TIFF 2012: Disturbing Trailer & viral For Brandon Cronenberg's Antiviral

Like father Like son The official trailer for Brandon Cronenberg's Antiviral has arrived online providing the body horror that made Daddy famous and what David Cronenberg fans have been crying out for, for a very longtime!

Caleb Landry Jones (X-Men:First Class, Contraband) plays Syd March a worker at a local specialized clinic which people people pay to be harvested by diseases which their idols/celebrity hero's once had to feel closer to them. In a era which celebrity obsession is at an all time high this film is very relevant as some fans do take that obsession to another level some you would call disturbing  as it controls their lives. Throw in the fact Syd also deals on the black market using himself as a 'mule' finding himself stuck in a web of deceit which puts his own life in danger. This looks disturbing, creepy very dark narrative but uniquely engaging something you would truly expect from the Cronenberg household. How would you describe this? Could you call it body horror? Thriller? Horror? Mystery? Probably a combo of all them with a big dash of Arthouse gyle  making this a interesting  film to check out, though I wouldn't watch this munching on your cheese nachos, hotdog or for that matter anything as this will freak some people out!

No UK, Irish or American release date just yet, Antiviral will make its North American premier at next month's Toronto Film Festival, so expect this before the end of 2012 or first half of 2013. Antiviral also stars Sarah Gordon, Malcom McDowell and Douglas Smith.

Watch the film's first clip and short viral clip too!

Dragon Wasps Fly Into New 'Discovery' Clip

From Eight Legged Freaks to mutated giant killer wasps from the writers of Sand Sharks we have Dragon Wasps who will be invading our Home Entertainment this September. The film will be coming from the kings of  trashy B-Horror fun Chelsea Films who have sent us this clip from the the film called 'Discovery' which shows off our first glimpse at our winged killers which looks like it wont be good news for the man who discovers them! There's no flyspray that'll kill these freaks!

Written by fast-becoming genre connoisseur Mark Atkins (Sand Sharks), the film stars Corin Nemec (Stargate SG-1; Smallville; Supernatural), Dominika Juillet (Dark Angel), Benjamin Easterday (Stargate SG1; Fast & Furious 5) and Nikolette Noel who’s stars  in “The Expendables 2”.

Dragon Wasps will be released in UK&Ireland  by Chelsea Films September 24th.

When a clue arises as to the whereabouts of her scientist father, three months after he inexplicably disappeared on an expedition deep in the heart of the Belize rainforest, entomologist Gina Humphries and her impassioned assistant Rhonda set out on a makeshift rescue mission. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to them the land they’re desperate to cross is Government protected and without the correct documentation they subsequently find themselves stopped dead in their tracks and whisked away to the hands of officer John Hammond. Due to the ongoing feud between the US Army and the rainforest’s guerrilla military, lead by the notorious Jaguar, Hammond agrees to escort Gina and Rhonda to her desired destination as one last escapade with his team before his retirement. When their convoy is ambushed by Jaguar and his men, things quickly turn sour and they find themselves amidst a bloody shootout. Yet it soon becomes apparent that it’s not their known enemies that present the biggest threat in the jungle…

Studio Canal Announces This Year's Titles For It's 'Studio Canal Collection'

StudioCanal have announced the films that will make up this year's 'StudioCanal Collection' the series that aims to revisit some of the most iconic films from Studiocanal's  back catalogue of over 5,000 titles.

For those of you who don't know, the StudioCanal Collection is a series of acclaimed and influential films on Blu-ray with unique special features and accompanying booklets, available in HD so as to present the best possible picture and sound quality. This year's classic films will be Orson Welles The Trial,Luis Buneul's  That Obscure Object of Desire and Marcel Carne's  Le Quai Des Brumes (Port Of Shadows).

THE TRIAL

Based on the influential Franz Kafka novel, THE TRIAL is a paranoid masterpiece directed by Orson Welles (Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil). Josef K (Anthony Perkins – Psycho) is arrested, but has no idea what crime he is accused of. In order to find out what offence he is meant to have committed, and to protest his innocence, Josef K must go through the machinations of the judicial system, but he soon finds himself trapped in a dehumanised nightmare.
  
Extras: 
Welles, Kafka and The Trial documentary
Welles, Architect of Light documentary
Tempo Profile: Orson Welles
Interview with Steven Berkoff (actor, playwright) - adaptations of Kakfa's The Trial andMetamorphosis
Deleted Scene
Trailer
Booklet on the movie written by Jonathan Rosenbaum, film critic and author of Discovering Orson Welles (2007), the editor of This Is Orson Welles  (1998) and consultant on the 1998 re-edit ofTouch Of Evil. 

THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE

Adapted from Pierre Louÿs' 1898 novel 'La Femme et le Pantin', THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE marked Buñuel's final film. Recounted in flashback to a group of railway travellers, the story wryly details the romantic perils of Mathieu (Buñuel favourite Fernando Rey), a wealthy middle-aged French sophisticate who falls desperately in love with his 19-year-old former chambermaid Conchita (Carole Bouquet). Thus begins a surreal game of sexual cat-and-mouse, with Mathieu obsessively attempting to win the girl's affections as she manipulates his carnal desires, each vying to gain absolute control of the other.

Extras: 
Arbitrary Desire (Interview with Jean-Claude Carrière)
Interview with Carlos Saura
Double Dames (Interview with Carole Bouquet and Angela Molina)
A portrait if Luis Buñuel (Interview with Pierre Lary and Edmond Richard)

QUAI DES BRUMES

Le QUAI DES BRUMES is Marcel Carné's controversial adaptation of the Pierre Mac Orlan novel of the same name, today regarded as one of the greatest French classical movies. Jean (Jean Gabin), a deserter, arrives in Le Havre and looks for a shelter before leaving the French territory. Housed in a shed on the harbour, at the end of the docks, he meets an eccentric painter (Michel Simon) and a mysterious and beautiful girls called Nelly (Michele Morgan)… From then on he will be trapped in a tragic destiny, in spite of his passion for Nelly and his will to live…

Extras: 
On The Port Of Shadows
Introduction to Quai Des Brumes by Ginette Vincendeau, Professor and Film Critic
Restoring Quai Des Brumes
Booklet on the movie written by Ginette Vincendeau, Professor and Film Critic.

Feature - Money’s Too Tight To Mention

Jo Nesbo’s Jackpot tells the story of a bunch of criminals who go four ways on a winning lottery ticket, leaving them to share 1,739,361 kroner that they struggle to divide into four equal pay-outs. When we say 'struggle', it’s not just that they can’t do the maths, but rather that Jackpot unravels into a crime caper that divides more body parts than it does winnings.

What happens is  Oscar Svendsen wakes up, terrified and bloodied; a shotgun in his hands, in what was once a respectable strip joint near Svinesund, Sweden. He is surrounded by eight bodies, and police detective Solør has a gun aimed at his chest. Solør is convinced of his guilt, but Oscar persistently denies any wrongdoing.

Reluctantly Oscar starts relating the incredible story of four men who won top prize in a soccer pool and suddenly found themselves 1,739,361 kroner richer. But it turned out to be difficult to divide the money by four.

Jackpot is an exciting, playful and bloody comedy from the producer of Cold Prey. It is based on a story by Norway's leading crime writer, Jo Nesbø. We meet a group of scruffy young men, all of them with a criminal background. Oscar (Kyrre Hellum), Thor (Mads Ousdal), Billy (Arthur Berning) and Tresko (Andreas Cappelen). They work at a factory in the middle of nowhere that makes plastic Christmas trees. And they bet on soccer…

To celebrate the film’s release in cinemas across the UK on friday. August 10th, we’re looking back at five other movies where the principal protagonists come into a princely sum of money overnight...

It Could Happen To You
There’s a theory on the internet that Nicholas Cage has never starred in a bad movie, and It Could Happen To You is no exception to that rule. Also featuring Rosie Perez and Bridget Fonda on top form, the movie tells the story of a cop who gives his lottery ticket to a waitress as her tip, promising half if it turns out to be a winning ticket (which, of course, it does). In a stranger than fiction twist, the plot is actually based on real-life events, making for a heart-warming tale of money’s trappings, its pitfalls, and how it really can’t buy you love.
Lucky Numbers
Lucky Numbers is another true story inspired lottery flick, but this one’s certainly not of the heart-warming variety. John Travolta plays the role of a weatherman with money troubles who attempts to rig the lottery with his wife (played by Lisa Kudrow), who’s the beautiful assistant on the state lottery draw. Both possess somewhat psychopathic personality traits – a complete lack of empathy or guilt alongside their superficial charm – and this kind of character-play is where much of the film’s comedy emerges from. Lucky Numbers is also noteworthy for featuring Michael Moore in one of his rare acting appearances on film.
Waking Ned
When Ned Devine dies of shock after winning the lottery, his fellow inhabitants of a tiny Irish village do their best to fool a lottery representative that Ned is still alive and well, and therefore the lottery money can be paid in full. The Tullymore villagers manage to convince themselves that this plan of action is for the greater good – as Tullymore is in dire need of a bob or two anyway – and what ensues from here on out is a warm and life-affirming comedy. Writer and Director, Kirk Jones received a BAFTA nomination for his work on the film, and widespread favourable reviews to boot.
Shallow Grave
Before the London Olympic Games opening ceremony, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, 28 Days Later, and Trainspotting came the first theatrical movie that Danny Boyle directed back in 1994, Shallow Grave. Also starring Ewan McGregor, who would accompany Boyle on his first three directorial ventures, the movie spins a yarn about a group of housemates who take on a new tenant that promptly dies of a drug overdose. When a huge stash of money is discovered in the departed’s suitcase, and the housemates decide whether to inform the authorities or conceal the death (and keep the money), the film’s ominous title comes into play.
Mr Deeds
He’s been an unlikely golfing talent, a water boy turned linebacker, the son of Beelzebub, an Israeli counter-terrorist agent turned hairdresser, and a reluctant father figure. In most of his movies, however, Adam Sandler seems to maintain a lot of himself in a character, and that’s never been truer than of Mr Deeds. When Longfellow Deeds (Sandler) comes into a fortune, he buys Corvettes for the inhabitants of his small-town American home; when Sandler finished production of Grown-Ups in 2010, he bought $250,000 Maserattis for the rest of the cast. And that’s really the point of Mr Deeds: regardless of the fortune you find yourself to be the unlikely heir of overnight, the money by itself doesn’t mean a thing.
Jackpot is in cinemas, Friday August 10th.

Le Havre DVD Review

★★★★1/2

Le Havre is the latest film by prolific Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki and was a big success at Cannes (winning 2 awards). It is also one of only 3 films of 2011 to be inducted into the Criterion collection so far.

Le Havre tells the story of Marcel Marx (André Wilms), an old shoe shiner in the title’s town who finds a young black boy Idrissa who is an illegal immigrate. He is hiding form the cops and takes him in. His wife is terminally ill but she won’t admit it to Marcel. They cops are after the boy to deport him and the rest of the film consists of Marcel trying to sort out a boat to get him to London.

The film is a really lovely low-key film. The film is called a “comedy-drama” but it’s not particularly laugh out funny but just gives you a smile throughout the film. The performances are all really wonderful all done very deadpan as expected in Kaurismäki’s films. The film’s look is very influenced of many French filmmakers such as Robert Bresson, Marcel Carné, Jean Pierre-Melville which is expected because of it’s setting and also in Bresson’s minimalism which is evident in many of Kaurismäki’s films.

The film overall is a wonderfully offbeat as expected with Kaurismäki and it interesting themed dramedy. It’s also to see a film that is deliciously old fashioned it’s a film that could have easily been made over 50 years ago and wouldn’t be much different. It’s highly recommended 90 minutes.

Ian Schultz

Rating: PG
DVD/BD Release Date: 06 August 2012
Director: Aki Kaurismäki
Cast: André Wilms, Blondin Miguel , Jean-Pierre Darroussin

The Octagon Blu-Ray Review

★★★☆☆

Chuck Norris can do anything: he's been a Texas Ranger, a Delta Force Major, an Expendable, a New York Cop - but now it is time to see him as a ninja warrior in the remastered edition of 1980 martial arts thriller, The Octagon.

Norris plays Scott James (often pronounced so fast it sounds like Scotch Eggs), a man plagued by nightmares of a mysterious and intense combat training routine that he and his best friend received as youths. Scott is dragged back into this former life when a terrorist organisation (known as The Octagon) lead by deadly ninjas, starts making strikes towards him and those he cares for.

The Octagon is filled with kitsch appeal - for example, for the most part of the film we are given an insight into Scott James' thoughts, which consists of a whispering Chuck Norris voice-over, whilst the star stares intently on into the distance. This hilarious/creepy/wonderful technique also helps fill in the patchy plot holes that tend to appear, whilst also furthering Chuck's persona as a ninja master. Very clever. Chuck's moustache, which we all remember and love from A Force Of One is back, alongside some cringe-worthy dialogue, which adds to the camp charm of The Octagon.

Despite this, The Octagon is a thoroughly watchable film, never becoming tiresome or dull. There may be some questionable elements in Leigh Chapman's script (see above), but it's a strong, original concept which hits a perfect balance between espionage-infused thrills and bare-bones martial arts. Eric Karson's feature does not particularly depend on special effects, but rather on the martial arts skill and precision of leading man, Norris. Like A Force Of One, Chuck's young brother, Aaron choreographs these brutal fight sequences with a sense of precision and realism. Norris once again proves to be a highly capable leading actor, excelling in the combat-heavy sequences as well more emotionally based material. Whether he is kicking hissing ninjas in the face or mourning the loss of his best friend, Chuck is a pro. Although, I'm not sure whether even Chuck could convincingly handle the voicing over of his "inner-thoughts".

Chapman's script features some entertaining, well-produced action set-pieces from Chuck taking down an entire ninja camp whilst it is in flames to the epic sword fights in The Octagon's conclusion. A particular favourite scene of mine involved a poisoned Chuck kicking a ninja into a wall of fire. In addition to these action packed spectaculars, The Octagon features well-cast supporting turns from Lee Van Cleef, Art Hindle and Karen Carlson.

Whilst it may appear slightly dated and it does feature some questionable plot devices, The Octagon is a thoroughly entertaining watch. It has been remastered to visual perfection - which exemplifies the well-crafted action sequences and impressive martial arts. Chuck proves that he is the master of the cult action film in this original and likeable combat-thriller.

Andrew McArthur

Stars: Chuck Norris, Lee Van Cleef ,Karen Carlson
Director: Eric Karson
Release: 6th August (UK)
Certificate: 15 (UK)

Himizu DVD Review

A Force Of One Blu-Ray Review

★★★ 1/2☆

Anchor Bay take us back to the genesis of an icon, in A Force Of One, one of Chuck Norris' first major starring roles. Now remastered on Blu-Ray for the first time, alongside The Octagon, get ready for your very own Chuckfest.

So there's a little problem. During a routine investigation, a crack narcotics team (excuse the pun) is taken down one by one by a karate chopping serial killer. Like all reasonable minded people, the police chief decides that all officers should be fully trained in martial arts. But who could train them? Oh, only Chuck Norris. That's right, Chuck Norris, in the form of karate expert Matt Logan.

Unfortunately, Matt's reluctance to get involved is finally broken, when his adopted son becomes the karate killers latest victim. Soon Matt driven by vengeance is thrust into an epic battle of good, evil and face-kicking.

Regardless of how dated the film may appear - courtesy of Chuck's huge moustache (which dates back to the early 1800s) and surfer hair style, it is hard to deny that it looks good on Blu-Ray. You haven't seen Chuck Norris kicking someone until you have seen it in high definition. Norris, who choreographs the film does a stellar job arranging the fight scenes with a sense of realism and precision, never looking contrived.

A Force Of One is an interesting hybrid of the martial arts feature with the police thriller, which proves to be a refreshing alternative to a simple cop drama or martial arts movie. The concept is silly, police officers being trained in martial arts? Why aren't they just given bigger guns? But that is all part of A Force Of One's seventies charm. Part of the joy of watching a film like this is that it does not take itself too seriously, with everything simply aimed to entertain the viewer.

Part of A Force Of One's pulpy charm comes from Ernest Tidyman's (Shaft, The French Connection) gritty screenplay. Whilst fun for the most part, Tidyman also captures the sense of tension and foreboding that every good crime thriller should come equip with. This paired with Paul Aaron's surprisingly violent direction - especially in the film's final showdown between Chuck and the karate killer, creates a highly memorable watch.

Praise must also go to Chuck's competent acting ability as well as his expert choreography. We feel that Logan is a man driven by revenge and hurt, with Norris also managing to have some fun with the role - particularly through the relationship between him and his colleagues.

A Force Of One is a surprising entry in Chuck's back catalogue. A somewhat silly concept proves to be a bloodthirsty, well executed fusion of the martial arts feature and a gritty cop drama. Norris choreographs with a strong sense of realism and manages to both convince and entertain in the role.

Andrew McArthur

Stars: Chuck Norris, Jennifer O'Neill , Clu Gulager
Director: Paul Aaron
Release: 6th August (UK)
Certificate: 15 (UK)

The Pact Will Invade UK Homes This October

The break-out horror movie smash of the year that has been electrifying hardened genre fans, The Pact combines the supernatural terrors of Paranormal Activity with the tense atmospherics of a serial killer thriller to create a unique, modern-day take on the classic ghost story. This October You will be able to own the film on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Following the death of her mother, Annie receives a phone call from her former drug addict sister, Nicole, imploring her to come back to visit their family home and to attend their mother’s funeral. Still tortured by memories of a troubled childhood, Annie is reluctant to revisit the past, but eventually agrees to Nicole’s request. However, on arrival at the house she finds no trace of her sister and, when Nicole fails to turn up at the funeral, Annie simply assumes she has relapsed into drug use as a way of dealing with her loss. Not wishing to spend the night alone in her mother’s house, Annie invites her cousin, Liz, and Nicole’s estranged young daughter to stay over.

But it’s not long before Annie begins to sense another, unseen presence in their midst. Household objects are inexplicably moved around, strange noise are heard during the night and a broken picture frame reveals a photo of a sinister figure. Then all hell breaks loose. Annie finds herself physically threatened by this malign supernatural force residing within the house and, following a particularly terrifying assault, discovers that Liz, too, has disappeared. With her life now seriously at risk, and time running out, Annie is forced to confront her worst fears and solve the mystery surrounding her family’s history before it is too late.

When it comes to real scares, you can’t beat a really good ghost story and this one ranks right up there with the best of them. Very much in the tradition of “Insidious”, “Stir Of Echoes”, “The Entity” and “The Haunting”, this is a highly atmospheric and genuinely frightening supernatural shocker that had us completely on edge throughout, elicited screams and built to a climax that had us peering through our fingers. It also features a stand-out lead performance by Caity Lotz as Annie, a strong and sexy biker chick who really isn’t one to be messed with.

First-time feature director Nicholas McCarthy, with up-and-coming female lead Caity Lotz (Death Valley; Mad Men), Casper Van Dien (Sleepy Hollow; Starship Troopers), Agnes Bruckner (Kill Theory; Vacancy 2: The First Cut; Blood And Chocolate), Haley Hudson (Killer By Nature; Freaky Friday) and Kathleen Rose Perkins (Episodes). The Pact will be arriving in UK&Ireland on DVD, Blu-ray courtesy of eOne Entertainment on October 1st.

Fernando Meirelles' 360 Review

★★☆☆☆

Fernando Meirelles’ thoroughly impressed with his features City Of God, The Constant Gardner and the underrated horror gem, Blindness, however the director’s latest release – ensemble drama, 360, proves to be a far patchier affair than his previous work.

This drama centres on the lives of an array of interconnected people all of whom are at turning points in their lives. Based on a screenplay by Peter Morgan (Hereafter, Frost/Nixon), 360 takes us to several different countries and introduces us to an eclectic mix of characters from businessman, Michael (Jude Law), his wife (Rachel Weisz), a recovering sex offender (Ben Foster) and an older man searching for his missing daughter (Anthony Hopkins).

Meirelles’ feature should be an intimate and personal affair, after all we are shown these characters at crossroads in their lives. There are several fleeting moments when the director captures this perfectly (such as Hopkins’s turn as a father unsure whether to continue his search for his missing daughter) but for the most part, too little time is spent with each character to fully sympathise with their journey. This is partly due to an excessive amount of characters and trying to connect them often results in a clunky and uneven, patchwork-style narrative.

Had 360 devoted more time to less characters then it may have proved a more coherent and powerful piece. The opening promotes the theme that sex influences many of our decisions, which can be seen through Jude Law’s married businessman attempting to meet an escort, when on a business trip in Bratislava whilst his wife (Rachel Weisz) continues an affair with a young photographer. This segment also allows for some solid performances from Law and Weisz. However, as the connections become more and more contrived this message begins to lose impact bringing 360 to a standstill. Fortunately the appearance of Anthony Hopkins midway through the feature sparks some life into the tired, 360. The Welsh star features as a John, a man travelling to Arizona to identify the body of a young girl, who may be his missing daughter. On his flight John meets a young Brazilian girl, who reminds him of daughter and helps him decide whether or not to continue to his search. Hopkins truly dominates the screen with his heartfelt performance, particularly when his character delivers a touching monologue about his search. Meirelles’ handles the scene beautifully and this is without doubt, the highlight of a disorganised film. Sadly, 360 faces a rapid decline after this promising sequence with a formulaic and unconvincing pitfall featuring Russian gangsters bringing the film to a hault.

The conclusion of 360 tells us that we have come full circle, however, it is hard to agree with this as it seems the film stalled at 180 degrees. Despite a promising opening, 360 is a lifeless and tired film lacking in any distinct physical style or charm. The loose thread of human relations that connects it feels bogged down by too many characters and an unfocussed, clunky narrative. The performances prove to be the main highlight, most notably Hopkins’ thoroughly watchable turn.

Andrew McArthur

Stars: Jude Law, Rachel Weisz,Anthony Hopkins, Ben Foster
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Release: August 10th (UK)
Rating: 15 (UK)