Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 31st, 2015
"We're here."
I must start this review by admitting that I did not see 2008's The Haunting of Molly Hartley. In spite of the fact that very few people did actually see that film, I was surprised to find that a sequel would show up seven years later just in time for the Halloween private shock-fests and schlock nights. If you happen to be a fan of the original film, that doesn't mean you should get too excited by the sequel. There is little to tie these films together. Steven R. Monroe takes over the director's chair from Mickey Liddell. Sarah Lind now plays Molly, who was played by Haley Bennett in the first film. None of the original writers remain. While the title character remains, I suspect the thread that actually connects these two films wouldn't support the weight of a fruit fly. Therefore I intend to review this film on its own merits with no more reflections upon what once was back in the salad days of 2008.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Dan Holland on October 31st, 2015
The Horror Network Vol. 1 is an anthology of five short horror films, compiled by Douglas Conner and Brian Dorton. I absolutely love short films: I have created a few of my own, and I have been part of the selection committee for a short film festival. This anthology is fantastic in that it combines my love of short films and my love of the genre of horror. Although most films in this anthology could most certainly be cut for time (as is the case with most independent short films), they do a fantastic job capturing the elements of horror that make your hair stand on end.
The first installment of this anthology is a film called 3 a.m. Looking at the film as a whole, it is certainly a strong opening statement that will keep audiences engaged throughout the entire anthology. While some of the dialog spoken over phones is hard to hear, the rest of the film’s sound design is devoted to creating the horrific atmosphere. The film is essentially about a woman being stalked by an unknown entity. The horror in this film comes from the bloodcurdling howl that echoes across the countryside more than once, something that the main character hears and reacts to. While the source of this sound is never fully seen, the fear the sound evokes is memorable.
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on October 30th, 2015
RLJ Entertainment releases Some Kind Of Hate on November 3rd. Ronen Rubinstein plays a young man who has been bullied most of his life. When he's sent away to learn to control his anger he unwillingly awakens a sinister spirit who wants to share her bloody gift of revenge. I had the opportunity to talk to Ronen Rubinstein about both Some Kind Of Hate and his upcoming film Condemned. He's a young actor with plenty of enthusiasm. Bang it here to listen in on my chat with Ronen Rubinstein.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on October 30th, 2015
“She’s quite a common girl, very common indeed.”
Of course, we don’t need 50 years of hindsight — or more than 100 years, if you want to go all the way back to the original 1913 staging of George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion” — to know that there’s nothing common about cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle. And there's nothing ordinary about 1964's My Fair Lady, the beloved Oscar-winning musical that now gets an uncommonly (but appropriately) lavish 50th anniversary Blu-ray update courtesy of Paramount.
Posted in: Contests, Expired Contests by Gino Sassani on October 29th, 2015
This continues to be a crowded 31 Nights Of Terror contest year. Once again it’s thanks to the great folks at Arc Entertainment. This one is for the kids. Maybe not so scary, but a lot of fun. Arc Entertainment has given us a copy of their zany adventure Under Wraps. The animated feature is loaded with mummies, pharaohs, and other things that go bump in the night. It features the voice talents of Brooke Shields, Drake Bell, and Matthew Lillard. Who’s your Mummy? Upcomingdiscs and Arc Entertainment, that’s who.
To win just follow these instructions.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on October 29th, 2015
Un, deux, trois! Cohen Media Group has given us an engrossing triple dose of French director Benoit Jacquot. The films —The Disenchanted, A Single Girl, and Keep It Quiet — span a decade and coincide with the moment when the post-New Wave filmmaker started gaining international acclaim. Each of the titles makes its HD debut with this release, and they all offer an intriguing look at Parisian life. The movies also feature some enchanting performances from their leading ladies.
“I used to believe in all manner of enchantments.”
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 28th, 2015
"Dark forces are rising. The frequency of possession is increasing all over the world."
Must be Global Warming...check that ,Climate Change. It seems the whole warming thing wasn't exactly working out for these guys. So like a business with a bad reputation you change the name and pretend that's what it's been like all along. There is an alarming increase in the frequency of movie possessions all over the world. But it's not Global Warming or Climate Change that's to blame. Hell, it isn't even Bush's fault. It's got to do with the color green. Devil possession has been a popular horror sub-genre since The Exorcist took the world by storm in 1973. Filmmakers are chasing that success, and filmgoers are hoping to see something that special again. It's not going to happen. No film has ever come within miles of hitting us like The Exorcist did over 40 years ago. We all keep chasing that elusive high, but we'll never see its likes again. Now, that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun while we're looking.
Posted in: Contests, Tuesday Round Up by J C on October 27th, 2015
We’re nearing the end of “Horrorcane” season here at UpcomingDiscs, so what better time to exorcise some last-minute demons? Strap yourself — or a possessed loved one — to the nearest piece of furniture, and check out our forthcoming review on The Exorcism of Molly Hartley, courtesy of Fox. Wild Eye Releasing tunes into The Horror Network, Warner Bros. fetches the heroic canine tale Max, and Eagle Rock shows us how to enunciate with Lynyrd Skynyrd: Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd & Second Helping Live. And while we're on grammar lessons, a sparkling new 50th anniversary edition of My Fair Lady arrives this week, thanks to Paramount.
This week's Round Up is also your last chance to enter and potentially win October's DVD goody-to-be-named-later. Once a month we’re going to give away a free DVD title to a lucky winner who comments in our weekly Round-Up posts. All you have to do is comment in a Round-Up post — like this one! — and tell us which of these titles you’re most excited to watch or read about. The winners and their prizes will be announced the first week of every month right here in our Tuesday Round-Up post. You can’t win if you don’t comment.
Posted in: Contests, Expired Contests by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2015
31 Nights Of Terror means horror reviews and lots of free stuff for you guys. How about an unrated copy of Girls Gone Dead on DVD? When these gals do Spring Break it’s killer.
To win just follow these instructions.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on October 27th, 2015
Between Judgment Day, zombie apocalypses, and various other doomsday scenarios, we've gotten a pretty good look at what the end of the world is supposed to look like. One of the most striking things about Z for Zachariah — an otherwise straightforward and deliberate drama that takes its story from a 1974 novel of the same name by Robert C. O'Brien — is that, for the most part, the end of the world looks an awful lot like paradise.
In fact, the biggest visual clues that this is even a post-apocalyptic story occur within the first 10 minutes or so. That's when we're introduced to a slight, shapeless figure in a makeshift decontamination suit pushing a cart through a barren, abandoned town. We eventually find out her name is Ann Burden (Margot Robbie), and she is presumably the only survivor of an unspecified disaster that has wiped out most of civilization. Ann survives on her family's farmland, which is uniquely (and miraculously) located in a place that shields her from radiation. She also has plenty of fresh water at her disposal. One day, Ann is shocked to find another survivor in a radiation suit.
On The Web
Sponsors
