I just got a press release from the folks at Magnet Releasing/Magnolia Pictures about this cool ghost story from Singapore. "23:59" is hitting DVD & Blu-ray on June 4th; here's more info about this release.
SYNOPSIS: FROM THE PRODUCERS OF TATSUMI AND MACABRE.
Written & Directed by Gilbert Chan (Love Matters, S11)
Starring Award Winning Comedian, Television Host and Director Mark Lee (Love Matters, Liang Po Po: The Movie, Money No Enough Franchise).
During a routine road march at an island military training camp, an army recruit is found dead at exactly 23:59. This mysterious and gruesome incident unearths a terrifying dark secret of the haunted island, forcing the recruits to confront their deepest fears in order to find the truth about their friend’s death.
BONUS FEATURES: "The Making of 23:59" featurette. Trailers.
Check out the trailer below.
It doesn't look like anything super awesome, but I'm a sucker for a good ghost story, so I'll probably give it a look. Once again, "23:59" comes out on DVD & Blu-ray on June 4th, and it is currently available for pre-order at Amazon.com (for about $24.00 or so). PRE-ORDER THE DVD FROM AMAZON.COM! PRE-ORDER THE BLU-RAY FROM AMAZON.COM!
Next month, you can snap up either of these two major horror releases wherever movies are sold: The Guillermo del Toro produced MAMA comes to DVD and Blu-ray courtesy of Universal Home Video. I haven't seen it myself but it seems that most people liked it... until they saw the disappointing ending. Here's more info on the film and the specs on the DVD and Blu-ray:
From Academy Award® nominated actress Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty, The Help) comes the pulse-pounding tale of one mother’s twisted love in MAMA. Brought to life by Academy Award® nominee Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) and also starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”), MAMA will be available on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand on May 7, 2013 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Also available on Digital Download on April 23, 2013.
MAMA is the haunting tale of two little girls who vanish without a trace from their suburban neighborhood the day that their parents were killed. But when the young sisters are found alive years later in a decrepit cabin, their uncle (Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend, Annabel (Chastain), take them in. As they try to introduce the children to a normal life, Annabel begins to wonder if the traumatized girls are the only guests they have welcomed into their home or if someone or something still wants to come tuck them in at night.
The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack allows fans to watch MAMA anytime, anywhere on the device of their choice. It includes a Blu-ray™ disc, a DVD, a Digital Copy and UltraViolet™ for the ultimate, complete viewing experience.
· Blu-ray™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring perfect hi-def picture and perfect hi-def sound.
· Digital Copy provides fans with a choice of digital options to watch on devices such as iPhone®, iPad®, Android™, computers and more.
· DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing the movie in more places, both at home and while away.
· UltraViolet™ is a revolutionary new way for fans to collect their moves and TV shows in the cloud. UltraViolet™ lets consumers instantly stream and download to tablets, smartphones, computers and TVs. Now available in both the United States and Canada.
BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY™ and DVD): * MATRIARCAL SECRETS BD EXCLUSIVE: An in-depth exploration of the digital and practical effects employed to shape the film’s phantom presence.
* DELETED SCENES with Commentary by Director/Co-Writer Andy Muschietti and Producer/Co-Writer Barbara Muschietti.
* ORIGINAL SHORT WITH INTRODUCTION BY GUILLERMO DEL TORO with Commentary by Director/Co-Writer Andy Muschietti and Producer/Co-Writer Barbara Muschietti.
* THE BIRTH OF MAMA: MAMA began as a chilling short that announced a new voice in the horror genre. Exclusive interviews with Executive Producer Guillermo del Toro and the filmmakers track the bloodline of the feature and explore changes needed to make the transition to a film.
* FEATURE COMMENTARY with Director/Co-Writer Andy Muschietti and Producer/Co-Writer Barbara Muschietti.
Also coming out in May is "The ABCs of Death" (read my review HERE) which has built itself a sturdy cult May 21st, and features 26 short films from 26 different directors from around the world. following. This (in my opinion) failed cinematic experiment is coming to DVD and Blu-ray through Magnet Releasing on
Here are the special features that both the DVD and Blu-ray releases will contain:
* 11(DVD)/14 (BR) Behind the Scenes, Making-ofs and Deleted Scenes.
* Filmmaker Commentary (Over 30 Filmmakers).
* BD-Live Feature Exclusive to Blu-ray – Additional Short Film Contest Submissions.
I'd probably pick it up for the making-ofs and commentaries alone, just to get some insight into why all of these filmmakers chose the topics and made the artistic decisions that were displayed in their final products. While I admittedly only enjoyed a handful of the short films (about six out of the twenty-six), I'd love to have some of my curiosity sated.
Also, not to be a stickler, but why was the baby photoshopped out of the cover art? That sort of propelled me to actively seek the movie out and watch it... now the artwork just looks... generic.
Once again, THE ABCS OF DEATH hits DVD and Blu-ray on May 21st. You can pre-order yourself a copy by clicking on the links below.
Here's a few clips for you to sink your teeth into. The first is from the upcoming NetFlix orignal series, HEMLOCK GROVE, which features a murder mystery in a small town full of werewolves and other supernatural creatures. The clip below features one of the main castmembers making the painful change from man to wolf. It looks pretty awesome, but the CGI makes me pine for the awesome work done by Rick Baker, Rob Bottin, and Carlo Rambaldi back in the 80's. On the plus side, it's really cool to see how a lycanthrope disposes of the human flesh he sheds after he/she transforms. Look for HEMLOCK GROVE exclusively on NetFlix on April 19th!
Next up is a REDBAND clip from KISS OF THE DAMNED (definitely not safe for work), where the main characters have kinky, orgasmic vampire sex. Enjoy!
KISS OF THE DAMNED is currently available on most Video On Demand services. It will be making its (limited) theatrical run on May 3rd in select cities.
Got a press release the other night stating that Magnet Releasing had won a battle to procure the distribution rights for Jacob Vaughan's horror/comedy MILO, which premiered last week at the SXSW Film Festival. Here's the lowdown on the film:
NEW YORK/AUSTIN – March 18, 2013 – Magnet Releasing has acquired North American distribution rights to the acclaimed comedy/horror film MILO. Written and directed by Jacob Vaughan and starring Ken Marino & Gillian Jacobs, MILO premiered last weekend at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival. Blending the gory elements of a classic critter film (à la GREMLINS) with the lighthearted comedy of an unlikely friendship (reminiscent of TED), MILO was one of the most talked about and unique films of the festival.
The sale for MILO was completed late Friday night, making it the last deal to close during this year’s SXSW.
Duncan’s (Ken Marino) life is a real pain in the ass. Tormented by a manipulative, crooked boss (Patrick Warburton), a nagging mother (Mary Kay Place), a deadbeat new age dad (Stephen Root), and a sweet, yet pressuring, wife (Gillian Jacobs), his mounting stress starts to trigger an insufferable gastrointestinal reaction. Out of ideas and at the end of his rope, Duncan seeks the help of a hypnotherapist (Peter Stormare), who helps him discover the root of his unusual stomach pain: a pintsized demon living in his intestine that, triggered by excessive anxiety, forces its way out and slaughters the people who have angered him. Out of fear that his intestinal gremlin may target its wrath on the wrong person, Duncan attempts to befriend it, naming it Milo and indulging it to keep its seemingly insatiable appetite at bay.
MILO features notable puppetry by Frank Langley and Bob Mano.
MILO was produced by Adele Romanski with New Artists Alliance’s Gabriel Cowan and John Suits. Executive producers include Mark & Jay Duplass, John Norris, Kerry Johnson, Dallas Sonnier, Jack Heller and Floren Shieh Productions’ Clay Floren and Aimee Shieh.
“Just like Ken Marino, our stomachs were hurting watching MILO, happily because of laughter rather than an intestinal demon,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “MILO is a rare entry in the horror-comedy genre that truly delivers.”
Jacob Vaughan said, "Magnet is the perfect home for MILO. The company is second-to-none in releasing quality genre movies and their passion for MILO is overwhelming. I’m confident they will do an incredible job positioning the film in the marketplace and getting it seen by audiences everywhere.”
The deal for MILO was negotiated by Magnolia/Magnet SVP of Acquisitions Dori Begley and Director of Acquisitions Peter van Steemburg, with ICM Partners on behalf of the filmmakers and producers.
This movie actually sounds pretty cool and the fact that there's puppetry in it (no mention of CGI) excites me! Could it be that the filmmakers used practical f/x instead of computerized trickery?! Guess we'll have to wait and find out later this year when Magnet gives MILO a video on demand/limited theatrical release!
Based upon the popular novel by David Wong, JOHN DIES AT THE END follows two slackers who get caught up in an interdimensional adventure involving strange invaders who want to conquer the Earth. I actually saw it earlier this year after buying a "pre-theatrical rental" through Amazon and .... well... it was interesting to say the least. All eyes were glued to the TV, but most of us watching were scratching our heads a lot of the time. Apparently this is an adaptation that requires you to read the source material to fully appreciate the movie. Still, it was fun, and fans of the book should love it! Here's more info about this upcoming release:
SYNOPSIS: In JOHN DIES AT THE END, it’s all about the Soy Sauce, a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. Users drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John (Rob Mayes) and David (Chase Williamson), a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs...
Adapted from David Wong’s audacious trans-genre horror novel, JOHN DIES AT THE END with screenplay by and directed by Don Coscarelli (BUBBA HO-TEP) and also stars Clancy Brown, Glynn Turman and Paul Giamatti.
BONUS FEATURES
-- Commentary with Writer/Director Don Coscarelli, Producer Brad Baruh, Chase Williamson and Rob Mayes -- Deleted Scenes -- Getting Sauced: The Making of John Dies at the End -- Creature Corps: The Effects of Soy Sauce -- Casting Sessions -- Fangoria Interview with Paul Giamatti -- Trailers
Both the DVD & Blu-ray hit stores and e-tailers on Tuesday, April 2nd!
Sorry for the lack of posts this week. I needed to take a short break to accomplish some things that didn't involve movies, or a computer. Plus, admittedly, I've been goofing around and playing classic RTS games (e.g. Age of Mythology) and a game called Retro City Rampage the past few nights. Sometimes you just need to call a time-out and turn your brain off for a couple of days. In any case, here's some news about three new(ish) flicks that are coming to a theater (or Video on Demand service) near you!
6 SOULS, which I discussed in this post, is now available on various On Demand services including iTUNES and AMAZON.COM! This movie features Julianne Moore as a doctor that's lost her faith in God, but not in SCIENCE! That all begins to change when her latest patient Adam, who is afflicted with multiple personality disorder, begin behaving in ways that science can't explain. Is he possessed? Is he crazy? Or is he just really clever and kind of f*cked up? Guess you'll have to watch the flick to find out!
Next week, on Friday, March 8th, Magnet Releasing will be giving ABCs of Death a limited theatrical release. The film features 26 distinctly unique Horror shorts from 26 different directors from around the world. As you may have ascertained from my review (read it HERE), I was pretty disappointed with the film. If you want to sate your own curiosity about this movie, you can check out ABCS OF DEATH on the big screen next Friday at any of the locations listed HERE.
Also new in select theaters this coming Friday is THE SILENCE, a foreign murder mystery/thriller, in which a teenage girl is abducted in a field of wheat, where another young girl was murdered 23 years prior. Is there a connection between the two crimes? Well.... yeah more than likely. Otherwise, what the hell would be the point of the movie, right? This one is getting a limited release through Music Box Films, and you can find the list of theaters it will be playing at HERE.
I'm a sucker for a good creature feature or monster movie, and some of the better ones have been coming from overseas lately, so you can imagine how interested I am in seeing STORAGE 24!
Synopsis: London is in chaos. A military cargo plane has crashed leaving its highly classified contents strewn across the city. Completely unaware London is in lockdown, Charlie (Noel Clarke) and Shelley (Antonia Campbell-Hughes), accompanied by best friends Mark (Colin O’Donoghue) and Nikki (Laura Haddock), are at Storage 24 dividing up their possessions after a recent break-up. Suddenly, the power goes off. Trapped in a dark maze of endless corridors, a mystery predator is hunting them one by one. In a place designed to keep things in, how do you get out?
The DVD and Blu-ray for STORAGE 24 will both be available on March 12th, and will be chock full o' extras including:
-- Feature Commentary -- Creature Development Featurette -- Production Design & Costume Featurette -- Music & Sound Design Featurette -- On Set Featurette -- Video Blogs -- A Day In the Life Of: Clarke & O’Donoghue -- Scene Commentaries -- Deleted Scenes -- Photo Gallery
Now let's give the trailer a quick look and see what we can see....
Despite being a modern "Alien" rip-off and using the "Prometheus scream" in the trailer, I'm pretty game to check out STORAGE 24, if only to get a better look at the film's mon-star. It's big, it's mean, and it looks like it can bite someone's head off without breaking a sweat! Sign me up!
The hand-painted poster to the left is the cool retro-style one-sheet for the upcoming vampire romance KISS OF THE DAMNED. I kind of dig it; it's like a throwback to the Hammer Horror era, or at the very least looks like something that would grace a Criterion Collection DVD cover. Here's a little more info about the film:
Synopsis: Beautiful vampire Djuna (Josephine de La Baume) tries to resist the advances of the handsome, human screenwriter Paolo (Milo Ventimiglia), but eventually gives in to their passion. When her troublemaker sister Mimi (Roxane Mesquida) unexpectedly comes to visit, Djuna's love story is threatened, and the whole vampire community becomes endangered...
KISS OF THE DAMNED was written and directed by Xan Cassavetes, and stars Josephine de la Baume, Milo Ventimiglia, Roxane Mesquida, Anna Mouglalis, Michael Rapaport, and Riley Keough.
KISS OF THE DAMNED will be available on iTunes/On Demand March 28, 2013, and in theaters May 3, 2013, and is being distributed by Magnet Releasing. For more information about the film, visit the official site, or like its official Facebook page.
I couldn't find an official trailer, so here's a clip from the film featuring plenty of DAMNED KISSING!
All I have to say about SUSHI GIRL is.... Whoa! The cast for this film is quite simply insane, and features Tony Todd, Noah Hathaway (Atreyu from "Neverending Story" is all growed up!), Mark Hamill, Sonny Chiba, Danny Trejo, Michael Biehn, Jeff Fahey, and James Duval.
Synopsis: Fish has spent six years in jail. Six years alone. Six years keeping his mouth shut about the robbery, about the other men involved. The night he is released, the four men he protected with silence celebrate his freedom with a congratulatory dinner.
The meal is a lavish array of sushi, served off the naked body of a beautiful young woman. The sushi girl seems cationic, trained to ignore everything in the room, even if things become dangerous. Sure enough, the four unwieldy thieves can’t help but open old wounds in an attempt to find their missing loot.
Along with the amazing cast, the film boasts some kick-ass posters and a pretty cool trailer. Check it out below:
SUSHI GIRL hits DVD & Blu-ray on February 19th and will be jammed with extras including:
• Filmmaker Commentary with Kern Saxton, Destin Pfaff, Neal Fischer and Suren M. Seron • Cast Commentary with Tony Todd, James Duval, Noah Hathaway, Andy Mackenzie, David Dastmalchian, Destin Pfaff and Kern Saxton • Sushi Girl: A Documentary • Alternate Scenes • Outtakes • Fake TV Commercials á la Sushi Girl • Producer's Diaries • Sushi Girl Music Video: Victories and Consequences by Send the Sages • Cast and Crew Interviews at the International Premiere • Poster & Promotional Image Gallery • Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery • Storyboards • Trailers
Note that these are all the Blu-ray extras; the DVD shares MOST of them as well, but not all. Blu-ray exclusives include cast & crew interviews, the Sushi Girl music video, and the Producer's Diaries.
Pre-order the Blu-ray HERE. Pre-order the DVD HERE. Visit the official site HERE.
Not sure if I'll be buying this one, but I'm most definitely going to give it a rental when it comes out. Adult Atreyu being brutally tortured just sounds like a lot of fun.... plus it doesn't hurt that a naked woman covered in food will be in the movie for the majority of the running time.
In a bold (but rather late) marketing move, Magnet Releasing has decided to release "V/H/S" on VHS! While this may seem like a no brainer, I am pretty surprised that they are doing this.
VHS has long been considered a dead format, but like the creatures that lurked on many of the video tapes we rented in our youth, the format just keeps coming back from the dead. (I should note that 2009's "House of the Devil" came out in a limited DVD/VHS combo; also Troma president Lloyd Kaufman released his studio's flagship film, "The Toxic Avenger," in a limited edition big box VHS last year.)
There's no word on a release date, or if VHS copies of "V/H/S" will be limited in number (making them highly collectible), but once I heard something I'll most definitely post it here.
As for the film itself, I got the Blu-ray for Christmas but still have yet to watch it. It seems to have had a polarizing effect on the Horror community; there's no middle ground when it comes to this movie. You either love it or you hate it. It has my curiosity and will perhaps soon have my full attention. Regardless about how you feel about this movie, it's clear that it must have done pretty well because the sequel, "S-VHS" is already in the works and due out later this year!
Learn more about "V/H/S" HERE. View the trailer HERE. Buy it on DVD HERE. Buy it on Blu-ray HERE.
I just got an e-mail from the folks at Magnet Releasing letting me know that there's a sneak preview of "RUBBER" playing at the IFC CENTER (323 Sixth Ave at W. 3rd St in NYC) February 3rd at 10:30 PM with director Quentin Dupieux in attendance! Seating is first come, first serve; to reserve your spot (or spots if you want to bring a friend), send an RSVP e-mail to RSVP2[at]magpictures.com, and be sure to get there early!
For those of you who are in the dark about this film, here's a quick synopsis and trailer to get you caught up:
RUBBER is the story of Robert, an inanimate tire that has been abandoned in the desert, and suddenly and inexplicably comes to life. As Robert roams the bleak landscape, he discovers that he possesses terrifying telepathic powers that give him the ability to destroy anything he wishes without having to move. At first content to prey on small desert creatures and various discarded objects, his attention soon turns to humans, especially a beautiful and mysterious woman who crosses his path. Leaving a swath of destruction across the desert landscape, Robert becomes a chaotic force to be reckoned with, and truly a movie villain for the ages. Directed by legendary electro musician Quentin Dupieux (Steak, Nonfilm), aka Mr. Oizo, RUBBER is a smart, funny and wholly original tribute to the cinematic concept of “no reason.”
RUBBER gets a limited theatrical release on April 1st (how appropriate) with a DVD (and Blu-ray?) release shortly thereafter. However, you won't have to wait that long because this flick will be available On Demand on February 25th! If you get to this sneak preview, feel free to comment on how the movie was; I'm quite curious about it and am looking forward to giving it a look!
