PREVIEW: The Plague (2026 Film) - Starring Joel Edgerton

Preview by Jon Donnis

Vertigo Releasing has confirmed the upcoming digital release of the thriller The Plague, a tense coming of age drama that explores the darker side of childhood group dynamics. The film stars Joel Edgerton, known for Train Dreams and The Gift, who also serves as a producer on the project. Alongside him are newcomers Everett Blunck, Kayo Martin and Kenny Rasmussen, all taking on key roles in the unsettling story.

The Plague first drew attention during its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received an extraordinary reception. The screening ended with an eleven minute standing ovation and the film also picked up the Best Sound Creation Award, highlighting the strength of its atmospheric and immersive design.

Set during the summer of 2003, the story unfolds at an all boys summer water polo camp where twelve year old Ben struggles to find his place. Socially anxious and eager to belong, he finds himself navigating a brutal and unspoken hierarchy among the other boys. When Ben befriends Eli, an isolated camper who is shunned by others because they believe he carries a contagious "plague", he becomes drawn into a disturbing culture of scapegoating and intimidation.

What begins as teasing slowly shifts into something far more unsettling. As the boys push the limits of what they consider a game, Ben starts to realise how easily cruelty can hide behind laughter and peer pressure. The experience forces him to confront his own role in what is happening and the frightening price that can come with trying to fit in.

The film is written and directed by Charlie Polinger, marking his feature film debut. Through a mix of tension and dark humour, The Plague examines ideas around masculinity, belonging and the way group behaviour can spiral into something deeply harmful.

The Plague will be available to watch digitally from 20 April 2025 on Amazon, Apple TV, Sky Store, YouTube Movies, EE TV and Rakuten.

Apple TV - https://apple.co/4aPv7Yt

REVIEW: The Astronaut (2025 Film) - Starring Kate Mara and Laurence Fishburne

Review by Jon Donnis

Jess Varley's The Astronaut is a small but effective slice of sci-fi horror that works best when it leans into mystery and mood. It's a film that feels familiar at first, yet manages to pull the rug out just when you think you've got it figured out.

Kate Mara is the film's biggest strength. She gives Sam Walker real emotional weight, showing both the toughness of an astronaut and the vulnerability of someone coming apart at the seams. When Sam starts seeing things that shouldn't be there and her body begins to change, Mara never overplays it. She lets the fear sit quietly beneath the surface, which makes it far more unsettling.

The story moves at a tight pace. At just under ninety minutes, it never overstays its welcome. From the moment Sam wakes up in quarantine, we're locked in with her, watching things slowly slide from odd to terrifying. When the twist hits, it's a genuine surprise. I can usually spot a reveal long before it happens, but this one caught me off guard in the best way.

Laurence Fishburne adds a touch of authority as General Harris, though it's a pity he turns up so late. His presence steadies the film and gives it a sense of weight that the early scenes slightly lack. Gabriel Luna and Ivana Miličević also give good support, but this is very much Mara's film.

On the downside, the title is a bit misleading. For something called The Astronaut, we don't spend any time in space. Everything happens on Earth, mostly around the secluded house where Sam is being monitored. The limited setting helps with the tension, but it also makes the film feel smaller than it needs to be. The low budget shows at times too, with some effects and creature moments that don't quite land.

Still, there's a lot to like. Varley keeps the focus on atmosphere rather than spectacle, using silence, shadow and suggestion to build unease. It feels old-fashioned in a good way, more The X-Files than Alien.

The Astronaut isn't going to redefine the genre, but it's a confident, tightly made story with a clever twist and a standout lead performance.

A smart and surprisingly tense sci-fi horror that rises above its limitations. A solid 7 out of 10.

Out Now - https://apple.co/47EgvuA

REVIEW: Good Boy (2025 Film) - Starring Indy

Review by Jon Donnis

Ben Leonberg's Good Boy might sound like a gimmick on paper. A horror film told almost entirely through the perspective of a dog could have easily collapsed under its own novelty. Instead, what Leonberg achieves in his feature debut is something quietly extraordinary, a supernatural story that's tense, affecting and completely unlike anything else released this year.

At a brisk one hour and thirteen minutes, the film wastes no time. We follow Indy, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, and his owner Todd (Shane Jensen) as they leave behind city life for a decaying family home deep in the woods. From the moment Indy pads across the warped floorboards, the mood turns. The house creaks, shadows shift, and Indy seems to sense something we can't quite see. It's a clever use of perspective. The camera stays low, close to Indy, so we experience the story not from his literal point of view but from his constant presence. Every reaction, hesitation and movement becomes the emotional core of the film.

Leonberg shows remarkable restraint in never anthropomorphising Indy. There's no inner voice, no attempt to humanise him beyond what we can naturally read in his body language. The audience projects emotion onto him, which is part of what makes Good Boy so unsettling. His confusion and loyalty to Todd are heartbreaking, especially as Todd's health declines and the house's sinister presence begins to tighten its grip. By the time Todd's coughing worsens and he turns aggressive towards the dog he loves, the story starts to feel painfully real.

Indy's performance is astonishing. Whether credit lies with patient direction, sharp editing or pure animal intuition, it's hard not to be drawn to every twitch of his ears and flicker of his eyes. There's a tragic intelligence in the way he senses danger long before the humans do. It gives the film a slow, inevitable dread that builds until the final act.

Leonberg's direction is lean and inventive. The cinematography keeps to earthy tones and muted light, giving the house a sickly atmosphere. The score hums quietly beneath scenes rather than announcing scares, letting tension creep up instead of bursting out. There's a wonderful sequence where Indy explores the cellar and discovers the skeleton of the previous dog, Bandit. It's eerie and tender at once, more a moment of recognition than fright.

Still, Good Boy isn't flawless. Some viewers will inevitably find the concept too strange or even distancing. Without a human protagonist to anchor the emotional beats, parts of the story can feel slightly detached. The dialogue between Todd and his sister Vera (Arielle Friedman) occasionally tips into exposition, breaking the spell of realism that Leonberg otherwise maintains. And while the short runtime keeps things taut, a few scenes could have breathed a little more to deepen Todd's decline and the growing bond between him and Indy.

Those quibbles aside, Good Boy stands as one of the most original and haunting horror films of the year. It understands the power of simplicity and perspective. By trusting the audience to empathise with a dog rather than explain his feelings, Leonberg turns what might have been a novelty into a surprisingly profound meditation on loyalty and loss.

It's rare to see a debut this confident and this strange. Good Boy may be small in scale, but it lingers long after its closing shot. Indy proves that sometimes, seeing horror through the eyes of an animal reveals more about humanity than most films ever dare.

Rating: 9/10, A bold, moving, and genuinely unsettling original.

Out Now - https://apple.co/46SKkr4

PREVIEW: The Summoning of Baby Blue (2025 Film) - Starring Valeria San Martín

Preview By Jon Donnis

Black Mandala is back with another nightmare, this time in the form of The Summoning of Baby Blue. The film makes its world premiere at Sinistro Fest and comes from the same creative circle that delivered The 100 Candles Game and The Red Book Ritual. Once again, they draw on folklore, but here it's the viral world of creepypasta that takes centre stage.

Directed by Sergio Gonzalez, Brandon Piskorik, Felipe Vargas, Corey Benson Powers and Brian Sepanzyk, the story digs into an unsettling ritual that has floated around online. Say the words "Baby Blue, Blue Baby" in front of a bathroom mirror and something might answer back. In this case, what appears is far darker than a child's game.

The cast is a mix of rising names and familiar faces. Valeria San Martín, Justina Ceballos, Daniela Flombaum, Xochitl Gomez, Carmela Zumbado and Sara Canning all step into the shadows, joined by Nannu Spannauss, Giovanni Onetti, Agustín Olcese, Nicolás Onetti and Milagros Ribet. The script comes from Camilo Zaffora, who weaves the ritual into a set of eerie short stories that grow and twist into a larger mythology.

At its heart is a babysitting job that spirals out of control. A girl is dared into telling a ghost story in the mirror and what begins as a test of courage becomes a summoning. The bathroom lights flicker, the chant fills the room, and a spirit takes hold. From there the film splinters into multiple tales, all orbiting around the figure of Baby Blue and the wrath of a mother that refuses to rest.

Blending the intimacy of an urban legend with the structure of an a series of short, spine-tingling tales, The Summoning of Baby Blue promises a night of dread that lingers long after the mirror goes dark. It is not just a film about fear, but about the way stories spread, take root, and demand to be told.

Coming Soon

PREVIEW: Asian Persuasion (2025 Film) - A Romcom with Heart, Flavour and a Fresh Perspective

Preview By Jon Donnis

Asian Persuasion arrives on UK digital this August thanks to Miracle Media, following its win at the SoHo International Film Festival and a premiere in the US.

The film stars Dante Basco (Hook, Avatar: The Last Airbender) as Mickey, a down-on-his-luck chef who's struggling to keep up with his alimony payments. Desperate for a fix, he hatches a wild plan to find his ex-wife Avery, played by KC Concepcion (For the First Time, When I Met U), a new husband. With the help of his loyal mate Caspian (Kevin Kreider, Bling Empire, The Traitors), Mickey sets up a fake online dating profile in her name and soon stumbles across the handsome Lee, played by Paolo Montalban (Cinderella).

At first the scheme goes better than anyone could have hoped, but as Avery starts to open her heart to the idea of a new man, Mickey realises he's not ready to let go. The big question is whether it's already too late to win her back.

Behind the camera is Jhett Tolentino, a Grammy and three-time Tony Award winner making his directorial feature debut. The film doubles as a love letter to New York City, celebrating its iconic landmarks, cultural mix and that spark of magic the city is famous for, all through the lens of the modern Asian American experience.

With its charismatic cast and heartfelt story, Asian Persuasion looks like a soulful and playful celebration of love, community and second chances.

Asian Persuasion on UK digital from 25 August (Miracle Media)

REVIEW: The Death of Snow White (2025 Film) - Starring Sanae Loutsis, Chelsea Edmundson and Tristan Nokes

Review by Jon Donnis

The Death of Snow White takes a story everyone knows and drags it through a swamp of blood, black magic and twisted imagination. Jason Brooks clearly revels in tearing up the Disney-fied version and stitching something far nastier together. From the opening scene, with Chelsea Edmundson's Evil Queen slicing open her own palm during a ritual, you know exactly what sort of ride you're in for. It's theatrical, it's gory, and it isn't pretending to be anything else.

The forest becomes its own character here, a nightmare maze crawling with creatures and shadows. When Snow White, played with surprising grit by Sanae Loutsis, stumbles into it, the film shifts gears. The dwarves aren't miners or comic relief, they're killers, each with a signature that's so over the top it borders on absurd, but in a way that works for the tone. Watching Snow White adapt to their training is oddly satisfying. You can tell Brooks wanted her transformation from innocent fugitive to axe-wielding avenger to feel earned, and it does.

Chelsea Edmundson steals the film as the Queen. She's not just vain or jealous, she's terrifying, like someone who's already crossed every moral line and is now curious what's on the other side. Her castle set design is brilliantly grotesque, and the rituals feel almost tactile, the budget stretching surprisingly far for these moments. Granted, when the CGI does kick in, it's a little rough in places, but that's part of the charm, this is a B-movie that leans into its own excess.

The third act delivers on the promise of all the build-up. The apple scene isn't a quiet poisoning, it's a violent curse, and the fight that follows is a full-on massacre. Brooks isn't afraid to kill off fan favourites mid-battle, and the gore effects are inventive enough to keep you wincing and grinning at the same time. Snow White's final showdown with the Queen is brutal, messy and oddly cathartic. The moment she swings Tiny's axe is exactly the kind of payoff you hope for in a film like this.

It's not flawless. The pacing drags slightly in the middle, and a couple of performances from minor characters wobble a bit. But for what it is, a knowingly trashy, creatively nasty horror reimagining, it's a blast. It's also genuinely one of the most enjoyable takes on Snow White I've seen in years. I walked away smiling, which probably says something worrying about me.

I score The Death of Snow White a solid 8 out of 10.

Out Now

Apple TV - https://apple.co/3Hun5cP

PREVIEW: Odyssey (2025 Film) - Starring Polly Maberly

Gerard Johnson is back, and this one looks like a beast. Odyssey, his latest feature, is gearing up to make some serious noise with back-to-back premieres at Edinburgh International Film Festival and FrightFest this August. If you've seen Tony, Hyena, or Muscle, you'll know Johnson doesn't exactly deal in soft edges. This new one looks like it'll be no exception, only more neon, more pressure, and maybe even more personal.

At the centre of it all is Natasha Flynn, a cutthroat estate agent living beyond her means and barely keeping it together. Her world of fast deals and sleek lies comes crashing down when the people she owes money to start calling in favours that can't be paid with cash. What follows sounds like a slick, high-stakes descent through London's seedy corners, all while Natasha tries to stay ahead of everyone out to ruin her. It's being sold as stylish, gritty, and darkly funny, with a sharp eye on the modern housing crisis and the kind of corporate greed that eats people alive.

Polly Maberly takes the lead, and by all early signs, she's throwing everything at it. She's joined by Mikael Persbrandt, always good for an edge of danger, and a solid British cast including Guy Burnet, Jasmine Blackborow, Daniel De Bourg and Peter Ferdinando. Even the soundtrack promises bite, with an original score from THE THE, which feels like exactly the right kind of mood to score this ride.

Critics are already on board. Words like "heart-pounding", "riveting", and "wildly entertaining" have been floating around since its world premiere at SXSW. One even called it a masterclass. Not that Johnson's ever been shy of praise, but there's something about this one that feels like it might push him even further into the spotlight.

If you're into thrillers that come with bite and a bit of brains, Odyssey should be on your list. UK premieres land mid and late August, with a full cinema rollout in November. Feels like it's building towards something big.

PREVIEW: James Nelson-Joyce Stars in Gritty British Crime Drama Reputation, Coming 28 July

Preview by Jon Donnis

After making a serious impression in A Thousand Blows, James Nelson-Joyce returns to the screen with Reputation, a gritty British crime drama arriving on digital this July. Set in the fictional Lancashire town of Dennings, the film follows Wes, a working-class dealer whose grip on control starts to slip when his old friend Tommy walks free from prison.

It's been two years since the town was shaken by the tragic shooting of a child. While grief still lingers, a new street drug known as 'clown' has taken hold, with Wes profiting from the fallout. He's built an empire while Tommy's been locked away, but with Tommy now back on the scene and keen to expand, the uneasy balance begins to crumble.

Director Martin Law, making his feature debut, steers the story into bleak and compelling territory. The film draws influence from Shane Meadows' Dead Man's Shoes and Nicolas Winding Refn's Pusher trilogy, though it brings its own northern grit and lived-in realism. At its centre is Nelson-Joyce, delivering a tough, layered performance as a man torn between his loyalty to an old friend and his responsibility to the family he's trying to protect.

As Tommy pushes to scale the operation, Wes finds himself caught between those who love him and a partner who won't let go. Olivia Frances Brown plays Wes's fiancé, offering moments of warmth and clarity, while Kyle Rowe's turn as the unpredictable Tommy brings a dangerous edge. The relationship between the two men becomes the film's anchor, exploring masculinity, loyalty and the struggle to escape a life already written in the margins.

Reputation premiered at the Spirit of Independence Film Festival where it earned early praise for its bold direction and stripped-back realism. It's a film that doesn't shy away from darkness but finds human drama in the fallout. With baby Vinnie at home and his father urging him to walk away, Wes faces a choice between survival and self-destruction.

Tense, emotional and grounded in harsh reality, Reputation is set for digital release in the UK on 28 July via Miracle Media. It's one to watch for fans of British crime stories that steer clear of cliché and cut to the bone.

PREVIEW: Eyes of the Abyss (2025 Film) Argentine Thriller Set on a Haunted Warship Debuts Trailer

Preview by Jon Donnis

Black Mandala and Del Toro Films have released the trailer for Eyes of the Abyss, a tense new thriller from Argentine director Daniel de la Vega (On The 3rd Day, White Coffin, Jennifer's Shadow). Set on a warship adrift in the South Atlantic, the film blends supernatural mystery with high-stakes survival.

In a surreal and fragmented narrative, a soldier wakes up alone among the dead. Her memory fractured, she must defend herself against an invading unit with lethal precision. As the mission unfolds, reality blurs. The ship becomes a vessel for vengeance, haunted by war's echoes that refuse to rest.

De la Vega describes the film as a meditation on suffering, caught between life and death. "On a warship laden with corpses and threatening to sink, the film explores the suffering of those caught between life and death," he said. "It defies genre conventions with bold visuals and a non-linear structure."

Eyes of the Abyss is a co-production between Furia Films and Del Toro Films, continuing a partnership that previously delivered genre standouts now available globally on platforms including Shudder. The new feature will premiere at Cannes 2025 during Marché du Film, under the Fantastic Galas banner curated by Fantastic Pavilion.

Uncork'd Entertainment has picked up distribution rights for North America, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

Cast: Verónica Intile, Carolina Alfonsín, Kevin Schiele, Raymond Lee, Cristian Mariani, Pablo Turturiello, Gustavo Pardi
Writers: Luciano Saracino, Gonzalo Ventura, Daniel de la Vega
Director: Daniel de la Vega