Frightfest 2012 - Hidden In The Woods Review

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Frightfest 2012 - Elevator Review

Nine people trapped in a lift facing death? Is this M. Knight Shyamalan’s Devil? Nope this is Elevator. A low-budget genre flick that does more with its limited resources than Devil ever did. A slow-burning, tense thriller that both knows, and plays with, genre conventions, the film sees nine people – Henry Barton (whose cocktail party they are all attending), his precocious granddaughter, two office executives, a glamorous TV news presenter, a pregnant woman, a nervous pensioner, the evening’s comic entertainer and a bodyguard – trapped in a lift after Barton’s granddaughter presses the emergency stop button as a practical joke on the claustrophobic, and obnoxious, comedian. Only one of the nine has a grudge against the Barton and his investment company and has come to the party armed with a bomb…

OK, so the premise may not be that original, but what raises Elevator above others of its ilk is that it is fully aware of the genre in which it belongs – even referencing Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat, the granddaddy of the sub-genre, at one point. The film also makes a great statement on modern news, with glamorous reporter Maureen (Sunny) shooting the incident on her phone to be broadcast live on the nightly news – with shades of “found-footage” flicks as we see the unfolding situation from the perspective of the phone’s cameras lens.
Director Stig Svendsen, making his US directorial debut (and what a debut), balances the claustrophobic in-elevator action with effective scenes of just how isolated the group are, their voices echoing out of the elevator into the darkened lift shaft. Svendsen and writer Marc Rosenberg also have a tremendously dark sense of humour, visible not only in the gleeful way Joey Slotnick’s comedian George and Barton’s granddaughter Madeline (played by twins Amanda and Rachel Pace) torment each other, but also in the more macabre aspects of the films final third act – which I’m not going to spoil for you here.

Much more than just Devil with a bomb, Elevator is a great example of the best of horror – taking a horrific premise and using it as a jumping off point to explore much bigger themes and ideas. In this case not only the characters and their psyches but also racism and racial stereotyping in America post 9/11, and the role of financial corporations and the impact their decisions have on the everyman (shades of the global financial crisis?).

A tense, taut, thriller which blends an oft-told story with great performances, a wry dark sense of humour and some gruesome, yet not overtly graphic, set pieces, Elevator is easily one of the best examples of the (sub) genre yet.

This was a review By Phil At Blogomatic3000 

Rating:15
UK Release Date: 24th & 27th August 2012 (Frightfest)
Director: Stig Svendsen
Cast: Christopher Backus, Anita Briem , John Getz 

Frightfest 2012 - The Seasoning House

Brutal, harrowing, unflinching and relentless. Just some of the words that will no doubt be used to describe the debut feature of SFX artist turned director Paul Hyett; and they’d be right, The Seasoning House is all those things. But it is also a a damning indictment of the inhumantiy of man and price some pay for war; a true reflection on the horrors of war and of man.

The film follows Angel (Day), a deaf mute sold into slavery by soldiers who forcibly remove her from her home and kill her mother. Scarred by a birth mark on her face Angel is too ugly to be used for prostitution, instead Viktor, the vicious pimp that runs the seasoning house, takes her under his wing, using her to drug and make-up the girls pre-coitus and then clean them up afterwards… However unbeknownst to her captors, Angel crawls the walls of the house, fighting her own battle – the hollow walls of the seasoning house are her trenches, those outside the walls – the men who would have their way with the drug-addled girls – the enemy.

Based on case studies of true events that have happened across the globe in many war-torn countries, The Seasoning House is a film that walks a fine line between realism and exploitation. Director Hyett has obviously come out all guns blazing with this film, this is a man who has studied his subject matter and his craft. There are subtleties to the film that will no doubt be missed by many at first glance -none more so than the fact that, despite all the excesses of the film, this is not a brutal as the true stories of the exploitation of women during wartime. Stories which go untold in the mainstream media. Hyett also wears his influences on his sleeve – the way in which Angel moves about the walls screams Wes Craven’s People Under the Stairs, however her mannerisms as she crawls forth from the vents echoes the movements and motions of Sadako from Hideo Nakata’s Ringu; and like Jaume Balaguero’s Sleep Tight, The Seasoning House is reminiscent of the early work of Roman Polanski – only with a modern nihilistic edge!

If Hyett is a man on top form, then so are his cast. I have nothing but praise for actress Rosie Day, her portrayal of Angel is one of fragility and strength, a mix of femininity and ferality that is astonishingly accomplished for someone so young – especially given that Angel is a deaf-mute. Day manages to convey the full gamut of emotions without saying one word, and come films conclusion amongst the pipework of a boiler, the look upon her face says more than words ever could. And Kevin Howarth, as Viktor, the owner of the titular seasoning house, manages (partly in thanks to the great script) to make his character both likeable and abhorrent at the same time and as an audience you can never really tell whether he loves Angel or is just protecting his greatest asset.

Possibly too harrowing for some, The Seasoning House is a challenging debut film from Paul Hyett. One that many will praise for its unflinching representation of a real-life situation, but one that many may say also glamourises it. The latter would of course be wrong. The Seasoning House is a film that both entertains and has a message; and I hope the wider audience realise that too.

This was a review by Phil From Blogomatic3000

Rating: 18
UK Release date: August 23rd 2012 (Frightfest)
Directed By: Paul Hyett,
Cast: Sean Pertwee, Sean Cronin , Anna Walton, Rosie Day

Frightfest 2012 – Cockneys Vs Zombies

★★★★☆

They say a good horror film is one that leaves its audience smiling - a belief enforced by Cockneys Vs Zombies (2012), the new Brit comedy frightfest from director Matthias Hoene, starring (and I'm not joking) the iconic Richard Briers and Honor Blackman. After watching it you'll be screaming with laughter, as this is one of the freshest, most irreverent and side splittingly funny comedies, as well as one of the goriest, you'll see this year.

Determined to help their grandfather Ray (Alan Ford) and his friends whose old folks retirement home is being closed and the land it's on redeveloped by a large property company, Terry (Rasimus Hardiker), his brother Andy (Harry Tredaway) and their cousin Katy (Michelle Ryan), decided to do what any loving grandchildren would - they rob a bank of two and a half million pounds. With the money they hope to pay for a new start for Ray and the other old dears.

Elsewhere something nasty has just been uncovered by some building constructors (the same who have just bought Ray and co out of house and home) on a new site they are clearing in London's East End - something that is now infecting anyone who is stands in its way. Unfortunately for Ray, his friends and his ne'er-do-well off-spring they are doing just that, and the inevitable confrontation leads to a very bloody showdown indeed.

Cockneys Vs Zombies is one of the best, most original, laugh-out-loud films, to come along in months. The advantage many small scale British films have over their American, big studio counterparts, is that they can do whatever they like without anyone breathing down their necks or demanding the direction the film should take. As a result you get something like this - a totally fresh take on the somewhat tired zombie theme, good gory fun in a totally non-pc way that many American films could never hope to get away with. Where else would you find a group of OAP's beating the heads in of a horde of flesh eating zombies or, as happens at one point, a young man drop kicking a zombie baby and splattering it against an advertising hoarding.

There is so much that could be said about this film - from it's authentic use of East London locations to some of the most realistic, stomach ripping, gore effects since Shaun of the Dead (2004) - but I don't want to spoil your enjoyment. Suffice to say that I'm extremely jealous I can't see it again for the first time.

Though the cast as a whole sparkle in their 'diamond geezer' roles, it must surely be British acting legends Briers and Blackman who steal the show every time they walk (or in the case of Briers) shuffle on screen. They are brilliant and completely unexpected, particularly in the scene with Briers, a Zimmer frame and a zombie (you'll know it when you see it) which is excruciatingly funny, whilst the image of the usually refined Blackman toting a sawn-off shotgun and shouting "let's get those &^+%@!" will remain indelibly seared on your memory.

The one small (considering the age we live in) downside is the film's prolific use of expletive strewn language throughout. Now I'm no prude, and realise language like this is commonplace and not just in London's East End. However I do think a few less profanities would have displayed a more imaginative grasp of the English language.

But I'm quibbling, and otherwise adored this insane slice of schlock. Cockneys Vs Zombies may not be remembered as a classic of British cinema, but it's certainly more fun than a lot of the pretentious films out there (horror included) which take themselves way too seriously.

Cleaver Patterson

Rating:18  
UK Release Date: 26th August 2012(Frightfest) 31st August 2012 (General Release)
Directed by: Matthias Hoene  
Cast: Michelle Ryan, Georgia King, Harry Treadaway , Alan Ford, Honor Blackman, Richard Briers

Frightfest 2012 - Wrong Turn 4 Bloody Beginnings Review

It’s 1974 and deep in the West Virginia wilderness, a family of inbred hillbilly cannibals are being held in an isolated asylum for the violent and mentally ill.  The asylum soon becomes deserted when the inbred family escape and take sadistic and gratuitous revenge on their captors…. Decades later, a group of college students take a wrong turn and seek refuge in the now-abandoned asylum after a blizzard derails their plans for a weekend winter break. But when the students encounter the medical ward’s most frightening former patients, now fiendishly famished residents, their only choice is to fight back…or die trying.

I loved 2003′s Wrong Turn, helped in part by the appearance of Buffy co-star Eliza Dushku in the lead role. However I loved Wrong Turn 2: Dead End even more. A fact which I credit whole-heartedly to director Joe Lynch who brought a tongue-in-cheek angle to the sequel which made the sequel heaps more fun than its predecessor. It didn’t hurt that Henry Rollins was fantastic in the flick, relishing his role as ex-military officer turned reality TV presenter Dale Murphy. However I skipped the third film in the franchise having heard only bad things about it, so when I heard they were bringing back that films director Declan O’Brien for Wrong Turn 4 I didn’t have high hopes. I’m glad to say I was wrong.

Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings sets its stall out early. From the gory prologue featuring the inbred family tearing apart (literally) the doctors and nurses who work at the asylum to the completely gratuitous couples sex scene, complete with lesbianism, copious amounts of nudity, and post-coitus douche-baggery (yes, that is a word). And what follows doesn’t really change that formula. Gore, nudity, sex, gore – it’s a viscious and bloody circle.

Complete with stupefyingly gory dismemberments, disembowelings and discombobulation, Wrong Turn 4 replaces any semblance of plot or story with gory set-pieces, much like the slasher movies of the 80s in fact. And its those slashers, and their desire to out-do one another in terms of OTT effects, that are the direct influence on this film – perhaps, if I’m not reading too much into it, there’s also a nod to the 80s in the appearance of a giant drill as one of the weapons of choice for the hillbillies. It instantly reminded me of the Slumber Party Massacre movies – movies which mixed sex and gore in much the same way as this film does.
Possibly one of the goriest films I’ve seen recently, Wrong Turn 4 relishes in the glory of gore – nowhere more than in the scene in which, and I quote, they made a “fucked up fondue” of one of the characters, slicing him up piece by piece and frying the flesh in a pan of oil before chomping down in a cannibalistic feast. Much like a lot of the derivative slashers that came before it there’s really no reason for the film to exist beyond the gore. – and I’m not saying that like its a bad thing!

That’s not to say they’re aren’t problems with the film, even for a cheesy slasher movie. After all, how the hell would hillbillies who’ve been trapped in an asylum since the 70s know how to ride snowmobiles? Then, of course, there’s the usual genre conceit of going back to find/help your friends – but that occurs in plenty of genre flick so that is a given these days. What did surprise about Wrong Turn 4 was the occasional flashes of “they are us” themes which, if they had been followed through more, would have raised the film above a lot of its peers. As it is, the film has a lot to say about the stupidity of people – in fact its stupidity that costs the lives of the films characters in some instances.

Despite being completely derivative, the film is also fun. A lot of fun. Whether its the gorehound in me or whether I was just in the right mood for the flick, I enjoyed the fourth film in the franchise a lot. A heck of a lot.

Filled with buckets, and I mean buckets, of blood, Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings (it really lives up its name, believe me) shows at this years Frightfest the 13th in the Discovery Screen on Saturday 25th August at 11.35pm – a great midnight movie film in a great midnight movie slot – before being released on DVD on Monday August 27th courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

This was a Review by Phil at Blogomatic3000

Rating: 18
UK Release Date: 25th August 2012 (Frightfest) 27th August (DVD/BD)
Directed By: Declan O'Brien
Cast: Sean Skene, Blane Cypurda , Dan Skene,

Frightfest 2012: Guinea Pigs Review

★★★☆☆

Ian Clark's much anticipated first feature, Guinea Pigs received its debut at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival. Despite delivering some sharp moments of tension and a realistic style, Guinea Pigs unfortunately lacks in lasting impact.

Eight volunteers are sent to a remote medical facility to begin clinical trials on a new drug, tentatively titled Pro-9. It soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary drug as extreme side affects begin to appear - you know, like turning into a raging psychopath.

Although the subject of clinical trials has been tackled in the horror genre before, it still remains a chilling concept. Ian Clark furthers these chills by instilling a strong sense of realism throughout Guinea Pigs, most notably through his almost documentary style direction. From the onset, descriptions appear on screen, mixed with unfocussed close ups and establishing shots of the eerie clinical settings which gives Clark's film an unsettling familiarity.

After a rather long but well crafted build up, we get a strong sense of the foreboding horror that is expected to ensue. This is followed by several well executed moments of tension, which fortunately never unveil too much, normally a good tactic in the genre, leaving the viewers' imagination to the work. Unfortunately these tense build up gets wasted with Guinea Pigs lacking in a real scares, jumps or chilling imagery.

Most of the characters are interesting and reasonably well developed, despite all fitting into traditional archetypal genre roles. Leading character, Adam (Aneurin Barnard) although well acted, proves too nice for his own good by making some dodgy decisions - like not leaving the compound when he has the chance. A scene stealing turn from Looking For Eric's Steve Evets, as a clinical test "veteran" adds some wry humour to the proceedings. Other small joys include Chris Larkin's appearance as a wise-cracking Doctor in charge of the proceedings.

Guinea Pigs is a reasonably entertaining watch, with director Ian Clark creating a solid, realistic atmosphere and strong sense of tension, as well as some welcome moments of humour. Unfortunately, Guinea Pigs is lacking in any genuine scares and ultimately proves a bit unmemorable.

Andrew McArthur

Rating:15
Stars: Aneurin Barnard, Alex Reid, Oliver Coleman
Director: Ian Clark
Release: 27th August 2012 (Frightfest 2012)

Frightfest 2012 - Outpost II: Black Sun Review

During the 1945 endgame of World War II, German scientist Klausener worked on frightening new technology with the power to create an immortal Nazi army. Now a NATO task force is hurriedly deployed to Eastern Europe to uncover what sinister enemy exactly appears to be mercilessly killing everything in its path.  It soon becomes clear that what they are facing is no ordinary foe. Only Lena, a gutsy investigator on the trail of notorious war criminal Klausener, can accept the reality of what they are up against – a battalion of living dead Nazi Storm Troopers. With the help of Wallace, an adventurer who has been chasing Gestapo secrets for years, the duo team up with a Special Forces Unit to venture deep behind enemy lines. Their mission: to fight their way back to the source of this evil zombie platoon and prevent supernatural technology being used to create the Fourth Reich.

Making its UK debut four years after the original, Outpost II: Black Sun is to Outpost what [REC]2 is to [REC] or what Aliens is to Alien. In other words, consider Outpost 2 the action-movie sequel to the horrific original. Yes, this sequel replaces the atmosphere and horror of the first film with scene after scene of machine-gun toting soldier battling lumbering Nazi zombies. In fact the film has more in common with the Resident Evil franchise, being less about the zombies and their devastation and more about the action set pieces. Don’t get me wrong, the zombies in Outpost II are bloody brutal blighters, eviscerating and digesting their human prey. It’s just that they also suffer from the same problem zombies had in low-budget zombie flicks of the 80s… they look like men wearing rubber masks!

Interestingly Outpost II: Black Sun doesn’t waste time catching up on events that took place in the first film – it references them yes, but doesn’t spend any time dwelling on them. However it turns out that bar knowing who the villainous old Nazis are you don’t really need to have seen the first one to watch the sequel. You might not know who one or two of the referenced characters, including someone who died in the original movie, are but that doesn’t stop you from “enjoying” the film.

The big problem with Outpost II, besides being a 15-rated action movie rather than a gory zombie flick, is that the cast all seem to be taking the film way too seriously. The recently released Nazi zombie flick Bloodstorm was a whole lot schlockier than this but thanks to the cast knowing its limitations it was a fun, if dumb, movie. However here it’s the opposite. Everyone takes it so bloody seriously! Its not high art people, it’s a zombie movie! It’s almost like everyone involved thought the were making the Schindler’s List of straight to DVD horror movies.

In case you’re wondering, this does set things up for a third film. So it turns out Outpost really is the UK’s version of Paul W.S. Anderson’s Resident Evil franchise after all… It won’t stay dead!

This was a review by Phil at Blogomatic3000 

Rating: 15
UK Release Date: 25th August 2012 (Frightfest) 27th August 2012 (DVD/BD)
Directed by: Steve Barker
Cast: Richard Coyle, Clive Russell , Michael Byrne 

Tim And Eric's Billion Dollar Movie Review

★★☆☆☆

It seems that if a television comedy duo is successful enough that a movie is inevitable. Unfortunately, it is very rare that these movies are actually worth watching - just think Ant & Dec's Alien Autopsy or David Mitchell and Robert Webb's Magicians. Hoping to buck that trend are Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, the creators and stars of Adult Swim television series, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!  The duo have presented us with Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, which will no doubt appeal to fans of the television series. 

Tim and Eric are two filmmakers who are given a $1 billion dollar budget to make a film for the Schlaaang Corporation. However, with the budget squandered and results in only three minutes of usable footage  - the duo have no choice but to go on the run from vicious studio boss Tommy Schlaaang (Robert Loggia). In a harebrained scheme to raise the money, Tim and Eric find themselves trying to restore a derelict shopping mall.

Anyone familiar with the Saturday Night Live film productions like MacGruber will instantly recognise the formula of Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie. It is this predictable narrative arc that immediately works against the production - we know there is an inevitable fall out and eventual reconciliation and that Tim and Eric will successful rebuild the mall. Since the script structure offers nothing particularly original it is up to the comedy duo to add some interest through their gags and performances, and to an extent they do this successfully.

The humour ranges from enjoyably madcap to unpleasantly crude, never finding the right balance. A perfect example of this is where a drugged Eric goes to a 'Shrim' healing centre - we do not know what Shrim is, but are soon given a fun video representation hosted by Ray Wise. The comic talents of Ray Wise would have been enough for the gag, but Heidecker and Wareheim insist on taking the humour too far. How far? Well Eric drowning in a bath of children's faeces. It is just a crude, unpleasant and juvenile punchline.

The bantering exchanges between Tim and Eric spur on a few laughs, but most of the humour comes from the star power involved in Billion Dollar Movie. The film opens with Jeff Goldblum, posing as Schlaaang spokesman Chef Goldblum, offering the viewer tips on how to enhance their movie going experience - which is particularly fun. Will Ferrell's cameo as the mall's Top Gun obsessed former owner proves amusing as well, as does Zach Galifianakis' role of a self-help guru the duo hire. Unfortunately, most of these star turns suffer from incredibly poor writing and character development - notably John C. Reilly's supporting performance, which is just cringe inducing and not worth the actor's talents. 

Robert Loggia's appearance as villain, Tommy Schlaaang is the main scene stealer of the film, with the veteran star bringing his charismatic screen presence to the role. Unfortunately, the material he is given to work with is just as bad as Reilly's.    

Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie is a formulaic and unnecessary venture. Most of the humour's downfall is in its crudeness and lack of consistency. What should have been excellent supporting turns from well-known stars suffer from poor writing and a lack of development.

Andrew McArthur

Stars: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim ,Will Ferrell, Jeff Goldblum
Directors: Tim Heidecker ,Eric Wareheim
UK Release: 24th August 201 (limited release)

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Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie - Official Redband Trailer [HD] Published via LongTail.tv

Frightfest 2012 – Meet The Thompsons aka The Hamiltons,World Premiere This Sunday

The premier European horror film festival Film4 Frightfest is well under way today and over the weekend here and at our other site Cinehouse.co.uk we will be bringing you our coverage. This Sunday will see the return of  Horror’s favourite dysfunctional vampire family The Hamiltons now with a new name The Thompsons.  Set and filmed mostly here in the UK, horror movie The Thompsons is receiving its World Premiere this Sunday at FrightFest in Empire Leicester Square at 10.30am. There will also be a cast and crew Q&A before the screening at 10am.

The Hamiliton siblings were a dysfunctional, orphaned family living in sunny suburbia. On the outside, they appear normal enough but they harbour a very dark secret…the need to drink blood in order to survive. A bloodbath at a local gas station means the family has to go on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. with a new identity as The Thompsons. Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the deadly family seeks out the help of a shadowy underground group rumoured to be sympathetic to vampires.

THE THOMPSONS is a new release from acclaimed horror writers and directors The Butcher Brothers and is being screened at FrightFest on the 26^th August 2012. On October 15th You will be able to own The Thompsons on DVD, stay tuned for review and possible competition nearer the release date.

Frightfest 2012 - [Rec]3 Genesis review

★★★★☆

The first thing to remember when you sit down to watch [Rec] Genesis is that it is a very different film to its predecessors. Rec (2007) and Rec 2 (2009) have already garnered more than their fair share of cult following and critical acclaim, Rec 2 often being cited as one of the best horror sequels since Dawn of the Dead, and for this the expectations for a third entry were mixed.

The film follows the story of Koldo (Diego Martin) and Clara (Leticia Dolera) who’s wedding reception is turned into a nightmare when their guests begin to tear each other apart. The newlyweds are split up in the commotion and take shelter with other survivors while the infected pick off family and friends. With a mansion filled with blood-hungry psychopaths between them, the two set out to find one another on what could be the last day of their lives.

The first two films are very close in composition and narrative with a controlled escalation of both mythology and action ensuring all bases are covered. The third film, in order to hold its own, instead ups the ante on action and scope, while changing the basic feel of the piece. After the first twenty minutes I’msurprised to see the handheld camera destroyed and the film switching to a polished omniscience as it captures the demise of the shattered camcorder. We get the message: this isn’t Rec one or two, this is three and the rules are different. It’s a big “screw you” to the doubting Thomas’s who saw this ending in tears. Knowing that Paco Plaza, co-writer/director of the previous two films, was on board should have been a tell-tale sign that all would be well.

Dolera and Martin make a lovable amateur kick-ass duo, and it’s their brilliant performances that give the film a heart to build on.Dolera in particular is fantastic, going from doe-eyed lover to sizzling heroin with the helpful inclusion of a chainsaw. Plaza has boldly made attempts to create iconic images from reworked horror iconography and it’s that admirable understanding of genre that helps give his film more bite.

The third Rec is a direct product of the first two in many ways. There’s a good piece of entertainment for newbies to the series and a rewarding escapade for the more seasoned fans. The little details are in abundance and they help layer the film up and link it back to the first two: when an uncle explains how he got bit by a dog at the vet, alarm bells ring, similarly when someone says “switch to night vision” you can’t help but shiver. On the subject of scares the film’s black comedy element does outweigh its capacity to scare us shitless. Where in Rec we spent the last ten minutes whispering “What the fuck is that?” and Rec 2 had us whispering “Where the fuck did it go!” Genesis sports dubious moments of “Really?” The black comedy can be too much considering the series origins, especially when the groom gets all Don Quixote, complete with shivering Sancho Panza. Nothing in this film comes close to the horror of the Medeiros girl in Rec’s one and two.

Plaza gets ample opportunity to show off what he can do on a solo mission; steering some impressive set-pieces without letting the mood slip. One particular sequence when the shit first hits the fan and the entire wedding reception goes from family fun to bloodbath in twenty seconds, shows an inspired understanding of chaos which sets the mood for the rest of the film. One can’t help but feel Plaza has been dying to orchestrate Hell on this scale since day one.

Racing down the OTT path shamelessly and aiming for laughs en route will alienate a lot of fans, as will the polished glitzy look in comparison to the thus-far gritty and grim feel of the films, but needs must for the survival of the idea and you can’t fault its concept or watchability. The result is this, a near-perfect showcase of gory glory with heart, and brains, and everything else in between.

Scott Clark

Rating:18
UK Release Date : 24th August 2012 (Frightfest) September 3rd 2012 (DVD/BD)
Directed By: Paco Plaza
Cast: Leticia Dolera, Diego Martín , Javier Botet

Classic Anime Ninja Scroll Coming to Blu-Ray First Time

Anime classic Ninja Scroll comes to Blu-ray for the first time ever! Available in a limited edition Double Play Blu-ray/DVD Steelbook as well as separately on Blu-ray and DVD, Yoshiaki Kawajiri's wonderfully animated 1993 masterpiece sets the bar for ninja action, as wandering swordsman Jubei and female ninja Kagero carve their way through a host of super-powered bad guys. Gory, visceral and still shocking after nearly two decades, Ninja Scroll demands a place on any anime fan's shelf.

Set during Japan's Tokugawa period, Ninja Scroll opens with female ninja Kagero - the sole survivor of a squad sent to investigate a plagued village - at the mercy of Tessai, a monster of a man who can turn his skin to stone. Rescued by wandering ronin Jubei Kibagami, the pair discover from shady shogunate spy Dakuan that Tessai is one of the Eight Devils of Kimon - a band of super ninja apparently led by Jubei's old nemesis Himuro Genma, whom he insists that he killed years ago.

Tricked into helping Kagero and Dakuan take down the Eight Devils, expert swordsman Jubei must push his finely-honed fighting skills to the limit if he is to defeat his deadly adversaries, who include shadow assassin Shijima, blind warrior Utsutsu, explosives specialist Zakuro and, of course, the evil Himuro Genma himself. Pitted against such merciless foes, only one thing is certain; Jubei Kibagami must kill or be killed.

Along with Akira and Ghost In The Shell, Ninja Scroll was one of the key titles that opened the West's eyes to what anime could achieve. Stunningly animated and shockingly violent, Ninja Scroll combines sex, death, action, intrigue and copious fountains of blood to create an all-time anime classic.

Written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Wicked City, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust), Ninja Scroll is made by veteran animation studio Madhouse, whose long list of credits include acclaimed movies such as Summer Wars, Paprika, The Girl Who Lept Through Time and Perfect Blue as well as series like Death Note and Black Lagoon. November 26th 2012 is the day all anime fans in UK have to include in their diaries, when Ninja Scroll is released on Blu Ray, DVD (re-release) and Special Steelbook edition.

Whilst creating this post our friends over at Twitch have found out Madhouse after 20 years are working on a new 3 part Ninja Scroll animation called Ninja Scroll Burst and below is the first teaser!

Watch UK Trailer For Beasts Of The Southern Wind

Since its debut away back at this years Sundance film festival, Beasts Of The Southern Winds has been a hit at every festival its been too, sweeping the awards that's been nominated for.  Featuring an awards-touted performance from it's 8-year old star Quvenzhane Wallis, it glows with an irrepressible and life-affirming power that has enchanted audiences and critics at worldwide.

To celebrate the Beasts of The Southern Wind UK release this October Studiocanal today have sent us the UK trailer. 

In a forgotten but defiant bayou community cut off from the world by a sprawling levee, six year-old Hushpuppy exists on the brink of orphanhood. Her mother long gone, and her father Wink a wildman on a perpetual spree, Hushpuppy is left to her own devices on an isolated compound filled with semi-feral animals. She perceives the natural world to be a fragile web of living, breathing, squirting things, in which the entire universe depends on everything fitting together just right. So when a hundred year storm raises the waters around her town, her daddy is suddenly stricken with illness, and fierce pre-historic creatures awaken from their frozen graves to come charging across the planet, Hushpuppy sees the natural order of everything she holds dear collapsing around her. Desperate to repair the structure of her world in order to save her ailing father and sinking home, this tiny hero must learn to survive an unstoppable catastrophe of epic proportions.

Waters gonna rise up, wild animals gonna re-run from the grave, and everything south of the levee is goin' under, in this tale of a six year-old named Hushpuppy, who lives with her daddy at the edge of the world.

Like the Raid I've tried my best to avoid the press, any previous footage to make sure the film is coming to UK, saving my enjoyment for the release and has helped me climb onboard the buzz for film .Beasts of The Southern Wind  is finally coming to UK&Ireland October 19th thanks to Studiocanal and don't be surprised when February comes it will be picking up at least a Oscar award especially it's bright young star who is only 8 years old!. The film also stars Dwight Henry, Levi Easterly, and Gina Montana.

HAMMER LAUNCHES YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Exclusive new filmed content alongside beloved classic genre films to make groundbreaking online debut

 

To the delight of fans worldwide Hammer, Britain's most celebrated genre film brand which recently produced box office smash The Woman in Black and the acclaimed Let Me In, today launches its first dedicated YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/hammerfilms.  For the very first time, exclusive new content from current Hammer productions as well as carefully restored classic Hammer feature films will be available to stream online.

The Hammer Films Channel will carry a range of exclusive new content, previews, commentary and behind the scenes material from upcoming new productions such as The Quiet Ones starring Jared Harris and Sam Claflin and The Woman in Black: Angels of Death, the follow up to the worldwide box office hit, The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe.

In addition, the Hammer Films Channel will stream a collection of Hammer’s well-known classic feature film titles including The Quatermass Xperiment, The Man In Black and Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter some of which have been newly restored and digitally re-mastered. As additional titles are added to the new platform, this will be the first time fans can view other digitally re-mastered classic Hammer films online under a restoration initiative launched earlier this year by Hammer’s owner Exclusive Media.

From the historic library, the Hammer Films Channel will also carry Classic Hammer TV series such as ‘Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense’, as well as new on-air commentary and film introductions from official Hammer historian, Marcus Hearn and Hammer archivist, Robert J.E. Simpson.  Newly created featurettes and original trailer material, not seen by the public for many years, will also be added to the Channel’s far reaching content.  The Hammer Films Channel will continually expand its range of programming as it becomes available, with the full schedule to be published and regularly updated at www.hammerfilms.com 

Simon Oakes, President and CEO of Hammer said, “The launch of our dedicated YouTube channel truly encapsulates how we have positioned Hammer as a dynamic British genre label with a great heritage.  We hope this new platform will allow us to continue to reach fans who have responded so well to films like Let Me In and The Woman in Black, while continuing to honour the great filmmaking history of our company."

Watch this brilliant video from the channel called History Hammer Films In 90 Seconds!

Frightfest 2012: Watch Teaser For UK Neo Giallo Yellow

There's seems to be a resurgence within Horror fans for all things Giallo probably thanks to the Frightfest team especially here in UK introducing classic as well as fresh new films to the British horror fans. Ironic been Frightfest As Ryan Haysom's Neo Giallo Yellow is about to make its debut at this years Film4 Frightfest 13th.

True Indie films is where things move and Yellow should go down a storm with frightfesters and Horror fans alike, for now check out this new teaser trailer.


YELLOW teaser trailer #1 from Ryan Haysom on Vimeo.
source:Twitch

Frightfest 2012:Grabbers Review

★★★1/2☆ Jon Wright's Irish set horror, Grabbers, feels like a welcome return to the days of the 1980s creature features laced with comedy. So far, it is also the most entertaining horror film of this years' Edinburgh International Film Festival. After several dead whales wash up on the shores of Erin Island, Garda Officers Ciarán O'Shea (Richard Coyle) and Lisa Nolan (Ruth Bradley) are set on the case. They soon discover the presence of blood-sucking, tentacled aliens  on the island, promptly named "grabbers". However, it soon becomes clear that these creatures have an aversion to alcohol - so let the drinking ensue! Part of the joy of Grabbers, is that it never takes itself too seriously, balancing both comedic and horror elements single handedly. It replicates the effortless whimsical charm of timeless monster features like Gremlins, Tremors and Critters - ensuring this is a fun watch from start to finish. Even the basic premise of Grabbers gives you an insight into the cheeky nature of the film - who doesn't want to see a town of drunks battle against aliens? Grabbers may be fun, but it does not skimp on the darker horror elements. There are plenty of unexpected jumps and scares spread throughout - something that many other of Festival's horror films have been lacking. Wright's uses the eerily isolated Irish coastline for numerous creepy set pieces, from an attack on the beach to a country house invasion. There are also a variety of sweeping aerial shots capturing the picturesque qualities of the Irish setting. Many a horror film has been let down by the eventual unveiling of its antagonist. Sometimes not seeing the source of the terror is far scarier than what is actually presented. However, the creature effects team behind the monsters in Grabbers, ensure that this is not the case. These are convincing, nasty looking monsters that are just as sinister on screen as they are when out of shot. Grabbers also boasts a strong cast of excellent British character actors in well-written and engaging roles. Richard Coyle, who excelled in this year's Pusher remake, brings a truly endearing performance to Grabbers, whilst also proving to be equally talented whilst handling more comedic elements. The relationship between his slack, heavy drinking Garda officer and Ruth Bradley's straight-laced, young recruit, provides some welcome laughs. Bradley shows a wonderful sense of comic talent in Lisa Nolan's transformation from loveable prude to an even more loveable drunk - she is completely terrific throughout. Russell Tovey pops up for a smaller supporting role which provides a few laughs, but as good an actor as he is, the role is more annoying than entertaining. A hilarious supporting cast continue Grabbers' charm offensive from Pascal Scott's turn as the town's cheeky GP to David Pearse and the excellent Bronagh Gallagher as the quaint local pub landlords. Grabbers is a thoroughly enjoyable return to classic creature feature horror/comedy. Atmospheric direction, a perfectly comic screenplay and charming performances help Grabbers stand out from the rest of the festival's horror pictures. It is great fun.

Andrew McArthur

Stars: Richard Coyle, Ruth Bradley, Russell Tovey Director: Jon Wright Release: 23rd August 2012 (Frightfest)

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B-Horror Fun In Dragon Wasps - Attack! In New Clip

The Kings of Trashy B-Horror fun Chelsea Films have have sent us another clip from there latest Monstrous upcoming release Dragon Wasps to whet your appetite! The last time we met these beasties we where discovering them now this time  this is complete balls-out carnage where we learn of the wasps' surprise method of attack - FIRE!

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…

update 24 August - Apologies The above clip has now been re-uploaded

Love Exposure Blu-ray Review

If you're like been a fan of Japanese pop culture it's been a journey of many great times but also a journey of many stressful when those who don't understand the finer  details attack unselfishly. If we where to choose a sole representative to let the world know the reasons why we love this culture, Sion Sono could be an ideal spokesman with his film Love Exposure may do the trick to convince the non believers.

In a style of a cooking Tv programme get a big bowl throw in plenty of kick-ass martial arts action, a tablespoon of Humour, scratching of religious cults, a slice of sexual perversions, boy meets girl, a litre of porn barons, family relationships. Give it a good mix before adding Sono's tender mix of voyeurism and don't forget to add upskirt panty shots, give it 4 hours in your DVD or Blu-Rayer result a film that has a lot to offer.

Yu (Takahiro Nishijima) has always been a well-behaved kid probably due to his devout Christian upbringing but when his mother dies torment prevails. Because of Yu's upbringing, it forces him to confess his sins on a daily basis however he is a normal kid and has no legitimate sins to confess. Determined to become a true sinner and appease his demanding priest father who's just been seduced by a woman whose broken his heart. Yu finds the ultimate sin, Porn trains to become a sneak upskirt photographer which gets the attention from his father he's been seeking. After loosing a bet with his sinner pals Yu is forced to dress as a girl (Sasori) and its this time he meets a beautiful girl Yoko (Hikari Mitsushima). Their first time together was glorious ending the night with a kiss, all-out street brawl but that's not the end of it Yoko thinks Yu is a woman and both maybe been manipulated by a devious cult leader named Aya (Sakura Ando).

Going back to that famous saying from Alfred Hitchcock by judging a film by the strength of your bladder, Love Exposure maybe touching 4 hours running time which may not agree with some bladders. However we have an advantage the great film maestro didn't have, DVD/Blu-Ray players. That epic running time may be a putt off for many people however with your remote control you can play this film in parts, pause but with Love Exposure it provides an entertainment value that you will only pause to refill your glass (or empty your bladder) as it'll keep your grip on your tv screen.

When I chat to fellow cinephiles and when Sono's name is introduced to the mix if it's not Suicide Club for many fans the stepping stone into his world is Love Exposure. Ironically myself it was Coldfish then Suicide Club been my route into the deranged mind of our cordial Japanese host.

Love Exposure is that satirical homage to those non-believers who call Asian/Japanese as perverted and satanic (2 things I was labelled by a friend of our family when I was 15!). It mocks those who ridicule the culture but also mocks how sexually repressed the Japanese are too.It's ridiculous to think this is the same nation who privately liberated  sexually, have machines on streets that provide everything from  your favourite soft drink  too worn School uniforms. Sono really taps into the dark underlinings of his nations obsession with eroticism, but he approaches the topics in an astute but humorous kind of way.

What we mustn't forget here Love Exposure is a teen romance/coming of age story also, which really highlights when it comes to falling in love, love does work in mysterious ways or in Son's film absurd ways. Life isn't simple but with love comes hurt too. This is no Mills & Boon story there are no saints but those we label sinners really are saints who have lost direction to be the saints, we need direction and religion is one way to find the right direction. Living in a country  where religion has brought chaos and order (Scotland), I've seen the good and ugly side which gets a little upsetting when a person cant practice a faith without prejudice. Someone can be a devout follower of a faith but following a religion where God is treated more like a rockstar is quite funny but also unsettling reminds me of Dogma and the Jesus statue in shades  pointing at you. When your soul and mind are damaged you can fall prey to who use religion for other means making you opened to easy persuasion.

Those stories you hear about Sono been the master Nihilist, king of voyeurs Love Exposure is a perfect example of why he's worthy of those titles. Sono presents Love Exposure like one of those old naughty peepshows, undefined, seductively addictive, engaging, absurdly humorous but passionately gratifying. How many films these days can tick all the boxes for film satisfaction? Not many but Love Exposure can and it's why it's worthy of being called an essential piece of contemporary Japanese Cinema.

Paul Devine | ★★★★1/2

action, comedy | Japan, 2009 | 18 | 6th August 2012 (UK) | Third Window Films |
Dir:Shion Sono,Takahiro Nishijima,Hikari Mitsushima,Sakura Andô

The Fields DVD Review

★★★☆☆

The Fields is one of very few horrors to successfully put a child in the lead character position and pull it off. Part of this comes down to B.Harrison Smith’s script, but for the most part it’s down to Joshua Ormond’s muted performance as Steven, a kid who, rather than being mouthy, irritating, cocky, inhumanly lucky etc, is more acceptable as a guide due to his shy innocence and fallibility. Through his eyes we explore a Pennsylvania farm in 1973: a rustic and sometimes cruel looking place where hippies wash up on the roads on their travels from California, and little out of the ordinary seems to go on.

The story follows Steven as he goes to live with his grandparents after he witnesses his troubled father(Faust Checho) pull a gun on his alcoholic mother (Tara Reid). On the way to his grandparent’s Steven hears about Charles Manson’s possible parole and begins to worry the madman could come after him next. When he arrives his grandparents (Cloris Leachman and Bev Appleton) warn him above all to stay out of the corn fields, but over time, his curiosity gets the better of him and he delves into a world full of monsters and shadows.

You never really know what is happening for real when there’s so much going on to set off Steven’s young and imaginative mind: his mother explains what parole is after he hears about Manson’s crimes, his grandparent’s sinister jokes seem to stick with him, his father pulls a gun on his mother in front of him, and Pennsylvania circa 1973 looks like a breeding ground for nightmares. Thankfully, the tensions successfully grow and grow until they break the wall between Steven and his family, becoming louder, more public, and way more unsettling by the finale.

The Fields also gets brownie points for impressive cinematography that helps to make Steven’s world all the more involving. When everything seems to be going well the skies are blue and the corn is lush and beautiful, giving the boy the escape he needs. Small moments of happiness are then overshadowed by ominoussigns and the world goes all grey sinister skies and scraggly decrepit fields. It’s a basic device but an effective one.

The climax of the film abandons subtlety and all-out assaults the audience in a taught and nerve-wracking sequence which has all the cast on top performance, especially Leachman, Appleton, and Ormand. The Fields plays out like a less bizarre version of Terry Gilliam’s Tideland, using the innocent eyes of the child to present a drama which is more unsettling due to narrative angle than genuinely horrific. It’s a brilliant idea realised by a pretty solid cast and some really sinister imagery, but lack of action and some short comings in emotional punch may leave some viewers yawning.

Scott Clark

Rating:15
UK Dvd/BD Release Date: 27th August 2012
Directed By:Tom Mattera, David Mazzoni
Cast: Cloris Leachman, Tara Reid, Joshua Ormond, Tom McCarthy

Watch The Children's Dark Fantasy Short Lost For Words

The world can be a magical place to a child but it's also be a dangerous one which was a theme that kids fantasy films used to play however things ave changed. Every seems to be a little dull too squeeky clean, over stylised predictable however Canadian filmmaker Sean Wainsteim  remembers when we embraced the dark elements in his superb 10 minute short Lost For Words, a short film love-letter to the libraries I grew up in and the stories and illustrations that found me there. An unusual girl leads a naive lost little boy through an eerie fairy-tale land filled with fantastic creatures and powerful words.

enjoy....

Lost For Words from Sean Wainsteim on Vimeo.

source: Twitch

Frightfest 2012:The Inside which has its World Premiere at FRIGHTFEST

You’ve seen him as Sir Gwaine in the BBC’s TV series Merlin, now Eoin Macken steps behind the camera to direct The Inside, featuring Czech starlet Tereza Srbova (Sirens, Eastern Promises) alongside the cream of Irish acting talent that includes Emmett J. Scanlan (fan favourite Brendan Brady in Hollyoaks, Charlie Casanova), Sean Stewart (Occi, Coward), Natalia Kostrzewa (The Clinic) & Brian Fortune (Game of Thrones).  The WORLD PREMIERE takes place at the 13th Frightfest, Empire Cinema, Leicester Square on the Discovery Screen, Sunday 26^th August 12.45PM (Also screening on Monday 27^th 6.30PM).

Eoin Macken, Emmett J. Scanlan, Tereza Srbova & Brian Fortune will all be in attendance.

While in a pawnshop a young man comes into possession of a second hand video camera; discovering a tape still inside he plays back the footage and witnesses a horrific series of events involving a group of teens in an undisclosed location. Using the footage as a guide he retraces the steps to where the events seemingly occurred. Deciding to investigate he discovers to his horror not only the truth of the events on the tape but comes face to face with a supernatural terror from which he may not escape....

The Inside is a hard, violent, visceral psychological horror, which gets into your belly, and leaves an unnerving disturbed feeling after watching it.  Shot mostly in alarming 1st person perspective this evocatively realistic story of five girls breaking into an abandoned warehouse for excitement -  then finding themselves subject to a terrifying human attack before succumbing to a supernatural terror -  will leave you shaking with fear!  The film shows the worst side of humanity and contrasts it with the horror of the supernatural, which has no compunction between good and evil.  But what is worse - the fear of the unknown, or the known fear of man?  Shot and directed by Eoin C Macken, with additional cinematography by David Laird, and also featuring Eoin Macken, with sound by Greg French of Irish band The Brilliant Things and a chilling score from Kevin Whyms of Whymsonics, The Inside will re-invigorate the Irish horror genre.

For further details see:

Website http://www.theinsidemovie.co.uk (Coming soon)

Like on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TheInsideMovie

Follow on Twitter http://www.twitter.co.uk/TheInsideMovie

Monster Pictures will release The Inside on DVD in the UK, Eire & Australia in early 2013, this is  typical Frightfest film and the Frightfesters will love it.

Shadow Dancer Review

★★1/2☆☆

BBC Films latest production, Shadow Dancer has already met positive receptions at both this year's Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals. Now it is the turn of The Edinburgh International Film Festival to take on this slow-burning British thriller.

James Marsh (Man On Wire, Project Nim) directs Shadow Dancer, an adaptation of ITV Political Editor, Tom Bradby's novel of the same name. After a failed railway bombing, IRA member Colette McVeigh (Andrea Riseborough), is detained by MI5. In order to avoid a length prison sentence, McVeigh is left with no other choice but to act as an informant for the British authorities.

Shadow Dancer requires a lot of patience, this is a particularly slow and brooding, cat and mouse thriller. Marsh's films opens with a completely startling and heartbreaking, 1970s set opening sequence that completely encapsulates the Irish troubles of the time. We are quick to learn that this may be the story of one individual family, but Bradby's haunting story also represents a whole country going through turmoil.

When Shadow Dancer transfers to the 1990s, we see that these troubles are still highly prevalent. This is captured in a tense sequence where McVeigh attempts to detonate a bomb in a British railway station. The pace of the film completely slows after this, building up a brooding sense of unease and tension - a fitting representation of British and Irish relations of the time. Due to this lessened pace, it is quite a struggle to stay engaged with Marsh's film for its' first hour. However, the third act sees the story begin to unravel, as tensions reach boiling point - completely shaking the lives of McVeigh and her family.

At its heart, there is a profound story of family loyalty and dedication running through Shadow Dancer. The quiet resilience of the McVeigh family as they try and make the best out a dark situation is endearing. This is perfectly captured in Andrea Riseborough's stunning lead performance. The actress who thoroughly impressed in W.E. and Brighton Rock, proves to one of Britain's finest young talents with her powerful turn as Colette McVeigh.

Unfortunately, one of the most interesting aspects of Shadow Dancer - the relationship between McVeigh and MI5 agent, Mac (Clive Owen) is completely underutilised. The occasional meetings between the two characters are sporadic, yet prove to be some of the most tense aspects of the film. This is a role that Clive Owen could play in his sleep, giving a solid performance, despite it being a slightly predictable role. Strong supporting turns from Gillian Anderson and Aidan Gillen, add some moments of interest but prove equally underused.
While James Marsh's Shadow Dancer is excellent at building brooding atmosphere and capturing the tension of the time, it proves to be too slow paced to be classed as enjoyable. Andrea Riseborough's performance is the strongest element of the film and ultimately its saving grace.

Andrew McArthur

Rating:15  
Release:  24th August (UK)  
Stars: Andrea Riseborough, Clive Owen, Aidan Gillen,  Gillian Anderson  
Director: James Marsh