23:59 coming to DVD & Blu-ray in June!

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!

Coming to DVD & Blu-ray in May: Mama and ABCs of Death!

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.

PRE-ORDER ON DVD AT AMAZON.COM FOR $19.86!
PRE-ORDER ON BLU-RAY AT AMAZON.COM FOR $23.86!

What?! They removed the baby from the cover art?!

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.

PRE-ORDER THE DVD AT AMAZON.COM FOR $24.28!
PRE-ORDER THE BLU-RAY AT AMAZON.COM FOR $19.99!

Magnet Releasing to distribute MILO later this year!

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! 

"MILO got a distribution deal?! NO WAY?!"

JOHN DIES AT THE END: Available on DVD & Blu-ray on April 2nd!

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!

PRE-ORDER THE BLU-RAY AT AMAZON.COM FOR $19.99!

PRE-ORDER THE DVD AT AMAZON.COM FOR $14.99!

RAGNAROK IS COMING.... courtesy of Magnolia Pictures!

NORWEGIANS!

Just got a press release from Magnolia Pictures about a new film they have procured for North American distribution. Prior to this, they released a little Norwegian mockumentary you may have heard of called TROLL HUNTER (under their Magnet Releasing arm), so you can bet I'm totally ready to check out a flick that involves the Norse end of days scenario. Here's more info about the film:

US distributor Magnolia has acquired the Norwegian action-adventure film RAGNAROK from TrustNordisk.

Magnolia concluded the deal based on a 3-minute promo shown during the European Film Market in Berlin. The deal was negotiated between SVP of Acquisitions Dori Begley and Director of Acquisitions Peter van Steemburg from Magnolia and CEO Rikke Ennis and Head of Sales Susan Wendt from TrustNordisk.

"We are very excited about RAGNAROK, which has all the makings of a terrific action adventure. We are especially pleased to be working with our friends at TrustNordisk again to bring more great Scandinavian cinema to US audiences”, says President of Magnolia Pictures, Eamonn Bowles.

“I can’t recall having seen an action adventure film of this standard and production value coming out of Scandinavia. I am thrilled to have a partner like Magnolia aboard and can’t wait to present the film to the American audiences”, says Rikke Ennis, CEO at TrustNordisk.

Magnolia has previously released successful Norwegian films such as the thriller HEADHUNTERS (2011), based on the book by Jo Nesbø and TROLL HUNTER (2010). Lately Magnolia also acquired the rights for the upcoming Norwegian thriller PIONEER from TrustNordisk.

Norwegian Production Company Fantefilm which also produced THE COLD PREY-trilogy (2006, 2008, 2010) and ESCAPE (2012) is behind the upcoming large scale action-adventure film which stars actor Pål Sverre Hagen (KON-TIKI, 2012) as an archeologist obsessed with the Oseberg Viking ship. Convinced that the Oseberg ship contains the answer to the mystery of Ragnarok, the end of days in Norse mythology he mounts an expedition to “No Man’s Land” between Norway and Russia, which holds a secret more terrifying than he could possibly imagine.

Directed by Mikkel Sandemose (COLD PREY – THE BEGINNING, 2010) RAGNAROK is produced by Martin Sundland and Are Heidenstrøm for Fantefilm Fiksjon in co-production with Film i Väst, H. Aschehoug & Co, Ghost VFX and Tre Vänner with support from The Norwegian Film Institute, Nordic Film & TV Fund, Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, The Swedish Film Institute, the MEDIA programme of the European Union and i2i Audiovisual.

Domestic distribution is handled by Nordisk Film with domestic release set for October 2013. TrustNordisk handles international sales.

The film is in the early stages of post-production, so there's no trailer or poster yet, and the Facebook page for the film was just started up this past Tuesday so that's pretty empty too. Even the IMDB page is light on details, except for the cast & crew of course. I'll be posting more info on this film as it is released. In the meantime, don your battle helms, reinforce your shields, sharpen your axes and swords, and prepare for RAGNAROK!

Magnet Releasing snaps up U.S. distribution for EUROPA REPORT.

Europa Report features NON-STOP SOLAR PANEL ACTION!

Up until now, I've never even heard of EUROPA REPORT, a new sci-fi film featuring Sharlto Copley (DISTRICT 9 and THE A-TEAM). The film follows a team of astronauts that make a trip to the titular moon of Jupiter and uh... stuff happens! Here's the lowdown on the film and its distributor:

The Wagner/Cuban Company’s Magnet Releasing, genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, announced today that they’ve acquired US rights to EUROPA REPORT, a groundbreaking science fiction film starring Sharlto Copley (District 9), about the exploration of Jupiter’s moon, Europa. EUROPA REPORT marks Copley's first return to science fiction since the 2009 blockbuster District 9, as well as the English language debut of director Sebastián Cordero, who once again worked with two longtime collaborators, Academy Award winning Production Designer Eugenio Caballero (Pan's Labyrinth, The Impossible) and Director of Photography Enrique Chediak (127 Hours).

The film was written by Philip Gelatt and produced by Wayfare Entertainment's Ben Browning. Executive Producers were Wayfare's Michael Maher and Jeremy Kipp Walker. The film features music by Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead). The film was financed by Wayfare Entertainment and China's Sil Metropole. A unique blend of documentary, alternative history and science fiction thriller, EUROPA REPORT follows a contemporary mission to Jupiter's moon Europa, to investigate the possible existence of alien life within our solar system.

Developed in close collaboration with NASA, JPL, SpaceX and other leaders in the scientific community, the film imagines the next step in manned space exploration and is based on recent scientific discoveries and theories. “EUROPA REPORT is an exceptionally smart, thrilling film that will be a revelation for space enthusiasts and science fiction fans alike,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Its nuanced attention to scientific detail lends it an exciting quality that elevates it above the usual genre fare.”

"Sebastián has made a unique and challenging film that looks and feels epic despite being contained, and we're confident has the potential to get into the zeitgeist. We also think it is a great example of the genre-bending films that Magnolia has had such success with, and we look forward to working with them again" said Browning. Magnolia secured the rights over several other distributors in out of market bidding, believing the film perfectly calibrated for its distribution model.

They will release the film later this year. The deal was negotiated by Magnolia’s SVP of Acquisitions Dori Begley and Director of Acquisitions Peter Van Steemburg with CAA on behalf of the filmmakers. Sierra-Affinity's Nick Meyer is handling international rights and will be screening the film at the European Film Market in Berlin.

You know, the movie could be really interesting, but Magnolia's president makes it sound like pretentious crap. It'll be a "revelation" for space enthusiasts and sci-fi fans? It has nuanced attention to detail? It's "genre-bending?" Will be part of the zeitgeist?! (i.e. spirit of the age or spirit of the time) Quit trying to impress me with your fancy words sir, and try and SELL me on this movie. As it stands, it looks like just another "we're traveling to a distant planet/moon looking for alien life.... OH SHIT WE FOUND IT! AHHHHH!" type of movie. And it appears to be another "found footage" movie as well if the teaser trailer is any indication:


Aside from the presence of Sharlto Copley, there's not much here to get me pumped for EUROPA REPORT, unless there's a randomly awesome cameo by 80's rock group Europe somewhere in the movie. Think about that for a minute: How awesome would it be if Sharlto Copley and friends arrived on Europa, and were greeted by a weird, alien hair-metal band that started belting out "The Final Countdown?" That my friends, would be cinematic perfection.