Category Archives: Arthouse

Mayling Ng (Suicide Squad, Scorpion) to play opposite UFC Champ Michael Bisping in The Journeyman

Posted on by

aiphotoimaging aiphotographicBritish-born Eurasian actor Mayling Ng (“Wonder Woman,” “The Scorpion King: Book of Souls”) will star opposite retired UFC Middleweight Champion and Hall of Famer Michael Bisping (“xXx: Return of Xander Cage,” “Den of Thieves”) in director Dax Phelan’s boxing film, “The Journeyman.”

Set in Nortwest England, the story is about Kenny “The Beast” Breen (Bisping), an alcoholic, drug-abusing, past-his-prime journeyman boxer who, after being diagnosed with neurological damage, continues his career on the small-hall circuit at grave risk to himself and lands a fight with his former rival who’s gone on to become a star in the division. Ng will play Alina, a woman struggling to start her life over after escaping an abusive relationship, who becomes romantically involved with the boxer.

The screenplay was co-written by Phelan and British author Mark Turley, based on Turley’s book, Journeymen: The Other Side of the Boxing Business, a New Perspective on the Noble Art. The book made the long list for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year in 2015.

“Mayling and I have been wanting to work together for years,” Phelan said. “So, when the opportunity to write a female character from Liverpool arose, Mark and I wrote the part especially for Mayling, who was born there, anxious to show off sides of her talent that audiences haven’t seen yet.”

“Dax and Mark have written a beautiful character who’s as vulnerable as she is strong,” Ng said, “and I can’t wait to explore her many facets with [Bisping] on screen.”
Continue reading →

Share

“The Get Together” Trailer Released

Posted on by

aiphotoimaging aiphotographicsVertical Entertainment has released the official trailer and poster for the coming-of-age comedy THE GET TOGETHER starring musician Alejandro Rose Garcia (aka Shakey Graves), Johanna Braddy (EASY A, QUANTICO), Comedy Central’s Courtney Parchman (@averagefashionblogger on Instagram and TikTok), GLEE’s Jacob Artist, Stephanie Hunt (frontwoman of band Buffalo Hunt), Ellar Coltrane (BOYHOOD) and is directed by Will Bakke. THE GET TOGETHER will be released On Demand on May 14, 2021.

The film focuses on the lives of four mid-twenty year-olds that intertwine over the course of one raging Friday night house party in Austin, TX. August (Courtney Parchman) is a quirky recent college grad struggling to find her footing. Damien (Jacob Artist) is in town from NYC with his girlfriend, Betsy (Johanna Braddy), and plans to propose. Caleb (Alejandro Rose Garcia/Shakey Graves) is a directionless musician whose life unravels after letting go of the love of his life. Each of them attempts to navigate the often difficult and hilarious problems that come with growing up in the modern world.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

The lives of four twenty-somethings intertwine over the course of one Friday night house party in this inventive and hilarious coming-of-age comedy. August, a quirky recent college grad struggling to find her footing in a new town discovers her roommate and only friend has different plans for the future that don’t include her. Damien and Betsy, a cute couple returning to Austin, bump into an old friend of Betsy’s who invites them out to the party upending Damien’s secret plan to propose. Caleb, a directionless musician whose life unravels after letting go of the love of his life suddenly gets a second chance when he runs into her at the party. Each character attempts to navigate the often difficult and hilarious problems that come with growing up in the modern world.

Share

“AMERICAN BADGER” Lands With Cranked Up For June Release

Posted on by

Cranked Up Films, Good Deed Entertainment’s genre label, has announced the acquisition of AMERICAN BADGER for a digital and video on demand release on June 15, 2021. Writer/Director Kirk Caouette is a well-respected stunt veteran with films like X-Men, Fantastic Four, Mission to Mars and “Superman & Lois.”

Caouette also stars as “Badger,” whose real name is Dean — but that’s the lamest name ever for a hitman. The nickname came from his wife, who died 4451 days ago. Since her passing, Badger has been living the life of a recluse, operating in the shadows, hardly speaking a word to anyone in years. But all that is about to change with his latest assignment. His job is to make friends with a sex worker named Velvet (Andrea Stefancikova, “Debris”) and extract information from her about the inner workings of an Albanian gang she works for. Soon, Badger realizes he is much more emotionally vulnerable than he thinks as his short relationship with Velvet takes a sharp turn into an unlikely romance.

Suddenly Badger’s Handler tells him that it is time to take down the syndicate — and the first person he must kill is Velvet. But will he be able to do it? The ensuing carnage may not shock anyone who’s familiar with Badger, but the freedom and confidence he ultimately gives Velvet was something that nobody saw coming.

“I was very inspired by the early works of legendary Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai; the way he blended slow burning film noir with explosive action pieces,” stated Caouette. “With this in mind, I set out to create a film that would delve into that space but would also satisfy the appetite of a modern audience that has been gobbling up comic book movies and John Wick films.”

Continue reading →

Share

“Cliff Walkers” U.S. Release Date Announced

Posted on by

CMC Pictures has announced that “Cliff Walkers” is set to be released on April 30, 2021 in the US.

This will bring director Zhang Yimou’s (RAISE THE RED LANTERN, THE GREAT WALL, SHADOW) historical spy thriller CLIFF WALKERS to theaters across North America and internationally on April 30, 2021. Marking the acclaimed director’s first foray into the spy genre, CLIFF WALKERS follows four Chinese special agents who embark on a secret mission in the 1930s puppet state of Manchukuo. After being sold out by a traitor, the team find themselves surrounded by threats on all sides. CLIFF WALKERS stars Zhang Yi (OPERATION RED SEA), Yu Hewei (I AM NOT MADAME BOVARY), Qin Hailu (THE PLUTO MOMENT) and Zhu Yawen (THE CAPTAIN, THE WITNESS).

Featuring Zhang Yi, Yu Hewei, Qin Hailu, Zhu Yawen, the film was written by Quan Yongxian.

Here is the film’s official synopsis:
Based on the script by Quan Yongxian, CLIFF WALKERS is director Zhang Yimou’s first foray into the spy genre. Set the puppet state of Manchukuo in the 1930s, the film follows four Communist party special agents who return to China after receiving training in the Soviet Union. Together, they embark on a secret mission code-named “Utrennya.” After being sold out by a traitor, the team find themselves surrounded by threats on all sides from the moment they parachute into the mission. Will the agents break the impasse and complete their mission? On the snowy grounds of Manchukuo, the team will be tested to their limit.

Share

Quarantined Illustrated Series, The Little Broomstick Rider

Posted on by

ai photo studioCreated by Matteo Bernardini, the illustrated short series is set to have its world premiere at 2021 Slamdance Film Festival.

When a nine-year-old boy in 1620s Bavaria goes on trial for witchcraft, a flabbergasted court must decide the child’s fate.

Based on Ludwig Bechstein’s The Little Pitchfork Rider, THE LITTLE BROOMSTICK RIDER was born out of the objective creative impediment filmmaker Matteo Bernardini had to face during the lockdown generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Being aware he could not rely on casts and crews as he was used to and being confined to his own house, Bernardini decided to let his illustrations do all the acting and his hands do the rest of the work: the final result is a unique product, more of an “illustrations-coming-to-life experience” than a traditional animated series.

Armed exclusively with paper, pens, scissors and glue, Bernardini has brought his personal interpretation of 17th century Germany to life. Half fairy-tale, half-perhaps-a-bit-too-historically-accurate (and spiced with a hint of macabre humour), Bernardini’s maverick series takes DIY to the next level.

THE LITTLE BROOMSTICK RIDER will have its world premiere in the Episodes section at the 2021 Slamdance Film Festival.
Episode 1: The trial for witchcraft begins and the identity of the defendant is revealed.
Episode 2 : The court gets very peculiar information and perspective about the Satanic Arts.
Episode 3: The existence of a Dark Lord is discovered.
Episode 4: Vision of a Witches’ Sabbath.
Episode 5: Further evidence about the Dark Arts is provided, including singing demons and a great lemon cake.
Episode 6: Little Linhard learns about the court’s verdict: he will burn at the stake. Or so they think.

Share

Holocaust-Era Academy Awards Selection DARA OF JASENOVAC, Official Trailer Released

Posted on by

101 Studios has released the official trailer and poster for Serbia’s official Academy Awards selection for Best International Feature, DARA OF JASENOVAC, along with a featurette that takes a behind-the-scenes look at this first-ever feature film about theviolent Holocaust-era concentration camp complex Jasenovac. Directed and produced by Predrag Peter Antonijevic, DARA OF JASENOVAC personalizes this part of history that has been mainly concealed from the public, through the eyes of a young girl named Dara. To this day, there is still controversy surrounding on how many lives were actually taken at Jasenovac.

Set in 1940s Croatia, DARA OF JASENOVAC follows 10-year-old Dara (Biljana Cekic) as she comes face-to-face with the horrors of the Holocaust-era after she, her mother and siblings are sent to the concentration camp complex known as Jasenovac. Considered one of the most overlooked parts of history, Jasenovac is not run by the Germans but by the fascist Ustase who brutally murdered Jews, Serb and Roma people, which included many women and children.

As unspeakable atrocities start to unfold, Dara must summon tremendous courage to protect her infant brother from a terrible fate while she safeguards her own survival and plots a precarious path toward freedom.

DARA OF JASENOVAC opens in select theaters on February 5, 2021.

Here is the film’s synopsis
In 1940s Croatia, 10-year-old Dara (Biljana Cekic) comes face-to-face with the horrors of the Holocaust-era after she is sent with her mother and siblings to the concentration camp complex known as Jasenovac. Overseen by vicious emissaries of the fascist Ustase government, the facility, the only operational death camp during World War II not created or run by the Germans, is tasked with murdering Serbs, Jews and Roma people-and re-educating the few children deemed worthy of rehabilitation. As unspeakable atrocities unfold all around her, young Dara must summon tremendous courage to protect her infant brother from a terrible fate, to safeguard her own survival and to plot a precarious path toward freedom.

Share

“A Writer’s Odyssey” Official Trailer and Poster Released

Posted on by

aiphotostudioCMC Pictures has released the official English trailer and poster for fantasy action film A WRITER’S ODYSSEY.

A Writer’s Odyssey tells the story of Kongwen Lu (Dong Zijian, ASH IS PUREST WHITE), the author of a fantasy novel series following a heroic teenager on a quest to end a demon’s tyrannical rule. Through a strange twist of fate, the fantasy world of the novel begins to impact life in the real world, leading Guan Ning (Lei Jiayin, THE LONGEST DAY IN CHANG’AN, BROTHERHOOD OF BLADES), to accept a mission to kill the author. A Writer’s Odyssey is directed by Lu Yang (BROTHERHOOD OF BLADES) and also stars Yang Mi, Yu Hewei, Guo Jingfei and Tong Liya.

A Writer’s Odyssey will be released in theaters on February 12, 2021.

SYNOPSIS
A WRITER’S ODYSSEY tells the story of Kongwen Lu (Dong Zijian), the author of a fantasy novel series following a heroic teenager, also named Kongwen, on a quest to end the tyrannical rule of Lord Redmane, under the guidance of a Black Armor (Guo Jingfei). But through a strange twist of fate, the fantasy world of the novel begins to impact life in the real world, leading Guan Ning (Lei Jiayin) to accept a mission from Tu Ling (Yang Mi) to kill the author.

Share

Film Feature: Silence & Darkness

Posted on by

aiphotostudioAfter the death of their mother, blind and deaf sisters Anna and Beth live happily in a secluded small town with Father. However, when a neighbor stops by, Anna and Beth begin to question Father’s medical diagnoses and start to realize his intentions are more sinister than they could have imagined.

Shot in the haunting ephemeral landscapes of Vermont, and at times disturbing, Silence & Darkness carefully crafts a harrowing, and eerie portrait of two sisters forced to use every skill they have to uncover the truth about their family. Writer/director Barak Barkan’s feature debut takes the audience to an elliptical presence in Anna and Beth’s world, guiding our imaginations to follow them into peculiar, secret places.

“I sought to create tension between the viewer and the film, both through Anna and Beth’s interactions and Father’s backstory,” says writer/director Barak Barkan. “My goal is that while viewing the film, the audience will inhabit a constant state of curious unease—desperate to find out what led to the circumstances of this family’s life and what is going to happen next—while simultaneously fearful of the answer.”

Silence & Darkness is now available on VOD/Digital in the U.S. and Canada on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, as well as Direct TV, Dish Network, Vubiquity, and Deluxe Canada. Silence & Darkness is written and directed by Barak Barkan. Produced by Barkan, and Pablo Burn. Cinematography by Omar Nasr, edited by Colton Fordyce, and music by Bob Dylan.

Share

IFC Midnight’s New Film “The Vigil” Opens on Feb 26

Posted on by

aiphotoimaging aiphotostudioWritten and directed by Keith Thomas, The Vigil stars Dave Davis, Menashe Lustig and Lynn Cohen.

The supernatural horror film is set to open in select theaters, on digital platforms and VOD on February 26th.

Here’s the film’s synopsis

Steeped in ancient Jewish lore and demonology, THE VIGIL is supernatural horror film set over the course of a single evening in Brooklyn’s Hasidic Borough Park neighborhood. Low on funds and having recently left his insular religious community, Yakov (Dave Davis) reluctantly accepts an offer from his former rabbi and confidante (Menashe Lustig) to take on the responsibility of an overnight “shomer,” fulfilling the Jewish practice of watching over the body of a deceased community member. Shortly after arriving at the recently departed’s dilapidated house to sit the vigil, Yakov begins to realize that something is very, very wrong.

Share

Julia Ormand Stars in “Reunion”

Posted on by

aiphotoimaging aiphotostudioJulia Ormand (TV’s The Walking Dead: World Beyond, My Week With Marilyn), returns in the psychological thriller “Reunion”, from Dark Sky Films. See new trailer below.

The film is set for releasee in theaters, VOD and digital platforms on February 5th, 2021.

Written and directed by Jake Mahaffy (Free in Deed), the film also stars Emma Draper (Wellington Paranormal), Cohen Holloway (Thor: Ragnarok, What We Do In The Shadows), Ava Keane (Daffodils), Gina Laverty (Wellington Paranormal), John Bach (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Return of the King)

Here is the film’s official synopsis:

A pregnant woman returns to her recently deceased grandparents’ old family home to spend time with her estranged mother. What begins as a tenuous reunion slowly turns terrifying.

A psychological thriller that preys upon perception, REUNION sees veteran actress Julia Ormond (TV’s The Walking Dead: World Beyond, My Week With Marilyn) deliver a tour-de-force performance of threateningly quiet intensity and features a twisty narrative that will burrow itself into the darkest corners of your mind.

Share
Page 6 of 7
1 … 5 6 7