Interview with Drew Hall - Director of Sasq-Watch!

Drew Hall talks about his new comedy Sasq-watch!, out now on VOD and DVD, starring Paul Brittain.


Do you remember where you were when you came upon the project? 

D: I was visiting my buddy Jarrod Murray in Los Angeles. We were at a delightful Korean BBQ place. He emailed me the script and I read it on the flight home. I must have looked crazy as I was laughing out loud as I read through it.


Inspirations?

D: It all comes from my childhood. I grew up watching so many 80’s B movies and cartoons. I’m not a huge fan of nostalgia, but felt like this particular script really resonated with my early childhood.


How long of a shoot was it?

D: We shot for about 21 days. The best part of the film was that we all (cast and crew) lived together on top of a mountain for 3 weeks. It was like being at some really odd film summer camp – Wet Hot American Summer style. Relationships formed and ended. We ate 3 meals together. It was pretty foggy and dangerous at night so we literally just hung out around the fire. Couple of days I smoked a pork butt because we had the time. It was just a really different filmmaking experience. If you ask any of the cast and crew they all referred to it as Camp Cheaha.

Was it local? Or were parts of it filmed all over? 

D: The majority of the film was shot at the Cheaha state park in north Alabama, but we did shoot the less rural scenes in Mobile, Alabama.


How did the film perform in other territories?

D: We were released in China – which is pretty awesome. Its doing well. I mean every culture has some kind of bigfoot lore and the comedic elements of the film don’t really rely upon a ton of Americanized pop culture – so its purely funny in a mixed space.

Has it been marketed differently in other territories? 

D: I don’t actually know beyond the title change from Nigel and Oscar Vs. The Sasquatch. I’m sure the Squatch gets shifted as the names for bigfoot vary from culture to culture.


How important is a social media presence for a film?

D: That’s how it all works now days – especially for an indie film. We should probably have one.


What’s one thing people probably don’t realize about making indie films? It’s not easy, right!?

D: Making any sort of film is quite the feat. So I applaud any filmmaker out there willing to take the risk and just put themselves on public display whether it’s a film or on YouTube. I do feel like the big Hollywood machine is making it increasingly more difficult to hear/see new voices. I get that it is a business, but sometimes the best stories come from those who have fought against the odds to make their project happen. I think indie filmmakers typically have a greater appreciation for opportunity, cause it is so rare to them.

And when does the job end for you?

D: Never…I produce all of my own films so that means I’m on the hook for a very, very long time.


What’s the goal here? Make some money? Get another job? Give the world the next cult classic?

D: Can I say all of the above? One feeds into another and I’d like to keep my family fed, clothed, and housed. Its not a greed thing. It is just the idea that if we can keep going then hopefully it can inspire others to do the same.


What do you love about genre movies?

D: Genre films are like cheeseburgers – they are comforting, often innovative, and yet familiar. I think that a genre film provides the best platform for emerging filmmakers because in my experience as both viewer and filmmaker, that’s where innovation come from.

You can buy Sasq-Watch! from Amazon.com by clicking here.

Song of Granite - Official Trailer

SONG OF GRANITE revolves around the life of the great traditional Irish singer, Joe Heaney. The harsh landscape combined with the myths, fables and songs of his Connemara childhood helped shape this complex and fascinating character. Enigmatic and complex, Heaney’s devotion to his art came at a huge personal cost.

Joe Heaney was born just outside of Carna in 1919. From an early age, he was fascinated by the stories and music around him, ‘drinking (them) from the bottle when (he) was in the cradle”. By the time of his death in Seattle in May 1984, he was widely recognized as one of the most important figures in Irish traditional music, having won fans and admirers from every part of the globe and most particularly from the folk music scene in the United States. Joe’s life was also remarkably complex, challenging traditions with his way of life.

Utilizing documentary evidence, recreations and more abstract scenes that attempt to reveal the inner workings of Heaney’s psyche, Pat Collins has shaped a cinematic exploration of Heaney’s life and his music, tracing his strange, tragic and often inspiring journey from rural Connemara through Glasgow and eventually to New York City – but not always in that order.

Alita: Battle Angel - First Trailer

Visionary filmmakers James Cameron (AVATAR) and Robert Rodriguez (SIN CITY) create a groundbreaking new heroine in ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, an action-packed story of hope, love and empowerment. Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita (Rosa Salazar) is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the unconscious cyborg Alita to his clinic.  When Alita awakens she has no memory of who she is, nor does she have any recognition of the world she finds herself in.  Everything is new to Alita, every experience a first. 

As she learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield Alita from her mysterious past while her street-smart new friend, Hugo (Keean Johnson), offers instead to help trigger her memories.  A growing affection develops between the two until deadly forces come after Alita and threaten her newfound relationships.

It is then that Alita discovers she has extraordinary fighting abilities that could be used to save the friends and family she’s grown to love. Determined to uncover the truth behind her origin, Alita sets out on a journey that will lead her to take on the injustices of this dark, corrupt world, and discover that one young woman can change the world in which she lives.

Interview with Brett Bentman - writer-director of Apocalypse Road

Brett Bentman, writer-director of the new apocalyptic thriller Apocalypse Road (now available on VOD), tells us what he loves about filmmaking.


Do you have to be a fan of movies like this to want to make one? I imagine it helps?

Oh yeah. I love movie that carry a heavy dramatic narrative, then punch you in the gut with some action and slam your eyes with some uncomfortable gore. We were able to mix all of these elements I love into one film.


When did you come up with the idea?

I had just wrapped a western that went horribly wrong. When I came home I wrote AR and told my team we were going to make a film the right way, with the right producers behind it from day one. I wanted to re-invent myself with this script and I wanted to put the viewer in the shoes of Sarah and Natalie West. It’s one thing to make a movie where you go from scene to scene to scene, with actors who just read lines and move on, to a film like AR where the cast and crew are literally bleeding for the story. Makes you feel a sense of pride.


How much have post-apocalyptic movies like Mad Max or even The Hunger Games inspired the libretto here?

Not a lot, but some. I took more inspiration from The Road and The Revenant. We shot on one camera with two lenses on a gimbal 90% of the time. We had to use a ton of natural light and put thought into not having power most of the time. It was fun, tiring, but fun.


How did pitch it to your investors? What do you think led them to pulling the trigger?

Our sole investor was Bill Nicholas who is a close personal friend and has serves as my executive producer on all of my feature films. It wasn’t so much a pitch of the film, more of the idea that Bill believed in me as a filmmaker that brought him back in the fold. Plus, he gets a little cameo in the film, so everyone is happy!


Can you talk about the look of the film? What did you shoot on?

We shot on a sony a7sii. We kept the camera moving at all times. We wanted to give the illusion that the viewer is in the middle of the shot. Going through cars and things like that all while moving the camera on a ronin. We shot in real abandoned locations with no AC or heat. I wanted this film to have long takes with natural light. We did it all when others said we were nuts. We weren’t nuts, we just wouldn’t take no for an answer. Michael Ray Lewis, who shot the film, had to be exhausted every night. He would be running all day, he never sat down.


What do you love about filmmaking?

I love that at the end of the day we are telling a story and making it come to life. We keep it light on set. We have fun, but we work our asses off too. We aren’t curing cancer, we are making a movie. How cool is that?

Interview with Isabella Blake-Thomas

Isabella Blake-Thomas reconnects with her grandmother in the heart-warming new film Kepler’s Dream, currently screening in theaters and available on InDemand.


How did Kepler’s Dream come about, Izabella?

My mum took me to an open audition in London for a children’s TV show and out of a few thousand children l got the job alongside three other kids. This was just the beginning.


Sounds like you have some good support in your mum!?

My mum has always supported me and driven me wherever and whenever I’ve needed to go somewhere. She also helped coach me as she is a film director.


Fantastic. Has it been hard to break in? it’s competitive out there, I imagine?

The industry is still just as competitive but now there are multiple platforms for you to get spotted such as YouTube or any social media platform allowing everyone to be able to give the industry a go.

Was this movie shot a while ago?

Yes, it was shot three years ago. Sometimes it can take that long for films to come out though.


What was the main appeal of it, for you?

l loved the idea of being the protagonist in a family film. No swearing, no violence just a lovely story.


Did you get to know your co-stars before filming began?

There was only a day to rehearse altogether but we mixed as much as we could and I’m not supposed to know or like Holland Taylor, my grandmother, so it was important we didn’t get to know each other much. Once shooting started though we all became friends very quickly.


Was there a scene that was hard to film?

It was hard seeing my mum in hospital, l just imagined it was my mum and so it wasn’t hard to get upset.


What do you hope people get out of this movie?

l hope people are inspired to feel hopeful when dealing with difficult family or health situations.

Tomb Raider - Image, Trailer and Featurette

SYNOPSIS AND FURTHER INFO:
Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen. Now a young woman of 21 without any real focus or purpose, Lara navigates the chaotic streets of trendy East London as a bike courier, barely making the rent, and takes college courses, rarely making it to class. Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father’s global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he’s truly gone. Advised to face the facts and move forward after seven years without him, even Lara can’t understand what drives her to finally solve the puzzle of his mysterious death.

Going explicitly against his final wishes, she leaves everything she knows behind in search of her Dad’s last-known destination: a fabled tomb on a mythical island that might be somewhere off the coast of Japan. But her mission will not be an easy one; just reaching the island will be extremely treacherous. Suddenly, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Lara, who - against the odds and armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spirit - must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown. If she survives this perilous adventure, it could be the making of her, earning her the name tomb raider.

Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel Hits Theaters

Los Angeles, CA - Surge of Power Enterprises is proud to announce the theatrical debut of the long-anticipated sequel to the groundbreaking and lighthearted superhero movie "Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes."  "Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel" will begin with a weeklong run in Los Angeles before fighting crime in additional cities.

Creator Vincent J. Roth returns to the cape-clad title role of Surge, cinema's first out gay superhero.  Roth is joined by a star-studded cast representing the forces of good and evil including "Star Trek" alums Nichelle Nichols and Robert Picardo, comedian Bruce Vilanch, "SuperFriends!" Shannon Farnon, Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts, The Exorcist's Linda Blair, "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" star Gil Gerard and the original Incredible Hulk Lou Ferrigno.  The award-winning film has screened at festivals and conventions across the globe, taking home prizes for Best Comedy, Best Villain, Best Special Effects and Most Inspirational Lead Character.

Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel will open January 5 in Los Angeles, expand to New York on January 19 and continue nationwide.

Synopsis:
Surge's nemesis, the Metal Master, is out of jail and trying to reconcile with his estranged parents (Blair, Gerard) and tempted to continue a life of crime by Augur (Roberts), archnemesis of the wise Omen (Nichols, Picardo).  Augur sends Metal Master to Las Vegas for mysterious crystals.  Needing more crime fighting help, Surge activates the artificial intelligence in the Surgemobile (Vilanch, Farnon). Augur emerges from the shadows back in Big City, causing Omen to step into the fray, which alerts The Council, a supervillain cabal bent on world domination.  Facing more enemies than ever before, Surge must do whatever it takes to save mankind.

SPENT, an award-winning dark comedy, in theaters and VOD 12/15

SPENT, the award-winning new dark comedy from writer-director Lisa Mikitarian, hits theaters and VOD December 15 from Indie Rights.

Winner Best Comedy at the American Filmatic Arts Awards, SPENT is a tale of greed, love, and most of all...rat poison.

Ruthless People meets Fargo in a delicious homage to ‘40s dark comedy about a wife and son that live it up while their miser-rat of a husband/father lies in a hospital bed--death by brain tumor imminent. It's all fun and games until he experiences a miraculous 4th of July recovery.

SPENT, featuring “a great story with good direction melded with the right cast and crew”*, opens December 15 in LA theaters and on VOD.

Interview with Baron Jay Star of The Condo

From Gravitas Ventures comes an instant urban comedy classic that paints The Hangover only slightly tipsy, The Condo!

Baron Jay Films and director James Cullen Bressack invite you to an abode of laughs and lust, available from December 5!

Four married friends buy a condo to share as a bachelor pad, a place to bring their mistresses, until the wives and girlfriends bust the cheating spouses!
Trae Ireland (#FromJennifer), Jackie Moore (Pernicious), Baron Jay (Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp), Michael Joseph (Restoration), Tracy “Stresh” Mcnulty (Emma’s Chance), Chris Sapone, Aria London, and Johanna Rae (Psychos) lead an outrageous cast of characters in The Condo, a hot Winter comedy available digitally 12/5 from Gravitas Ventures.

Produced by Baron Jay and Michael Joseph for Baron Jay Film Group, directed by horror genre veteran James Cullen Bressack (Bethany) and penned by Bill Dumas & Bill Maroni.


When and where did the idea for “The Condo” come up?

The idea of the “The Condo” came about when I was binge watching DVD movies that I checked out from the public library in North Hollywood. While lying in bed I watched “The Apartment” Directed and written by Billy Wilder and staring Jack Lemmon. The premise of “The Apartment” A man tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue. When I watched movies I always put myself in the characters shoes and play the game in my mind…what would I do and how will I react; from that visual experience I develop the idea of “ The Condo and I commissioned Bill Morroni to write the script who is a directed that directed my first feature film “Safe House” not the Safe House starring Denzel Washington….lol…


What appealed to you about producing this particular film?

What appeal to me about producing this particular film “The Condo was giving myself permission to produce, act and utilize my creative entrepreneurial instincts. I was tired of waiting around for someone to give me permission to utilize my gifts and talents. I said to myself if all the grocery stores close down for a year….I would not let myself starve to death because I enjoy food and I love living life. I would learn how to garden and cook my own food. So I lean how to produce (the garden) the acting (the food). I enjoy films that are character driven with a multi-cultural cast with a few locations and “The Condo” I like the premise of “The Condo” a group of guys coming together to solve a problem that all of them was experiencing in fun child like way. After I produced the film I realized that men actually have and do have a man cave where they take their mistresses.

Being a comedy, was it hard to ground? How do you maintain that balance?

It was not hard to ground. Want nothing and get everything. I maintain balance by listening to the other characters, reacting in the moment and do not tried to be funny……just be present and everything will work itself like the digestion of food.


By the same token, what kind of pointers do you give your actors that they don’t play it too over-the-top?

I tell my actors; just react how you would in a real life situation and this pointer usually help them not too be over the top. By the way when you are doing a independent film on a used car budget its like doing theater because you only get 1 take not 10 takes as you would in a studio film or bigger budget film.


Tell us about putting together the cast. Who gets the credit there?

I follow my angel like gut instincts about the cast. I did not audition people in a room with a camera. I invited everyone to have lunch with me at Shakey’s Pizza and had a conversation with them. I wanted new fresh faces. I also asked each other to invest as well and 70% of them invested.


And are you anything like Duke?

I am like Duke in some ways and those some ways you will need to discover. Enjoy the movie.


The Condo is on VOD December 5

Danielle Harris' INOPERABLE Checks Into Cinemas December 1st

Los Angeles, CA - Zorya Films and Millman Productions are putting scream queen Danielle Harris under the knife with the December 1st theatrical release of Christopher Lawrence Chapman's Inoperable.  Harris (Halloween 4 & 5, Rob Zombie's Halloween, the Hatchet franchise) stars as Amy, a hospital patient who must battle nature and the supernatural before she ends up trapped for eternity.  Chapman directed from a script he co-wrote with producer Jeff Miller.  Inoperable will open December 1st in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix, Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Cleveland and Minneapolis for weeklong runs.

A young woman wakes up in a seemingly evacuated hospital with a hurricane approaching. She realizes the storm has awakened malevolent forces, trapping her in a time loop. She must escape the hospital before the storm passes or she will be trapped in its halls forever.

Coco - New UK Trailer

Disney•Pixar’s COCO becomes the highest-grossing film of all time in Mexico after only 19 days at the box office. COCO set the international box office record in Mexico’s local currency after taking 827M pesos ($43.1M)* with audiences taking this new Pixar adventure to their hearts making it a true phenomenon. The results follow extensive research by the filmmakers into Mexican culture and it’s people so that they could immerse the audience in the culture that would anchor their story. They approached their research from many directions—enlisting consultants and experts, studying Mexican art, film and music, and traveling throughout Mexico to experience the traditions, meet the people and see first-hand where their characters would live.

COCO features two distinct worlds: the Land of the Living and the Land of the Dead. Aspiring musician Miguel and his family hail from Santa Cecilia, a charming town with a bustling central plaza where residents congregate. The look and feel of Santa Cecilia is inspired by villages visited by the filmmakers during research trips—but those trips did so much more. “The story of ‘Coco’ is inspired by Mexico’s people, cultures and traditions,” says director Lee Unkrich. “The people of Mexico made us think about our own families, our own histories and how that makes us who we are today. We are grateful for the opportunities afforded to us, and we can honestly say we are different people as a result of our experiences.”

Synopsis:
Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Héctor (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.

The Cutlass - Poster and Trailer

A young tourist is abducted by a dangerous sociopath in the jungle of Trinidad in the award-winning action-thriller The Cutlass, on VOD this December from Wild Eye Releasing.

A young tourist is abducted from her family into the jungles of Trinidad by a dangerous, armed sociopath. While the authorities and her family attempt to find her with no success, she is forced to mentally and physically outmaneuver her captor in an effort to stay alive and escape to safety.

Lisa-Bel Hirschman, Arnold Goindhan and screen veteran Kirk Baltz (Reservoir Dogs, Natural Born Killers) star in a Darisha J. Beresford film.

Inspired by true events, The Cutlass is “a rewarding experience worthy of multiple viewings” (RedMangoReviews) available on digital across the US on 12/12.

Interview with Tahlia Morgan

Tahlia Morgan gives a bravura performance in the new film Sightings. In this exclusive interview, we speak to the versatile thesp about her career journey, working with husband Dallas (the film’s director) and why sci-fi is still as strong a genre as ever.


Tell us a little about your background as an actor?

I moved to Los Angeles back in 2005 after landing my first role which got me my SAG card. I have been working at my craft ever since.


What appealed to you about the part here?

The role of Hannah was written for me after Dallas and I basically did this role in a short film a few years back. So I already had experience working as her.


Being a genre movie, is it hard not to go too ‘over the top’ at times?

Yes you have to be careful to not become a caricature of what this person you are playing would be. They are real people who are experiencing real events.


Do you find a much more enjoyable, less stressful mood working on certain genres?

Not really, You can have a stressful role in any genre. It just depends on the character I am playing and the scenes for the day we are shooting. The day we shot my emotional crying scene was a lot more demanding on my mood than some of the other shoot days.


Who do you think will dig the movie the most?

I think this film and the fun sci-fi, thriller, and drama genres will appeal to a lot of different types of movie goers. It definitely will fit the paranormal believers!


And what’s coming up?

Since filming Dallas and I have had two babies, a daughter first and most recently a son. So for now I am busy playing mom while we release Sightings and work on our next project together!

6 Questions with Demetrius Stear

Demetrius Stear reunites with director Jared Cohn (Buddy Hutchins, Evil Nanny, The Domicile) on Halloween Pussy Trap Kill Kill!


Tell us a little about your background as an actor?

 My first acting gig was General Hospital. I've worked primarily in the Indie/Horror film arena. My ideal film type would be LA crime drama.

What appealed to you about the part here? 

I really liked the cat/mouse aspect of the film, also the intensity of the scenes caught my eye.

Being a genre movie, is it hard not to go too ‘over the top’ at times?

 I don't think so, I believe it's better to give too much than not enough.

Do you find a much more enjoyable, less stressful mood working on certain genres? 

I like genre films because I grew up on them. I've always had an appreciation for it since I was kid.

Who do you think will dig the movie the most? 

I think the underground indie horror fans are going to really enjoy it, as well soundtrack junkies. The soundtrack is dope!

And what’s coming up? 

At the moment, I'm developing a graphic novel by the legendary Chuck Dixon called G.O.M.E.R.S

Kepler's Dream - Trailer and Poster

This Winter, what we treasure brings us together in Kepler’s Dream!

Sean Patrick Flanery (The Boondock Saints, Powder), Kelly Lynch (“Mr.Mercedes”, Charlie’s Angels), and Holland Taylor (The Truman Show, “Two and-a-Half Men”) star in director Amy Glazer’s highly anticipated feature adaptation of the hit YA novel by Juliet Bell, in theaters and InDemand December 1st from Leomark Studios.

Eleven-year-old Ella (Isabella Blake-Thomas) is a city girl forced to spend the summer on the New Mexico ranch of her reclusive grandmother, Violet Von Stern (Holland Taylor), while Ella’s mom (Kelly Lynch) undergoes chemotherapy in another state. As she tries to cope with her grandmother’s strict rules and snooty friends, Ella longs for her mother and begs her estranged father for rescue. But Ella’s dad (Sean Patrick Flanery) has his own reasons to stay away from his childhood home. Meanwhile, Ella finds allies in fatherly ranch hand Miguel (Steven Michael Quezada) and his down-to-earth daughter, Rosie (Esperanza Fermin). But when a priceless book is stolen from Violet’s collection, Miguel is the key suspect, and Ella must find the real thief in order to save her friends. Emotional connections are reshaped, and a family that was lost finds its way. The music of Patrick Neil Doyle helps tell this unusual and heartwarming story.

Steven Michael Quezada (‘’Breaking Bad’’), Kelly Hu (X-Men 2), and Isabella Blake-Thomas (Once Upon a Time, Rise of the Guardians) co-star.

Kepler’s Dream in theaters across America and available on InDemand from December 1.

Thelma - UK poster and trailer

Directed by Joachim Trier
IN CINEMAS 3rd NOVEMBER

From acclaimed director Joachim Trier (REPRISE, OSLO, AUGUST 31st, LOUDER THAN BOMBS), THELMA is a supernatural thriller about a young woman who, upon falling in love for the first time, discovers that she has terrifying and inexplicable powers.

Thelma (Eili Harboe), a shy young student, has just left her religious family in a small town on the west coast of Norway to study at a university in Oslo. While at the library one day, she experiences a violent, unexpected seizure. Soon after, she finds herself intensely drawn toward Anja (Okay Kaya), a beautiful young student who reciprocates Thelma’s powerful attraction. As it becomes clearer that the seizures are symptoms of mysterious, often dangerous, supernatural abilities, Thelma is confronted with tragic secrets of her past, and the terrifying implications of her powers.

Trier’s fourth feature has taken Toronto International Film Festival by storm. Praised particularly for its visual stylings and direction, as well as Harboe’s commanding performance, THELMA is a powerful drama exploring the unexplainable.

JIGSAW - Terrifying first look clip

Ahead of next week's release of JIGSAW, the 8th installment in the SAW franchise, we are pleased to bring to you the nail-biting 'Bucket Head' clip, showing the gruesome first trap in Jigsaw’s puzzle.

In Cinemas October 26
Directed by Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
Starring: Laura Vandervoort, Tobin Bell, Brittany Allen

Thirteen years ago on Halloween weekend – SAW and the character of JIGSAW introduced the world to a new face of horror. For seven straight years “If it’s Halloween it must be SAW” was a holiday tradition. This October 27, Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures proudly present JIGSAW! After a series of murders bearing all the markings of the Jigsaw killer, law enforcement find themselves chasing the ghost of a man dead for over a decade and embroiled in a new game that’s only just begun. Is John Kramer back from the dead to remind the world to be grateful for the gift of life? Or is this a trap set by a killer with designs of their own?

A Lionsgate release, Twisted Pictures presents, a Burg/Koules/Hoffman production.

Oats Studios - "ADAM: The Mirror"

Oats Studios brings to life the next chapter in the Adam story, made in real-time using Unity. Join our amnesiac hero as he discovers a clue about what and who he is. The next chapter arrives soon. For more info check out: https://unity.com/madewith/adam

Wild Eye Releasing and Horror Boobs host Wing Weng event on Friday the 13th!

BURBANK, CALIFORNIA - This Fall director Andrew Leavold takes the Americas by storm with a tour to support the release of his book and DVD The Search for Weng Weng. Follow in detail the amazing journey of one man's obsession with exposing the truth behind the two-foot-nine James Bond of the Philippines. Join Leavold at one of his two New York appearances on Friday October 13 and Sunday October 14 in New York.

It sounds like the bizarre plotline of one of Leavold’s most favoured cult films, but in the case of his documentary feature The Search For Weng Weng, reality does indeed kick fiction in the nuts, then runs between its legs. With Weng Weng’s real story buried under more than thirty years of faulty memories, urban myths and forgotten pop culture, it seemed a Herculean task. Was he really a black belt, super-spy, stunt king, ladies’ man, living saint, and plaything of the Marcos family? What was his real name, how many films did he make, and was he possibly still alive?

It took Leavold seven years to complete the film, against seemingly impossible odds, and then screen the film all over the world, including Weng Weng’s front yard.

But that was just the start of the story. This book is the definitive search for Weng Weng, an even wilder and woollier tale told by the film-maker himself, as he travels from Imelda Marcos’ birthday party to the poorest slums of Manila, on the trail of one the Philippines’ most unlikeliest heroes – and most heartbreaking stories.

Weng Weng’s tale of exploitation, greed, and fragile humanity is pieced together fragment by tantalizing fragment, all the while revealing a detailed, never-before-told history of the Filipino Action Film, as told by a cast of actors, stuntmen, Weng Weng’s family and colleagues, historians, midget waiters, and Imelda herself. Plunging head-first into the heart and soul of the Philippines’ culture and history, Leavold also tells his own story of transforming his own life from fan to film-maker, all the while experiencing the most surreal adventure of a lifetime.

It’s part detective story and midget bio, part gonzo travelogue, part Filipino B Film history lesson, and part magical Quest for the Holy Grail – if the Grail is a two foot nine James Bond of the Philippines.

EVENT SCHEDULE :

Friday October 13th 7PM

Forbidden Planet and Wild Eye Releasing are proud to present The Search for Weng Weng DVD and Book release party with director/writer Andrew Leavold! Hang out with Andrew in an intimate setting, pick up a copy of The Search for Weng Weng book or DVD, and get it signed.

https://www.facebook.com/events/136328873673806

Forbidden Planet
832 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

Sunday October 14th 

Wild Eye Releasing and Horror Boobs present The Search for Weng Weng Screening and Book signing at Alamo Drafhouse Yonkers. See The Search for Weng Weng on the big screen, stay for a post screening Q&A with director Leavold. Copies of The Search for Weng Weng book and DVD will be available for purchase and Andrew will be happy to sign it for you.

https://drafthouse.com/yonkers/show/the-search-for-weng-weng

Alamo Drafthouse
2548 Central Park Avenue
Yonkers, NY 10710

My Italy, a film about life, art, food, film, everything & nothing, coming this November

In theaters and On Demand 11/7 from Uncork'd Entertainment, My Italy, a film about a life, art, food, film, everything & nothing.

A director and his assistant are traveling around Europe to seek financing for a film with and about four international artists: Polish Krzysztof Bednarski, Danish Thorsten Kirchhoff, American Mark Kostabi and Malaysian H.H. Lim; all of them stars from the world of art and in love with Italy. Hilarious and quirky, we follow the carnival of madness around the Italian countryside.

Enter The Spiderwebhouse this November in theaters and VOD

Mara Eibl-Eibesfeldt's The Spiderwebhouse hits theaters and VOD 11/7 from Uncork'd Entertainment.

12-year-old Jonas confidently takes on the responsibility for his two younger siblings when his mother leaves them behind for a weekend away. He isolates himself and his siblings more and more and they start to drift away into their own fantastic world. But the weekend grows into weeks in which the three children hear nothing from their mother. Food and money have long since run out and the house has become more like a haunted castle.

Conor McGregor: Notorious - First Trailer

IN CINEMAS WORLDWIDE FROM WEDNESDAY 1 NOVEMBER

Follow one of sport’s most unforgettable journeys as the unflinching and brutally honest documentary, CONOR McGREGOR: NOTORIOUS, arrives in cinemas worldwide Wednesday 1 November.

Boxing since the age of 12, Dublin-born Conor McGregor has gone from a plumbing apprenticeship and a life on benefits to being the current UFC Lightweight Champion and the biggest fight sports star in the world. Just 29 years old and a pro-fighter since 2008, with 18 wins by knock out under his belt, McGregor is an icon to his faithful fans who remain absorbed by his peerless skill, his fearless attitude and his infamous swagger. Much more than that though, McGregor is a personality who is hard to ignore and is admired within and without the world of UFC for his unrivalled passion, dedication and commitment.

CONOR McGREGOR: NOTORIOUS, filmed over the course of 4 years, is a gripping access-all-areas account of McGregor’s personal and professional journey from claiming benefits and living in his mum’s spare room with his girlfriend to claiming multiple championship belts and 9-figure pay packets. Featuring exclusive interviews, unprecedented access and fight footage, this is the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at a sporting icon and his meteoric rise.

Following McGregor from his transition as a largely unknown fighter to the status he currently enjoys, the film includes highlights from throughout his career including winning the UFC championship belt in just 13 seconds and his shock loss to rival Nate Diaz, culminating in his recent foray into the world of boxing and his record-breaking Las Vegas bout against Floyd Mayweather.

With all the controversy, candour and steely-eyed self-belief we’ve come to expect, CONOR McGREGOR: NOTORIOUS offers an unprecedented glimpse into the public and private life of a man considered a hero by fans across the globe. A window into the world of one of sport’s true individuals, this is timely, essential viewing.

Directed by Gavin Fitzgerald, CONOR McGREGOR: NOTORIOUS is produced by Jamie D’Alton for Motive Films.

The fur flies this October with the Bunnyman’s final stand!

The deadly adventures of Bunnyman continue in the third and final film in the Bunnyman trilogy, Bunnyman Vengeance on digital 10/20 and DVD/BD on 11/21 from Uncork’d Entertainment.

The adventures of Bunnyman continue in the third and final film in the Bunnyman franchise. The man known as Bunnyman returns home to find his family running a haunted house attraction. The family welcomes him home, but soon realizes you cannot domesticate a wild animal. Death and mayhem ensue as the family turn on one another to fulfill their bloodlust.

From writer-director Carl Lindbergh, and starring Diana Prince (Puppet Master: Axis Termination), Debby Gerber (“Glee”), and Marshal Hilton (The Bunnyman Massacre), Bunnyman Vengeance escapes the bloody burrow 10/20 on VOD.

Swing Away - Starring Shannon Elizabeth & John O'Hurley, Opens in Limited Release and VOD 10/13

Swing Away follows professional golfer, Zoe Papadopoulos (Elizabeth) as she travels to her grandparents' village in Greece.  She attempts to escape the harsh spotlight of the international sports world following a world-televised meltdown that lead to her suspension from the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association).  Between baking bread with her grandparents and attempting to re-learn Greek (which she knew in her youth), she meets and mentors a ten-year-old girl who is determined--against all odds--to become the next golf sensation.  Along the way, Zoe rediscovers her Greek heritage, her love of golf, and the hidden strength within herself as she inspires the townspeople in an epic showdown against a greedy American developer (O'Hurley).

American Pie's Shannon Elizabeth & Seinfeld's John O'Hurley
Star in the Heartwarming Sports Comedy Swing Away
Available in Select Theaters and on VOD October 13th

On VOD Today: The Forlorned from Midnight Releasing

Midnight Releasing Joins The Forlorned October 3
A Grim Fate Awaits Those Who Dare Enter the Lighthouse
Available Nationwide on Cable VOD and Digital HD

Los Angeles, CA-- Midnight Releasing turns on the light for Andrew Wiest's The Forlorned.  Based on the book by suspense novelist Angela Townsend, The Forlorned is the story of a man lured by a job to a desolate lighthouse who quickly finds himself in over his head and at the mercy of malevolent forces.  The Forlorned is now available on Amazon Instant, iTunes, Xbox, Vimeo, Steam, Vudu, Google Play and more.

Andrew Wiest (Treasure State) directed from a script he co-wrote with Townsend and Ryan Reed.  Colton Christensen headlines as the unlucky caretaker, joined by Elizabeth Mouton, Cory Dangerfield and Larry Laverty as the townspeople, waiting to see if the newcomer will be the latest victim of the local legends.

Synopsis:
An advertisement lured Tom Doherty to the island, offering him a job renovating the old lighthouse and ramshackle buildings.  What he didn't know was that he was the only applicant.  None of the locals wanted the job - no one dared.  Isolated and alone, Tom soon discovers why.  Messages from disembodied voices; ghostly visitations and escalating horrors draw Tom deeper into the island's evil past-a darkness that forces Tom to unbury the truth and bring demons of his own into the light.

The Broken Key - New Trailer

In a near future, due to the effects of an uncompromising law on the eco-sustainability of supports, paper has become a rare item, a luxury possession, controlled by the "Big Z": Zimurgh Corporation.

Stars: Rutger Hauer, Michael Madsen, Christopher Lambert 

Flatliners - Movie Review by Chris Stuckmann

Five medical students embark on a daring and dangerous experiment to gain insight into the mystery of what lies beyond the confines of life. The bold adventure begins when they trigger near-death experiences by stopping their hearts for short periods of time. As their trials become more perilous, each must confront the sins from their past while facing the paranormal consequences of journeying to the other side.

Starring Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, Kiersey Clemons. Directed by Niels Arden Oplev.

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Interview with Francesca Zappitelli

"Ballerina I'm Not" is the underground, underdog story of the prolific journey that women take to follow their dreams and find their way in a male dominated fight industry. The film hails from writer, director and producer  - and wrestling icon! - Francesca Zappitelli.

Congrats on the film! Do you remember how you pitched the film to your investors and cast initially? What was it that got them to want to be involved?
Thank you! Passion and positivity were the key components to enroll everybody. I wasn’t the only one that wanted to tell this story.

What kind of guidance and direction did you give those appearing on-camera?
I’d give my talent an opportunity to run through a take or two without direction, to get them warmed up. I also utilized Clint Eastwood’s method of saying, “Alright go ahead” or “When you’re ready,” to put them at ease in the next take instead of the flashy “Action” counterpart.


Was there anyone you would’ve wanted to have involved but couldn’t get?
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson of course. He is my favorite male wrestler and to see how he has crossed over into TV and Film is truly inspirational. I’m curious on his opinion on female wrestling from when he began to now.

The film, I imagine, covers some deep topics. How did you decide on just how far to push it?
Ballerina I’m Not explores the history of female professional wrestling which has been predominantly male driven. A documentary is social commentary and it would be an injustice not to tell the whole story even if it’s not a pretty one. However, it concludes on a high note shining a light on the accolades that women have achieved in both WWE and the UFC.

How has the reaction to the film been so far? I imagine it’s affected people different ways?
I’ve been pleased with the reactions. Particularly, the demographic of people that are not wrestling or fight fans they still found it riveting.


Have many male wrestlers seen it? Any feedback there?
Yes, a few have seen it and there has been mixed reaction. However, I’m pleased with the amount of male wrestlers that champion for their female counter parts and do not participate in locker room banter or misogynistic views.

What’s coming up for you?
You can watch Ballerina I’m Not, on Amazon October 6th as well as a female driven TV pilot entitled SYN in which I was the executive producer of. I’m also writing a short film ‘Guilty?’ based on real events, where good people do bad things. I hope to shoot it early next year.

Ballerina I’m Not is released October 6 on Amazon.

Jigsaw - New Poster & Trailer

SYNOPSIS
One of the highest grossing Horror franchises of all time is back, taking the Jigsaw killer’s signature brand of twisted scenarios to the next level.

Cast: Matt Passmore, Callum Keith Rennie, Clé Bennett, Hannah Emily Anderson, Laura Vandervoort, Mandela Van Peebles, Paul Braunstein, Brittany Allen, Josiah Black

Directed by: The Spierig Brothers
Written by: Josh Stolberg & Peter Goldfinger
Produced by: Oren Koules, Mark Burg, Greg Hoffman

Interview with Martin Koolhoven - Director of Brimstone

Bio
Martin Koolhoven graduated from the Amsterdam Film Academy as a writer/director. His breakthrough in The Netherlands came in 1999 with Suzy Q, which was also the debut of Brimstone-actress Carice van Houten. His first movies received good reviews and won awards, but it wasn’t until 2005 that Martin started making movies that also did well at the box office. Schnitzel Paradise was his first hit (biggest box receipts of all Dutch movies in 2005); it won awards and did well at festivals (including the Berlin Film Festival and the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, where it was part of the Variety Critics’ choice.).

His biggest success, however, was Oorlogswinter/Winter in Wartime (his fourth hit movie in a row). It was a phenomenal box office hit in Holland (it outgrossed Twilight and The Dark Knight at Dutch theatres) and was sold to many countries abroad. It made the shortlist of 9 movies at the Oscars (Best Foreign Language Film) and was successfully released by Sony Classics in the USA in 2011. Despite “Hollywood calling”, Koolhoven decided to form N279 Entertainment together with his producer Els Vandevorst. Brimstone is his first international film. Koolhoven’s work has won awards in the Netherlands, France, England, Lithuania, Egypt, Suriname, Japan, Uruguay, Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic.


When did you come up with the idea for Brimstone?

Somewhere in the course of 2010. After the success of Winter in Wartime, I told people that I wanted to make a Western. I started off re-writing a script we bought, but after a few months of slogging away at it I realized that it wasn’t working out. I had to stop and ask myself why I wanted to make a Western so badly, and how I could do something original and personal within that genre. That ultimately resulted in Brimstone, a movie some people say can barely even be called a Western.


Why is that, do you think?

For a number of reasons, like the thriller element and the unique narrative structure, but at the end of the day I think it’s the feminine perspective that stands out most of all. Westerns are usually pretty macho, and there aren’t many examples of female leads. In the cases where that has happened, the films were usually the same kind of story, but then with a female gunslinger, like in The Quick and the Dead. Brimstone actually has a female point of view, not only literally, but in terms of actual content too. That’s fairly unique for a movie set in the Old West.


Writing from a feminine perspective, was that hard for you?

I think there are more similarities than differences between the sexes; somehow, people tend to forget that. Among all the things I am, a man is only one facet. I think I probably have more in common with female filmmakers than with, for example, a preacher, even if he and I share our gender. It’s striking that no one asks me whether it was hard to write The Reverend (played by Guy Pearce), even though that role is more remote to me than the character of Liz (played by Dakota Fanning).


Religion plays a major role in the film. Was there some account you needed to settle?

Not particularly, but I do come from a Calvinistic country and I was brought up a Protestant, so that made the story more personal. Besides, misogyny and religion are still a solid duo in the 21st century, so the subject hasn’t lost any relevance.


Brimstone is your first movie with international stars. What differences did you notice?

Not all that many, really. Working with Guy Pearce is not essentially different from working with Fedja van Huêt. Okay, when you’re in a Spanish bar with Kit Harington, you notice that you’re in the company of a star, but Kit himself is simply a very normal, hardworking actor. The big difference is in the way those stars are approached by other people, not the way they are themselves. Okay, there was one other difference. I’m a film buff, and so I love to talk about movies and directors. On the set I sometimes allude to other filmmakers in order to explain something to the cast or the crew. So one time I was saying something about Spielberg to someone, and Dakota came along and complemented me. The only thing was, she was doing that on the basis of first-hand experience. That was new for me, yeah.


It took you a long time to put Brimstone together. Why was that?

There are any number of reasons. I hadn’t written for a long time, and it was a complicated screenplay, so it took a few years before there was a script that my producer and business partner Els Vandevorst, could show around. When we got to that point, Els did some truly heroic work, because it wasn’t easy to get the film off the ground. That took a while too. And the shooting lasted a long time as well. The film is set in a number of places, and in different seasons. When you add it all up, Els and I worked on the movie for a good six years. Seven, counting that false start.


How should we view Brimstone? Is it a Dutch, a European or an American film?

Oh, man. There’s something to be said for all three. The writer, director, producer, director of photography, editor, make-up, production designer, costume designer, sound designer, composer and a number of the actors are all Dutch. What’s more, Guy plays a Dutchman, so the film is undeniably Dutch. On the other hand, the financing came from a number of European countries and we shot in a number of European locations, with a European crew and actors. I don’t really think the movie could had been made in America: it’s too forthright for that. On the other hand, though, the film is part of a largely American cinematic tradition, the lead and a number of supporting roles are played by Americans and the story is set there too. In fact, the film is of course about our shared history. So you tell me...


Are you proud of the way it turned out?

Absolutely. When Els and I set up the N279 production company in 2010, this is what we were aiming for. To make international films that matter. It feels as though I’ve touched home, in terms of both content and style. I’m raring to get started on the next movie.

UK poster for The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Yorgos Lanthimos has crafted a sensational thriller brimming with unsettling humour and creeping dread, steeped in Greek tragedy, existential horror, Hitchcockian psychodrama, and riveting suspense. Darting confidently between genres to subvert our expectations at every turn, The Killing of a Sacred Deer firmly cements Lanthimos in the pantheon of world-class auteurs and marks him as a cinematic provocateur without precedent.

Dr. Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) is a renowned cardiovascular surgeon presiding over a spotless household with his ophthalmologist wife Anna (Nicole Kidman) and their two exemplary children, 12-year-old Bob (Sunny Suljian) and 14-year-old Kim (Raffey Cassidy). Lurking at the margins of his idyllic suburban existence is Martin (Barry Keoghan), a fatherless teen who Steven has covertly taken under his wing. As Martin begins insinuating himself into the family’s life in ever-more unsettling displays, the full scope of his intent becomes menacingly clear when he confronts Steven with a long forgotten transgression that will shatter the Murphy family's domestic bliss.

The film was produced by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe’s Element Pictures, the producers of THE LOBSTER and Oscar-winner ROOM. It was financed by Film4 and the Irish Film Board, who also were financiers of THE LOBSTER, and New Sparta Films, whose involvement was brokered by HanWay Films. The project was developed by Element Pictures and Film4. HanWay Films are the worldwide sales agent.

THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER will be released in the UK on 3 November by Curzon Artificial Eye and in Ireland by Element Pictures.

Tomb Raider - First trailer

Synopsis
Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen.  Now a young woman of 21 without any real focus or purpose, Lara navigates the chaotic streets of trendy East London as a bike courier, barely making the rent, and takes college courses, rarely making it to class.  Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father’s global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he’s truly gone.

Advised to face the facts and move forward after seven years without him, even Lara can’t understand what drives her to finally solve the puzzle of his mysterious death.Going explicitly against his final wishes, she leaves everything she knows behind in search of her dad’s last-known destination: a fabled tomb on a mythical island that might be somewhere off the coast of Japan.  But her mission will not be an easy one; just reaching the island will be extremely treacherous.  Suddenly, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Lara, who—against the odds and armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spirit—must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown.  If she survives this perilous adventure, it could be the making of her, earning her the name tomb raider.

6 Below - New Trailer and Poster starring Josh Hartnett

A recreational trip to the mountains becomes a test of human endurance and a fight for survival in the incredible 6 BELOW, arriving in cinemas and on demand on October 13th courtesy of Signature Entertainment.

Eric LeMarque (Josh Hartnett; TV’s Penny Dreadful, Lucky Number Slevin) is a thrill-seeking snowboarder with a weight of personal demons on his back. When he gets lost in a massive winter storm in the back country of the High Sierra Mountains, LeMarque is pushed to the limit and forced to battle those demons head-on as he fights against the worst the elements can throw at him.

Featuring a mesmerising tour de force from Hartnett as real-life hero LeMarque, 6 BELOW also features Sarah Dumont (Don Jon, TV’s The Royals) and Oscar-winner Mira Sorvino (Summer Of Sam, Mighty Aphrodite) as LeMarque’s equally determined mother. With the wilds of Utah providing the film’s backdrop and giving Hartnett a taste of what LeMarque went through in real life, director Scott Waugh (Need For Speed, Act Of Valor), 6 BELOW deliver an assault on the senses that thrills – and chills – to the bone.

Armstrong - Poster and Trailer (The Terminator meets Jessica Jones)

The Terminator meets Jessica Jones in Armstrong, available October 3 from Screen Media.

Orange is the New Black’s Vicky Jeudy leads an outstanding cast in an indie superhero adventure that’s equal parts action, intrigue, drama, sci-fi and heart.

Directed by Kerry Carlock and Nick Lund-Ulrich, and based on a script by Nick Rufca, Armstrong tells of a rookie EMT officer and her partner who pick up a wounded superhero and are drawn into his mission to save Los Angeles from a shadowy organization.

On her first night as an EMT, Lauren, an ex addict trying to atone for her brothers death, is partnered with Eddie, a jaded cynic, exiled to the graveyard shift.

Their first call, a mysterious warehouse explosion, sends them into the industrial wilderness outside of Los Angeles. On the way, they’re stopped by a wounded drifter: Armstrong.

When trying to contact dispatch, they realize that their radio and cell phones aren’t working and they’re on their own. Once in the ambulance, Armstrong begins to exhibit strange behavior and becomes violent. Before they can get him out of the vehicle, a fanatically assassin violently attacks them. The soldier is hunting Armstrong and wants to kill anyone who comes in contact with him. Before he can finish off the EMTs, Armstrong saves them and defeats the soldier.

It is revealed that Armstrong is a high tech vigilante on a key mission: to stop a murderous doomsday cult, The Fifth Sun, from detonating a series of nuclear devices underneath Los Angeles to cause catastrophic earthquakes. To complete his mission, Armstrong needs their help.

Pulled into this hidden world, Lauren must make difficult choices and overcome her personal demons to survive the night, help Armstrong carry out his mission and ultimately become the hero herself.

Vicky Jeudy, Shawn Parsons, Jason Antoon and Christian Anderson star in Armstrong, available on VOD and DVD (Walmart only) from October 3.