irish folksong "The Rakes of Mallow")  
6 Smee's Plan From "Hook" 
7 The Barrel Chase From "Jaws"
8 My Friend,The Brachiosaurus from "Jurassic Park"  
9 Jim's New Life From "Empire Of The Sun"    
10 The Dialogue From "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind" 
11 The Lost Boys Ballet From "Hook" 
12 Theme from "Schindler's List"  
13 The Basket Chase from "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" 
14 The Face Of Pan from "Hook"     
15 The Banquet Scene from "Hook"

DISC 3 - CD
1 The Adventures of Mutt from "Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"
2 Dry Your Tears, Afrika from "Amistad" 
3 The BFG from "The BFG"
4 With Malice Toward None from "Lincoln"
5 The Duel from "The Adventures of Tintin"
6 A New Beginning from "Minority Report"  
Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra from "Catch Me If You Can" 
7 Movement 1: Closing In 
8 Movement 2: Reflections
9 Movement 3: Joy Ride
10 Marion's Theme from "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
11 Hymn to the Fallen from "Saving Private Ryan"
12 Dartmoor, 1912 from "War Horse"
13 Viktor's Tale from "The Terminal"
14 Prayer for Peace from "Munich" 
15 Immigration and Building from "The Unfinished Journey"
16 With Malice Toward None from "Lincoln" (Alternate Version)

READ OUR REVIEWS OF JOHN WILLIAMS' SCORES FOR THE FIRST THREE INDIANA JONES MOVIES HERE

Sony Classical Set To Release "John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection" On March 17

Get Caught in "CAPTURE KILL RELEASE" on Digital HD March 7th

Capture Kill Release Uploads to Digital HD March 7th
Found Footage Puts Twist on Infamous Barbie & Ken Killers
Available Everywhere in North America Following Festival Acclaim
                                                       
"a wonderful look at a dysfunctional relationship between two
extremely flawed characters" --Ain't It Cool News

"powered solely by two thoroughly authentic leads...
a deeply involving and really quite vicious film" --Flickering Myth

"chilling, haunting and utterly compelling, go see this movie."
--HorrorMovies.ca
   
Los Angeles, CA - Midnight Releasing has announced the March 7th Digital HD and MOD premiere of Capture Kill Release. Co-directors Nick McAnulty and Brian Allan Stewart deliver a romantic bloodbath that blends the true horrors of the Barbie and Ken Killers with the tropes of found footage, to stomach-curling effect.  Capture Kill Release will be available to rent or own beginning March 7th on iTunes, Amazon Instant, Google Play, Vudu, XBox, FlixFling and more.

Capture Kill Release has been a hit with critics and audiences since the world premiere at the Sunscreen Film Festival.  The film has screened at genre fests around the world, sending chills through crowds at Shriekfest, Splat!, the Bram Stoker International Film Festival, HorrorQuest, Blood in the Snow, Fright Night Film Fest and many others over the past year. 

 

 

Leading lady Jennifer Fraser makes her debut in Capture Kill Release as the unhinged wife with awards for Best Newcomer (Blood in the Snow) and Best Actress (Louisville Fright Night, HorrorQuest).  HorrorMovies.ca hailed the film, singling out her performance as "utterly compelling" and "pretty much the female Patrick Bateman". 

Co-directors McAnulty and Stewart took two awards (Shriekfest, HorrorQuest) and two nominations (British Horror Film Festival, Torremolinos) for Best Feature Film, with a Best Actor win for Farhang Ghajar as the devoted yet reluctant husband (HorrorQuest) and Jon Gates (Louisville Fright Night) for his turn as an acquaintance who gets too close to the lovebirds for his own good.

A young married couple documents their descent down the rabbit hole as they seek to fulfill one of their darkest desires: kill a stranger and film it for posterity.  Strain and second thoughts pull at their devotion to each other as they carefully plot out a heinous crime for the sake of curiosity. 

While they may have carefully thought out every small step and detail of getting away with murder, nothing can prepare them with the guilt and the weight of moving on in the aftermath.  Shot in a documentary style from the perspective of the couple's camera, the film follows unflinching as they document their moral decay for the sake of "art".

           Capture Kill Release (Official Trailer)


The MOD physical release of Capture Kill Release will be available exclusively from Amazon.com.

Get Caught in "CAPTURE KILL RELEASE" on Digital HD March 7th

Lightyear Entertainment's 30th Anniversary Re-Release of "ARIA" on Blu-ray, Restored from the Original Film Materials, Arrives March 7

Lightyear Entertainment’s 30th Anniversary  Re-Release of ARIA, Restored from the Original Film Materials and Available in HD
for the First Time, Arrives March 7th on Blu-ray

“Ten directors work magic!”
–Time Magazine (Critics Choice)

“ARIA reminds viewers of the original arithmetic of cinema: sight + sound = sensation.”
–Richard Corliss

In ARIA, ten of the world’s most creative and celebrated directors were each given the same brief: to choose a piece of opera music and then present a visual interpretation of that music with complete artistic freedom. Music was sourced from the massive RCA Red Seal catalog; the score features some of the world’s best opera singers.

The ten directors of ARIA are Robert Altman, Bruce Beresford, Bill Bryden, Jean-Luc Godard, Derek Jarman, Franc Roddam, Nicolas Roeg, Ken Russell, Charles Sturridge and Julien Temple.

Actors featured in this one-of-a-kind film include the late, great John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Bridget Fonda, Theresa Russell, Buck Henry, Beverly D’Angelo, Julie Hagerty and Anita Morris.

ARIA was produced by British filmmaker Don Boyd for Lightyear in 1987. Going back to the original 35mm internegative, the film now has been painstakingly restored and transferred to a widescreen HD master and will be released on Blu-ray ($25.99 SRP) for the first time on March 7, 2017 in a special 30th Anniversary Edition.  A new DVD ($19.99 SRP) has also been authored from the HD master, and both skus will be distributed on the Lightyear Entertainment label through Momentum Pictures/Sony Home Entertainment.

The film previously was screened in recent retrospectives at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Toronto International Film Festival. ARIA was originally released in U.S. theaters by Miramax in 1987, after it debuted in Cannes as the closing night film.

Composers featured in ARIA include Verdi, Lully, Korngold, Rameau, Wagner, Puccini, Charpentier and Leoncavallo.

Singers include Enrico Caruso, Leontyne Price, Robert Merrill, Rachel Yakar, Anna Moffo, Carol Neblett, René Kollo and Birgit Nilsson.

The HD trailer can be seen here: www.lightyear.com/videos/aria

Lightyear Entertainment, a distributor of independent films and music, was founded in 1987, as a management buyout of RCA Video Productions, just before ARIA was completed. So 2017 is also Lightyear’s 30th Anniversary. www.lightyear.com

Lightyear Entertainment's 30th Anniversary Re-Release of "ARIA" on Blu-ray, Restored from the Original Film Materials, Arrives March 7