Film Feature: “Killer of Sheep” Charles Burnett’s American Independent Masterpiece

killer-sheep“Killer of Sheep”, Charles Burnett’s 1977 debut feature and landmark American independent masterpiece, will run at Film Forum from Friday, April 18 to Thursday, April 24, in a new 4K restoration.

Stan, employed at a slaughterhouse in the neighborhood of Watts, Los Angeles, is suffering from the emotional side effects of his bloody occupation to such a degree that his entire life unhinges. He seeks out tenderness in the face of unending struggle. Focusing on everyday life in Black communities with ingenuity, heart, and meticulous detail–a manner that had rarely been seen in American cinema–Burnett (acting as director, writer, producer, cinematographer, and editor) combines lyrical elements with a starkly neorealist, documentary-like approach that unfolds with kaleidoscopic intimacy.

On a budget of less than $10,000, Burnett shot KILLER OF SHEEP in roughly a year of weekends, filmed on location with a mostly amateur cast, a gritty documentary-style cinematography and much handheld camera work. The film’s soundtrack, which Burnett envisioned as an aural history of African-American popular music, includes songs by Etta James, Paul Robeson, Little Walter, and Earth, Wind & Fire. The new 4K restoration, which has improved picture and sound, marks the first theatrical release with the Dinah Washington song “Unforgettable” recovered in the ending, as was found in Burnett’s original release of the film, since being replaced in 2007 due to copyright issues.

Largely overlooked for decades following its 1977 release, KILLER OF SHEEP is now celebrated as a pivotal work of the LA Rebellion movement and hailed as a masterpiece that brought Black American lives to the screen with an unparalleled, poignant compassion.

“I come from a working-class environment and I wanted to express what the realities were. People were trying to get jobs, and once they found jobs they were fully concerned with keeping them. And they were confronted with other problems, with serious problems at home for example, which made things much more difficult… “[The] real problems lie within the family, trying to make that work and be a human being. You don’t necessarily win battles; you survive.” – Charles Burnett

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Fantagraphics to Publish Witchcraft by Sole Otero

Witchcraft-Sole-OteroFantagraphics has announced to publishing the newest book by Sole Otero, a “rising star of international comics” (Publishers Weekly Starred Review), on October 7th, 2025.

“Told as a fractured narrative and following a sisterhood of witches from the 1700s to the present, Witchcraft is a mesmerizing mystery to piece together.”

“Sole Otero’s English debut, Mothballs, was a quietly powerful graphic novel that asserted herself onto the international comics scene,” said editor Conrad Groth. “But now her newest work, Witchcraft, reveals the lofty heights of her creativity, talent, and literary ambition. It’s rich in ideas and meaning, effortlessly jumps in tone from introspective to eerie to hilariously raunchy, and showcases a stunning range of art and storytelling styles. Simply put, a powerhouse of a book that playfully pushes the comics medium forward. I am ecstatic that Sole’s books have a home at Fantagraphics.”

Sole Otero commented: “The release of Mothballs in English has been very significant for me since I’ve been reading American comics since I was a teenager. From far away I’ve dreamt about this unreachable world of graphic novels and authors and I am of course very happy to become a part of it. Witchcraft is an exercise of writing a mysterious dreamy story that gathers lots of my interests and shapes them as a horror fiction. For me it was supposed to be the challenge of building a universe where not everything needed an explanation but everything spoke about my surroundings and my country.”

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Saga Co-Creator Brian K. Vaughan Teams With Artist Niko Henrichon For “Spectators”

spectatorsNew York Times bestselling, award winning creative team Brian K. Vaughan (Saga, We Stand on Guard, Paper Girls) and Niko Henrichon (Pride of Baghdad) are back with a provocative, hard hitting new graphic novel titled, Spectators. First serialized in Vaughan’s Substack newsletter, this jaw-dropping, lavishly hand-painted epic will be collected in its entirety at last and available in a stunning hardcover edition this September.

Spectators sees Vaughan and Henrichon together again—for the first time in nearly two decades since their award winning, contemporary classic Pride of Baghdad took the industry by storm—this time for their most ambitious project yet.

Now, Spectators promises to put the “graphic” back in graphic novel and will feature an unconventional supernatural romance, a critical exploration of sex and violence, and a deep dive into the very different ways we obsessively watch both.

Set hundreds of years in the future, New York City is haunted by many ghosts, including a voyeuristic woman who died in our present day and a mysterious gun-toting man from the distant past. Normally solo travelers, these two specters meet each other just in time to observe what might be the end of the (living) world.
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Official Trailer for “Devil May Cry”

devil-may-cry“Devil May Cry” now has an official trailer, and its action-packed and it features an amazing great soundtrack.

The upcoming series is based on the video game series of the same name, created by Hideki Kamiya and developed by Capcom.

The synopsis says: “When a mysterious villain threatens to open the gates of Hell, a devilishly handsome demon hunter could be the world’s best hope for salvation.”

“Devil May Cry” is scheduled to be released on April 3, 2025 on Netflix.

Watch the official trailer for Devil May Cry below:

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“Relative Control” Starring Teri Polo Sets Digital Release

relative-controlGravitas Ventures is set to release “Relative Control” on digital platforms on April 11, 2025.

The film won the Blue Hen Award for Best Regional Narrative at the 2024 Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival and also screened at the 2025 Sedona International Film Festival.

The film stars Teri Polo (Meet the Parents trilogy, the Fosters, Good Trouble, The Big Leap) who shines as a middle-aged, type-A attorney whose perfectly ordered life spirals hilariously out of control. The film also stars Patrick F. McDade (Mare of Easttown, Concrete Cowboy, Paterno), and Brian Anthony Wilson (Limitless, Law Abiding Citizen, The Wire).

In the upcoming comedy drama, a middle-aged, type-A attorney’s life spirals as she juggles her handful of an ex-cop father, forgetful mother, unemployed son, a reignited romance, and a hostile takeover in the biggest corporate control battle of her career.

“Relative Control” captures the humor, heartbreak, and chaos of balancing family caregiving and career with poignant authenticity. With over 30 million family caregivers in the U.S., “Relative Control” offers a relatable and timely story for multigenerational audiences.

Watch the trailer below for “Relative Control”

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Greg Rucka and Michael Lark Return For Lazarus: Fallen

lazarus-fallenGreg Rucka (The Old Guard) and Michael Lark, the Eisner Award-winning creative team behind New York Times bestselling sci-fi series, Lazarus, are returning to their neo-feudalist world with the final installment, Lazarus: Fallen. For the new series, Rucka and Lark are joined by Lazarus colorist Santi Arcas, letterer Ariana Maher, editor Alejandro Arbona, and graphic designers Eric Trautmann and Richard Howe on the creative team. In Lazarus: Fallen, which launches this June, warrior Forever Carlyle is finally free from the control of the power-hungry Carlyle Family that wielded her like a weapon, and this time Forever Carlyle means to burn down the world of the Families…even her own.

The Lazarus series follows Forever Carlyle, an unkillable, genetically-engineered soldier, controlled by the mechanisms of her father, Malcolm Carlyle. Malcolm is the patriarch of one of the powerful Families that rose to rule the world after an economic-driven apocalypse. The Families now own everything and everyone; in this neo-feudalist order, you are either of value to the Families and made a Serf, or you are irrelevant, disposable labor, called Waste.

But the Families are driven by greed, and in their unending pursuit of more and more, each created a Lazarus—a man or woman created and trained to be the loyal instrument of their Family’s will. Forever Carlyle is the Lazarus of the Carlyle Family, raised to absolutely believe in her duty to her family, and with an unquestioning loyalty to her father. That time is over, and now Forever—with the aid of her younger sister and next iteration of the Carlyle Lazarus, Infinity—means to destroy the world her father created.

“Michael and I started Lazarus back in 2013, and while we knew we were telling a story that was a distorted reflection of our world, I don’t think either of us imagined how less distorted that vision would become,” said Rucka. “But for all the talk about the world-building, about the vision of the future—or arguably, prescience of the present—Lazarus has remained, at its heart, about Forever’s journey. We’re finally getting to the resolution of it—the ending that we’ve been working on from the start. There’s so much I’m excited about sharing with this final run. There are things that I think will surprise some readers—some twists that they, perhaps, didn’t see coming. I know that it’s been a long wait for these final issues, and I’m grateful for the patience our audience has shown. We’ve got the most amazing fans, and that is both humbling and gratifying.”
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The Wedding Banquet – Official Trailer

the-wedding-banquetBleecker Street and ShivHans Pictures has released the trailer for the upcoming comedy “The Wedding Banquet”, a modern day remake of the 1993 Ang Lee movie of the same name.

Starring Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Chan and Han Gi-Chan, the film premiered earlier this year at Sundance.

Frustrated with his commitment-phobic boyfriend Chris and running out of time, Min makes a proposal: a green-card marriage with their friend Angela in exchange for her partner Lee’s expensive IVF. Elopement plans are upended, however, when Min’s grandmother surprises them with an extravagant Korean wedding banquet.

Directed by Andrew Ahn, The Weddign Banquet also stars Joan Chen, Youn Yuh-jung, Nick Preston, Carolyn Yonge, Marlee Walchuk, Emma Yi

The Wedding Banquet is set to be released in theaters on April 18.

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blink-182 And Hozier To Headline Sea.Hear.Now 2025

seahearnowfestival2025Sea.Hear.Now will bring headliners blink-182 and Hozier to the beaches of Asbury Park, NJ on September 13-14, 2025. Lenny Kravitz, LCD Soundsystem, Alabama Shakes, Sublime, ZZ Top, Public Enemy, Remi Wolf, TV On The Radio, Phantogram, 4 Non Blondes and many more will perform at the world-class 2-Day festival that takes place at the iconic North Beach and Bradley Park in Asbury Park, NJ.

Sea.Hear.Now celebrates music, surf, and art with over 25 artists, three stages, a professional surf contest and art installations throughout the weekend. For the full lineup and by-day performances visit www.seahearnowfestival.com.

Between the two main stages fans can watch some of the biggest east coast surf legends catch waves between the jetties. This year’s surf contest returns with the ocean calling the winner; the “North Beach Sessions” pro surfer who catches the “wave of the day” will take home the prize purse. The 2025 esteemed surf lineup includes: Landon McNamara, winner of the 2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, alongside east coast surfers Cam Richards, Balaram Stack, Sam Hammer, Rob Kelly, Cassidy McClain, Pat Schmidt, Mike Gleason, Tommy Ihnken, Logan Kamen, Jamie DeWitt, Cole Deveney, Audrey Iglay, Paul Francisco, and Mia Gallagher.
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G.I JOE’S COLD SLITHER Unleashes Their New Single “Cold Slither”

COLD-SLITHERIn an explosive return to the music scene, the iconic yet notorious band COLD SLITHER has released their first single “Cold Slither,” off their much-anticipated album. This project marks a groundbreaking fusion of real-world music and fictional narrative, bringing to life the villainous charm of the Cobra organization from the classic 1980s G.I. JOE series.

In a dynamic collaboration, Hasbro and Reigning Phoenix Music have teamed up to release “Cold Slither.” This partnership breathes new life into COLD SLITHER, a band once crafted as part of a nefarious plot and now reborn with a sound that mixes nostalgia with cutting-edge rock prowess. Helmed by the mysterious Zartan and his band of Dreadnoks—Torch, Ripper, and Buzzer—the single reintroduces their heavy metal ferocity combined with a sinister, anarchist energy that upends the conventional music scene.

“Bringing COLD SLITHER to life through our partnership with RPM has been an absolute dream come true! As a child watching this fictional band on my TV screen, I never imagined I’d one day help transform them from animated rockstars into a tangible, sonic reality. From the meticulously crafted figures you can hold in your hand to the face-melting album we’ve created, G.I. JOE fans worldwide are about to experience something truly revolutionary this summer. This project bridges nostalgia with innovation in ways that will leave the community speechless—prepare for a musical assault that would make Cobra Commander proud!” shares Ben”BMac” MacCrae — Associate Brand Manager, Global Brand Development & Marketing at Hasbro.

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“The Life of Chuck” Trailer: Tom Hiddleston In The Stephen King Adaptation

the-life-of-chuckNeon has released the first trailer for “The Life of Chuck”, starring Tom Hiddleston. The upcoming film is adapted from Stephen King’s 2020 novel.

Written and directed by Mike Flannagan, the film stars Tom Hiddleston as Charles “Chuck” Krantz, with a younger Chuck, played by Jacob Tremblay and Benjamin Pajak.

The synopsis says: A story told in reverse, starting with the end of Chuck Krantz’s life, and moving back in time to show how he lived that life.

Also in the film are Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, and Mark Hamill.

“The Life of Chuck” is set for release in theaters from Neon on June 6 followed by an expansion throughout the month.

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