Friday 29 September 2017

Beyond Skyline UK Trailer (2017)


Synopsis:
Get ready for intense sci-fi action adventure with Beyond Skyline, the stand-alone sequel to 2010 hit Skyline. Beginning with a new view of the alien invasion from the original film, we then move in an epic, world-spanning direction...

Los Angeles Detective Mark Corley (Frank Grillo, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) thought bailing out his eighteen-year-old son, Trent (Jonny Weston, Taken 3), was the worst part of his day. But on the ride home, the skies above fill with a strange blue light. Within moments, the entire city's population is vacuumed up into a massive alien ship.

In the aftermath, father and son lead a band of survivors to the marina. But when Trent is abducted, Mark relentlessly storms after his son onto the nightmarish warship.

As the aliens move across the planet, feeding off the remnants of humanity, the resilient Mark battles through the bizarre environment, uncovering their horrific secrets. Before long, he forges an alliance with an unlikely ally. Together they are able to crash the ship and rescue several abductees.

Landing in Southeast Asia, they encounter a highly skilled resistance force, led by the deadly Sua (Iko Uwais, The Raid 1 & 2). In a race against time, these warriors from different sides of the world must unite to save their families and take back the planet.

Starring Frank Grillo (The Purge: Election Year, Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Bojana Novakovic (Drag Me to Hell, Devil), Jonny Weston (Taken  3, Divergent), Iko Uwais (The Raid 1&2), Callan Mulvey (Heartbreak High, Batman v. Superman, 300), Betty Gabriel (The Purge: Election Year, Get Out, Westworld) Antonio Fargas (Starsky and Hutch, Foxy Brown) and Lindsey Morgan (The 100).

Beyond Skyline is written and directed by Liam O’Donnell. Produced by Greg Strause (Skyline), Colin Strause (Skyline) and Matthew Chausse

Premiere at Horror Channel FrightFest on 28th October. Digital HD 15th December and DVD & Blu-ray 8th January.

December 15th includes a US theatrical release from Vertical Entertainment

#BeyondSkyline @LionsgateUK @FrightFest

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.


Thursday 28 September 2017

Stephen Manley - From Spock to Hitler


Veteran actor Stephen Manley has made the leap to film once again with a new film The Time War. Manley is know for his portrayal as Spock in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and a long history of television credits, including a recurring role this year in Tyler Perry’s The Haves and Have Nots series as Dr. Saver.


In The Time War, Adolf Hitler (Stephen Manley) re-writes history as he travels through time. The film is set to release in 2018 and is directed by Neil Johnson, and also stars Tracey Birdsall, William Kircher (The Hobbit), Daniel Logan (Star Wars Episode II), and Aaron Jacques. The film is narrated by the late Christopher Lee.



http://www.imdb.com/name/nm054 2603/

He can also be seen headlining “Ghosthunters,” as Dr. Henry Tanner, directed by Perry Teo (Cloud Atlas, Curse of Sleeping Beauty).

Ghosthunters Trailer:

Hi-Lo Joe Official Trailer & Poster


Synopsis:
Everyone loves Joe Ridley, except Joe Ridley. He’s the life and soul of the party on the outside but, inside, a dark depression envelops him and a childhood trauma haunts him. Elly loves him but as their relationship grows, Joe’s inner turmoil slowly becomes uncontrollable, threatening his relationship. Can Joe save himself before he loses everything he loves?


With a breakout performance from new star Matthew Stathers and co-starring Lizzie Philips, Gethin Anthony (Game of Thrones), Tom Bateman (Da Vinci’s Demons), Joe Dixon (The Cold Light of Day) and Thaila Zucchi (Shameless), Hi-Lo Joe is an unforgettable and highly moving feature debut from writer/director James Kermack.

Out in Cinemas Nov 24th 2017

Wednesday 27 September 2017

Cute Little Buggers - Poster and Trailer


Gremlins meets Hot Fuzz in Cute Little Buggers, premiering on VOD Nov 7.

Tony Jopia’s highly anticipated comedy-horror hybrid sees locals of a peaceful English village, enjoying their annual summer festival, when they are suddenly attacked by mutated killer rabbits!

Somewhere in the depths of space, aliens are watching the earth and planning their attack. Unaware of the impending danger, the locals of a sleepy English village are preparing for their summer festival. The aliens launch their offensive by mutating the local rabbit population, and when the furry demons are released, the body count starts to pile up as blood, guts, and fur flies in all directions as the humans fight off the alien threat.

Featuring genre icon Caroline Munro (Maniac, The Spy Who Loved Me) and from Tony Jopia, director of Crying Wolf , comes the wildest film of the fall, Cute Little Buggers – crashlanding Nov 7 from Uncork’d Entertainment.

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

Tuesday 26 September 2017

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.


Brimstone - Poster and Trailer


Written and directed by Martin Koolhoven
Starring Dakota Fanning, Guy Pearce, Carice Van Houten and Kit Harington
UK release date | 29st September 2017
Running time | 149 minutes
Certificate | 18

SYNOPSIS
Written and directed by Martin Koolhoven, BRIMSTONE stars Dakota Fanning (War of the Worlds, The Secret Life of Bees) and the Emmy-award winner Guy Pearce (Neighbours, Memento), following a young woman’s epic quest for survival.

Our heroine is Liz (Fanning), a young and beautiful woman who is being hunted by a vengeful Preacher (Pearce) – a diabolical extremist and her nemesis. But Liz is a genuine survivor; she’s no victim but instead a woman of fearsome strength who responds with astonishing bravery to claim the better life she and her daughter deserve.

Told in four chapters, BRIMSTONE is a suspenseful tale of guilt and retribution that unfolds at the end of the 19th century in the unforgiving American West. Making its premiere at the 2016 Venice Film Festival, BRIMSTONE is a tale of powerful womanhood and the resistance against an unforgiving cruelty of a hell on Earth. The film also stars Carice Van Houten (Game of Thrones, Black Book) and Kit Harington (Game of Thrones, Testament of Youth).

Interview with Griff Furst - Director of Cold Moon

Horror movies are an easy sell? That’s BS, says Cold Moon director Griff Furst.

Congrats, sir! Do you remember how you pitched the film to your investors and cast initially? What was it that got them to bite?

We had a great crew lined up  with a great story to tell.  It was exciting for everyone involved.  That makes it easy to fund.


There’s some brave stuff in there from some of the young performers. What kind of guidance and direction did you give them?

I spent a lot of time with Josh Stewart and Candy Clark.  The movie really banks on the details of their characters.  I could work a scene for 100 hours, but we had limited time, so the actors had to come prepared, and they all did.  I got to work a scene where Frank Whaley confronts Josh Stewart in the living room for about an hour, which is a lot of time on a short shoot.  That was a lot of fun.


The film goes to some pretty dark places. How did you decide on just how far to push it?

How far did we push it? I'm curious what the outside perspective would be on that topic. I'm a big fan of setting up A particularly violent or disturbing sequence so that the questionable act, whatever it may be, happens offscreen. For that reason I feel like he dark moments,could be okay for all audiences, but I do realize the nature of wha is being implied is pretty heavy.   So I'm curious how dark or disturbing it feels, since we intentionally did not go over the top with the on screen violence.


How has the reaction to the film been so far? I imagine it’s affected people different ways?

It has indeed. Some people love it some people hate it. All of the critics seem to love it so far. I think part of it's a appeal at the moment is the success of Stephen king's It. McDowell and King have a very similar style. The style of the movie itself is meant to resemble cinema from the late 80s early 90s. This movie takes place in 1989.


There’s a common belief that thrillers and horror movies are the easiest sell in the marketplace. Agree? Was that your experience?

That's bullshit.  It's just as hard to sell as anything (except dramas).  Cameras are cheap and people with cheap cameras love to make horror movies because they think they're easy to sell so there's hundreds of them in every market, which makes it hard for the buyers to select the winners. 10 years ago you could box any horror movie and sell it on DVD. I think it will be a bit of a resurgence of horror theatrically and in the home-video market. But I'm not sure exactly what it's going to look like with everything being digital now.


Besides filmmaking, you also work another job. Tell us about that and how that led to making your own movies.

 Acting is my first true love. And there's obvious benefits to the job, like shorter hours, and having enough down time to eat, go to bathroom, that sort of thing. And your present enough to truly enjoy your co-workers. The director is always thinking about the next thing. Me and my Assistant Director will have swollen feet at the end of the day, and then go to the hotel and schedule till the wee hours of the morning, but it’s fulfilling in a self mutilating kind of a way. When I direct, my initial approach is identical to if I was acting in it. I breakdown the scene, and figure out what it's about. Once I've got that down, everything else comes easy (unless it's a complex sequence like the opening of Temple of Doom.  HUGE). It's a similar workflow, but a completely different beast. I will direct for the rest of my life, but when I'm in front of the camera the only thing I think about is my role, and how happy I am that I'm not directing.

Cold Moon is released on VOD and in select theaters October 6.




Monday 25 September 2017

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.

Competition: Win The Exception on DVD

The Exception is out on DVD on October 2nd and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies of the DVD to give away.

Synopsis:
Nazi captain Stefan Brandt (Jai Courtney; Suicide Squad, Terminator: Genisys) is sent on a mission to investigate a threat to the exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II (Christopher Plummer; The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Last Station). Arriving at the Kaiser’s secluded mansion, Brandt learns that local resistance and British Intelligence are moving in on the deposed German monarch. As he begins to infiltrate the Kaiser's life in search of clues, Brandt finds himself drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with Mieke (Lily James; Cinderella, Baby Driver), one of the Kaiser's maids.

Also featuring Janet McTeer (TV’s The White Queen, The Woman In Black), Ben Daniels (TV’s House Of Cards, The Hollow Crown) and a mesmerising cameo from Eddie Marsan (Their Finest, War Horse) as the terrifying Heinrich Himmler, THE EXCEPTION is based on Alan Judd’s international bestseller, ‘The Kaiser’s Last Kiss’ and is brought to the screen by acclaimed theatre director David Leveaux (The Glass Menagerie with Jessica Lange, Neil LaBute’s The Distance From Here).

With Plummer, James and Courtney delivering stellar performances and leading an incredible ensemble cast, THE EXCEPTION is a thrilling, complex treat from start to finish and the perfect accompaniment to the onset of autumn.

You can buy The Exceptionfrom Amazon UK using the following link that opens in a new window.
The Exception [DVD]


COMPETITION CLOSED




Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 09-10-17
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Competition: Win I Am Not Madame Bovary on DVD

I Am Not Madame Bovary is out on DVD on October 2nd and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies of the DVD to give away.

Synopsis:
Acclaimed director Feng Xiaogang and superstar Fan Bingbing team up for this razor-sharp, intriguing tale of a wronged woman fighting for justice against her duplicitous husband and the government itself.

When Li Xuelian (Fan Bingbing) and her husband Qin Yuhe (Li Zonghan) stage a fake divorce to secure a second apartment reserved by the government for single people, all seems to go to plan. Six months later, Qin remarries, as agreed… but to a different woman. Furious, Li files a lawsuit with the County Court, but loses the case after the Judge remains convinced the divorce papers are in order.

Refusing to accept the court's findings, Li appeals to the Chief Justice, the County Chief, and even the Mayor, but fails at every turn. She decides that only Qin can give her peace of mind, if he will just acknowledge that the divorce was fake. Instead, he publicly accuses her of being a "promiscuous woman"- an accusation that drives Li back to the courts, and to the capital, to redeem her reputation once and for all.

Shot partly in a circular aspect ratio, mirroring the literati paintings of the Song Dynasty, I AM NOT MADAME BOVARY offers a powerful, compelling and hilarious social satire, which transcends all cultures in uniquely stylish fashion.

You can buy  I Am Not Madame Bovary from Amazon UK using the following link that opens in a new window.
I Am Not Madame Bovary [DVD] [2017]


COMPETITION CLOSED





Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 09-10-17
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Sunday 24 September 2017

REVIEW: First Kill - Starring Hayden Christensen and Bruce Willis


First Kill is Released on DVD on September 25, 2017

Synopsis
Action thriller directed by Steven C. Miller and starring Bruce Willis and Hayden Christensen. After his young son Danny (Ty Shelton) experiences bullying at school, Will (Christensen) decides to take his son and his wife Laura (Megan Leonard) to his hometown for a family bonding experience. When Will decides to take Danny on a hunt however, his young son ends up being kidnapped. Will needs the help of local sheriff Howell (Willis) to rescue him but Howell is sceptical of the situation and Will's part in it.

Review by Jon Donnis
First Kill is the latest film to star Hollywood Star Bruce Willis, however do not mistake this for anything more than a Hayden Christensen film. Hayden Christensen takes the lead and Bruce Willis is very much a secondary character, but please do not let that put you off. This is a great film.

The story is pretty simple Will (Hayden Christensen) decides to take his son Danny on a hunting trip to give him confidence after he is bullied at school. Everything is going fine until they witness an attempted murder in the woods, and before you know it Danny (Ty Shelton) find himself kidnapped. What follows next is Will doing whatever it takes to get his son back.

After a slowish start, the action picks up after about 20 minutes, and from then till the end it is all very tense and very action packed. Everyone and their granny will spot the twist a mile away, but that never stops the film being very enjoyable. And there is some interesting dynamics which seemed quite original.

This film really shows Hayden Christensen at his very best, and although at times it seems that Bruce Willis is just going through the motions, he does his job perfectly fine.

It is also worth noting that Danny (Ty Shelton) has to be one of the very very few likeable child actors out there. He plays his part perfectly, and unlike so many young actors who over do it, I never once felt like I wanted him to come to any harm by the kidnapper. So rare these days for a truly likeable young character in a film.

Perfect Saturday night viewing. I watched the film from start to finish and after the first 20 minutes had passed, I never checked my phone, or looked away once. And in this day and age a film that can keep my attention is a film I can recommend.

8/10

Review by Jon Donnis

You can buy First Kill from Amazon UK using the following link that opens in a new window.
First Kill [DVD]


Friday 22 September 2017

Interview with Kerry Carlock and Nick Lund-Ulrich - Directors of the unique new superhero film Armstrong


Kerry Carlock and Nick Lund-Ulrich, directors of the unique new superhero film Armstrong, talk comic book heroes, directing a film ‘together’, and how audiences will look at superheroes after their film.


Q:  Is Armstrong the beginning of a whole new franchise or is the intention – because it is such a different film from the standard comic book movie -  just to do the one? 

KERRY:  Well, that’s the inevitable question if you do a superhero movie with an origin story, isn’t it!

NICK:  We love the world and the characters so there are definitely more stories to tell in the Armstrong universe.

KERRY:  The first indie superhero franchise?

NICK:  I love it.


Q:  What did you learn from other superhero movies that you applied to this one?

NICK:  The Dark Knight showed that a more realistic, grounded take on a superhero would absolutely work.

KERRY: It’s not really a superhero movie but I think Terminator is a big inspiration for us.

NICK: Yeah, it’s a small story set in a really big world.

KERRY:  And its kind of a misdirect in that you think its about Arnold and Michael Biehn duking it out but really its Sarah Connor becoming the leader of a revolution.


Q:  Do you find it easy to ‘direct’ together? Lot of compromising going on?

NICK:  We’re very creatively in sync and we had been working on the script for a long time so we knew the story inside and out.

KERRY:  We hashed out all of our differences in the writing stage so that by the time we got to production, we were on the same page 99.9 percent of the time.


Q:  What do you consider each other’s strengths?

KERRY: Since Nick is a VFX artist, he is great with both the visuals and the technical aspects of movie making.

NICK:  And Kerry comes from producing so she’s great at seeing the big picture and she was also a theatre director so she’s great with actors.

KERRY: We found that we naturally took the lead directing different scenes based on those scenes, too.

NICK: Yeah, I loved directing the action scenes and Kerry dove into all the emotional dialogue.  It worked out really well.


Q:  Who casts the film? Did you get to pick the leads?

KERRY:  We cast the film ourselves and would keep running lists of actors we liked from our favorite TV shows and movies.

NICK:  We were looking for really solid actors that could slip right into the roles and embody the parts.

KERRY: When we saw Vicky on “Orange is the New Black,” her physicality and emotional depth really fit the character of Lauren.  We contacted her through a friend of a friend and she loved the script!

NICK: Our producers, Doug, and Paul, helped us look at a lot of different actors for Armstrong and Eddie.  But ultimately we ended up finding Jason and Shawn by way of friends who knew them and had worked with them.


Q:  What’s the title referring to?

NICK:  The title refers to the wounded superhero character David Armstrong. Over the course of writing the script we tried out different titles, but always came back to Armstrong.
KERRY:  And it’s always good for your movie title to start with the letter A.  ;)


Q:  Will Armstrong make us look at superheroes a different way from hereon?

NICK:  We believe that Armstrong is a unique take on the superhero genre and proof that there are plenty of other kinds of stories that can be told with superhero type characters.

KERRY: We heard some one say recently that Superhero movies are like what Westerns used to be in the 40s and 50s.  They were pervasive but there were all different kinds of Westerns- there were spaghetti westerns and musicals and revenge stories and comedies.

NICK:  We think superhero movies are branching out too and audiences want to see what these archetypes can do in all different kinds of situations.

KERRY: We’re fans and this is a movie we would want to see.  We want to see the big VFX driven adventure but we also want to see a superhero be frustrated and struggling and fighting for his life.
NICK:  There’s room for all of it.

http://www.armstrongthemovie.com

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



Thursday 21 September 2017

Isle of Dogs - New Poster and Trailer


Isle of Dogs is released in UK cinemas March 30 2018.

ISLE OF DOGS tells the story of Atari Kobayashi, 12-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When, by Executive Decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump called Trash Island, Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies across the river in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.


WIN BAYWATCH ON BLU-RAY™ – AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL NOW AND ON DVD, BLU-RAY™, 4K ULTRA HD™ SEPTEMBER 25


Head on down to the bay under the protection of our trusty lifeguards Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron in BAYWATCH and get ready for a whole range of hilarious twists and turns. To celebrate the digital release and the DVD release coming up on September 25, as well as the extended version on Blu-ray™ and 4k Ultra HD™, we are giving you the chance to win a copy on Blu-ray™!

When a dangerous crime wave hits the beach, legendary Lt. Mitch Buchannon (Dwayne Johnson, Fast & Furious 8) leads his elite squad of badass lifeguards on a mission to prove you don’t have to wear a badge to save the bay. Joined by a trio of hot-shot recruits including former Olympian Matt Brody (Zac Efron, Bad Neighbours 2), they’ll ditch the surf and go deep undercover to take down a ruthless businesswoman (Priyanka Chopra, TV’s “Quantico”), whose devious plans threaten the future of the bay.

You can buy Baywatch from Amazon (Link opens in a new window)

Watch the incredible trailer here:

For your chance to win a copy of Baywatch on Blu-ray™ simply submit your answer to the question below:

COMPETITION CLOSED

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Baywatch - See It Now on Digital and on DVD, Blu-ray™ and 4K Ultra HD™ September 25

Baywatch © 2017 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 02-10-17
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

THE BEST BEACH MOVIES


Well, that’s it - summer is officially OVER. But before you go weeping into your thermals, bear in mind that the shorter days provide the perfect excuse to spend more time on the sofa. What’s more, if you crank the heating up enough and choose the right kind of movie, you can pretend you’re on the beach without the inconvenience of getting sand in awkward places.

So, with Baywatch arriving to your homes just in time, here are our top five films to watch under a blanket on the sofa whilst pretending it’s still summer…


Baywatch
This movie reboot of the nineties TV classic will have you feeling nostalgic for more than just summer 2017 - it’ll take you right back to your carefree youth, when life was easier than a slow-mo jog on the beach. After a crime wave hits the shores, Mitch Buchannon (Dwayne Johnson) recruits an elite squad of lifeguards, including former Olympian Matt Brody (Zac Efron), to save the day - and discourage us from tucking into that second packet of biccies. Those abs!


Forgetting Sarah Marshall
When you want to escape the real world, is there anywhere better to head than Hawaii? We think not. Take, for instance, the case of Peter Bretter (Jason Segel)… After his celebrity girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) dumps him, the struggling musician heads to Hawaii for a valuable life lesson and holiday romance with a local girl (Mila Kunis). Ditch your winter scarf for a lei and join him.


50 First Dates
Aloha again, Hawaii. The perfect rom-com backdrop it seems. 50 First Dates follows Henry Roth (Adam Sandler), who’s a self-confessed commitment-phobe until he meets Lucy (Drew Barrymore). The pair hit it off but since Lucy’s an amnesiac, they must re-live every date as though it was their first. We can think of worse places than a Hawaiian beach for a Groundhog Day scenario…


Blue Crush
The only tube you’ll be riding might be one to work but that doesn’t have to stop you dreaming of being a surfer boy or girl. Blue Crush follows Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth), a serious surfer girl who’s preparing for a big competition but gets thrown off guard by a football player. Anne Marie demonstrates that beach life can be a full-time profession if you play your cards right, but those early mornings still look pretty gruelling - not to mention those gnarly waves.  


Cast Away
Next time you’re mourning those long summer days on the beach, spare a thought for Cast Away’s Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks), who got just that when his plane crashed in the South Pacific on an uninhabited island. In the epic survival drama, the FedEx employee is forced to adapt to beach basics, with only a Volleyball called Wilson for company. Wilson might be better behaved than your housemate but Cast Away probably won’t have you hankering after your own desert island. It looks like hungry business.


Jaws
If ever there was a reason to stay away from the beach, this is it. In the 1975 epic, a giant great white shark plagues the shores of a New England beach, causing havoc until the local sheriff crews up a squad to track and destroy the beast. Okay, so we think it’s pretty clear now - the sofa is definitely the best place to be marooned this autumn. Especially if you’ve got Mitch Buchannon to guard you.


BAYWATCH IS OUT NOW ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD AND COMES TO DVD, BLU-RAY™ AND 4K ULTRA HD™ ON SEPTEMBER 25

Wednesday 20 September 2017

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.


Tuesday 19 September 2017

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.


Monday 18 September 2017

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle - Poster and New Trailer


Four high school kids discover an old video game console and are drawn into the game's jungle setting, literally becoming the adult avatars they chose. What they discover is that you don't just play Jumanji - you must survive it. To beat the game and return to the real world, they'll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, discover what Alan Parrish left 20 years ago, and change the way they think about themselves - or they'll be stuck in the game forever.

Release date: 29 December 2017

Competition: Win First Kill on DVD


First Kill is out on DVD on September 25th and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies of the DVD to give away.

Synopsis:
Action thriller directed by Steven C. Miller and starring Bruce Willis and Hayden Christensen. 

After his young son Danny (Ty Shelton) experiences bullying at school, Will (Christensen) decides to take his son and his wife Laura (Megan Leonard) to his hometown for a family bonding experience. When Will decides to take Danny on a hunt however, his young son ends up being kidnapped. Will needs the help of local sheriff Howell (Willis) to rescue him but Howell is sceptical of the situation and Will's part in it.

You can buy First Kill from Amazon UK using the following link that opens in a new window.
First Kill [DVD]


To enter all you have to do is answer this easy question...

Which actor plays Danny in First Kill?


Send you name, address and of course the answer to competition@beentothemovies.com





Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 02-10-17
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

The 13th Friday - New Poster and Trailer


An ancient spirit comes home this October with The 13th Friday, premiering on VOD 10/10 from Uncork’d Entertainment.

When a female refugee discovers an ancient demonic device that opens the gateway to another realm, she unleashes a dark entity that poses as her daughter. After many failed attempts to have the church explain the creation of her worst nightmares, she learns that the house is cursed by an enraged spirit that died on Friday the 13th. And now a group of thrill seeking friends unknowingly unleash its wrath and damn their souls.
Lisa May, Khu, Melissa L. Vega, and Victoria Valdez star in a Justin Price (Alien : Reign of Man, Dark Moon Rising) film.


Tuesday 12 September 2017

The Disaster Artist - Official Trailer HD



Directed by James Franco
Starring James Franco, Dave Franco, and Seth Rogen
With The Disaster Artist, James Franco transforms the tragicomic true-story of aspiring filmmaker and infamous Hollywood outsider Tommy Wiseau—an artist whose passion was as sincere as his methods were questionable—into a celebration of friendship, artistic expression, and dreams pursued against insurmountable odds. Based on Greg Sestero’s best-selling tell-all about the making of Tommy's cult-classic disasterpiece The Room (“The Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made”), The Disaster Artist is a hilarious and welcome reminder that there is more than one way to become a legend—and no limit to what you can achieve when you have absolutely no idea what you're doing.


THE CΟMMUTER Official Trailer (2017) Liam Neeson, Train Action Movie HD


The Commuter is an upcoming British-American action thriller film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, and written by Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi. The film stars Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Sam Neill, Elizabeth McGovern, Jonathan Banks, and Patrick Wilson. The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on January 12, 2018, by Lionsgate, and in the United Kingdom on January 19, 2018, by StudioCanal.

Michael is an insurance salesman who is on his daily commute home, when it quickly becomes anything but routine. After being contacted by a mysterious stranger, Michael is forced to uncover the identity of a hidden passenger on his train before the last stop. As he works against the clock to solve the puzzle, he realizes a deadly plan is unfolding and is unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy. One that carries life and death stakes for himself and his fellow passengers.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie - Bricks & Kicks Featurette - Warner Bros. UK


Synopsis
In this big-screen Ninjago adventure, the battle for Ninjago City calls to action young Lloyd (Dave Franco), aka the Green Ninja, along with his friends, who are all secret warriors and LEGO Master Builders.  Led by kung fu master Wu as wise-cracking as he is wise, they must defeat evil warlord Garmadon (Justin Theroux), the Worst Guy Ever, who also happens to be Lloyd’s dad. Pitting mech against mech and father against son, the epic showdown will test this fierce but undisciplined team of modern-day ninjas who must learn to check their egos and pull together to unleash their true power.


Monday 11 September 2017

Competition: Win My Life As A Courgette on DVD

My Life As A Courgette is out on DVD on September 18th and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies of the DVD to give away.

Synopsis:
Nominated for a golden globe and academy award for Best Animated Feature, my life as a courgette is a vibrant stop-motion animation from director Claude Barras and writer Céline Sciama (girlhood, tomboy).

After losing his mother, nine-year-old icare (nicknamed “courgette”) befriends raymond, a police officer who takes him to a foster home to live with other kids his own age. although he has trouble finding his place at first, courgette quickly meets new friends, and with their help he learns to love and trust those around him, all the while finding a new family of his own.

Brought to life through unforgettable characters and beautiful animation, this is the perfect film for audiences both young and old.

Check out the release on Amazon by clicking the link below: (Opens in a new window)
My Life As A Courgette [DVD]

COMPETITION CLOSED




Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 25-09-17
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.


Brimstone - Brand new UK trailer and poster


Brimstone, a gripping western-thriller starring Dakota Fanning, Guy Pearce, and Kit Harington, that follows a young woman’s epic quest for survival in cinemas September 29

Brimstone is a suspenseful tale of retribution that unfolds at the end of the 19th century in the American West. An epic thriller told in four chapters about a young woman whose life changes drastically when a diabolical preacher comes to town.