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British thespian Bill Nighy and “Gavin & Stacey” star Mathew Horne have joined the cast of genre-bending fantasy feature “Welcome to Paradise,” alongside WWE superstar Jordynne Grace making her screen debut.

Richard Summers-Calvert (“Drive Me to the End”) is writing and directing the indie, which is currently in post-production. The surreal fantasy film blends psychological drama, dark comedy and mythic surrealism, centering on a mysterious carnival where winning may mean survival and losing could trap visitors in an alternate reality forever.

Rising stars Georgina Bennett and Kirk Patterson topline the ensemble, which also includes Togo Igawa, Tracey Wilkinson (“Carnival Row”) and the late Simon Fisher-Becker. Nighy provides voice work for the project.

The story follows Lisa, who awakens on a mysterious beach with no memory. After meeting a creature who tells her she’s arrived at “The Carnival,” she discovers a vibrant venue populated by humans and magical beasts. There she meets Harvey,...

Exclusive: Fledgling international sales label Bloody Good Time Films has boarded psychological horror House of Abraham, starring Natasha Henstridge (Species, The Whole Nine Yards) as a woman who gets caught in the crosshairs of a cult.

It is among half a dozen titles on the inaugural slate of the UK-based company spearheaded by sales and acquisition exec Charlotte Saunter, which made its debut at the Cannes market this year.

The completed movie, for which Abramorama is handling North American theatrical distribution, is written by Lukas Hassel and directed by Lisa Belcher.

Henstridge stars as a woman looking for an end to her suffering, who checks into the House of Abraham, home to a mysterious cult that promises a way out. She soon discovers all is not what it seems and must plan an escape before it is too late.

Further cast members include Lin Shaye and Lukas Hassel (The Black Room, Slapface, The Art of the Dead).

The film isproduced by Lisa Belcher, Paul Merryman and Melissa Kirkendall and executive produced by Sid Ganis, Vance and Priscilla Hinton.

Former Banijay and MGM Studios staffer, Saunter launched Bloody Good Time Films with a focus on marketable genre fare with a focus on high-concept horror, elevated suspense, and boundary-pushing storytelling.

“Genre has always had the power to travel – and right now, horror is leading the charge. We’re excited to represent films that are visually striking, emotionally resonant, and built for a worldwide audience. Our focus is on stories that hit hard and stay with you,” said Saunter.

The initial slate includes completed titles, works in post-production, and select early-stage projects from emerging and established filmmakers.

These include Welcome To Paradise, directed by Richard Summers-Calvert and starring Bill Nighy, Mathew Horne, Togo Igawa and Simon Fisher-Becker. It follows a woman who finds herself in a strange, magical carnival with no memory of anything but her own name.

The company is also handling Follow The Dark starring James Cosmo, Arifin Putra and Hannah Al Rashid is about a grieving detective who stumbles upon a portal to a parallel universe, hoping to find answers about his son’s death — only to confront a darkness more terrifying than he imagined. Both are in post-production.

Other upcoming titles in post-production include Born In The Grave a completed Indonesian horror and The 13th Child directed by James Crow both with Worldwide rights available.

The long road to launch for Red Soul Games’ Post Trauma is almost at an end. After multiple delays, the mind-bending Survival Horror title will launch on March 31 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam. You can also check out a demo of the game during Steam Next Fest.

“It’s been a long road to get here, thank you for your patience with us! We cannot wait for all of you to experience the full game and hear your thoughts about our characters,” reads a statement from Red Soul Games. “We’ll be sharing a lot more information on the game in the coming weeks between now and launch, including pricing, but for now make sure to check out our demo and spread the word!”

In Post Trauma, players control Roman (voice acted by Togo Igawa), a tormented train conductor who awakes to find himself in a surreal...

The highly-anticipated John Wick spinoff, titled John Wick Presents: Ballerina, was initially slated for release this summer, but reshoots have led to a few delays. Ballerina is now set to arrive in summer 2025, and has fans eager to see Ana de Armas in the lead role. The actress recently opened up about the reason behind the reshoots and assured fans that a trailer would be released soon.

While at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to promote her new film, Eden, this week, Ana de Armas spoke with Collider about the movie. She emphasized the importance of the reshoots and explained how crucial they were in making Ballerina more reminiscent of the John Wick series. De Armas also showed full confidence in producer Chad Stahelski, who is known for his expertise in crafting the most intricate and incredible action sequences.

Every time they say you have reshoots, it's not good.

Ballerina starring Ana de Armas promises non-stop action and fight scenes delayed for more intense choreography. Norman Reedus praises Keanu Reeves for his physical dedication to the John Wick franchise, adding more fight scenes. Reedus hypes up Ballerina as a visually stunning, high-octane film, tighter choreography than The Walking Dead fights.

Fight scenes and action choreography are the very foundation of the John Wick franchise, and the upcoming spin-off, Ballerina (starring Ana de Armas) reportedly has them in abundance. The long-awaited movie has seen its release date delayed several times, with the most recent postponement allowing the team to shoot even more fight scenes for the movie. Alongside Ana de Armas as the titular Ballerina, the film also stars The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus in an unrevealed role. While details about Reedus' character are under wraps, the actor has revealed he has plenty of action in the film, and...

BBC World Service today (25 April) announces the launch of Fukushima, a new seven-part drama series exploring the 2011 nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan.

In March 2011, the largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan’s history triggered a tsunami which sent five to ten metre waves into coastal towns and cities, killing thousands.

Water barrelled over the seawall protecting the Fukushima nuclear power plant, flooding its basements and cutting power. It led to the world’s most severe nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

The stricken power plant became a ticking timebomb, a threat to life in Japan and beyond. As the energy company and politicians in Tokyo lost control, the reactors became unstable and a “suicide squad” of older workers was sent inside.

Akiko is a journalism student who, 10 years after the disaster, goes in search of the story behind the headlines, of how it unfolded and the consequences for the country.

Screen Rant is excited to present an exclusive clip from the upcoming Apple TV+ movie Tetris. Based on the true story of the intense legal battle to secure the rights to Tetris. Henk Rogers, an American video game salesman, discovers and falls in love with Tetris in 1988. This love inspires him to find a way to bring Tetris to the world, believing it to be a revolutionary game. However, this quest sets him on an unexpected path as he travels to the Soviet Union to meet the creator of Tetris.

Rogers' journey proves to be dangerous, filled with lies and corruption in the Soviet Union, especially as an American in the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War. Tetris premiered at the SXSW Film Festival on March 15. Tetris will be available on Apple TV+ on March 31.

Related: Tetris Movie Trailer: Taron Egerton Steals Video Game From Soviet Union...

Video game adaptations have a troubled history, from the downright bad (Assassin's Creed or Alone in the Dark) to the mostly tolerable (the wildly off-book but still somehow enjoyable Resident Evil franchise). This year, though, the format was taken to new heights with HBO's The Last of Us, which many proclaimed to be the first truly great video game adaptation. When first announced, Tetris seemed like it would fall on the spectrum somewhere between bad and tolerable. How were they going to turn the puzzle video game into compelling cinema? For the most part, they don't do exactly that. Tetris is a serviceable adaptation of the real-life battle for the rights to one of the most famous video games of all time, but for all its visual flair and 80s nostalgia, there's still something missing when all the pieces come together.

Tetris stars Taron Egerton as Henk Rogers, a Dutch...

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival announced its prizewinners Saturday morning, with “26.2 to Life,” directed by Christine Yoo, winning the audience choice award. The Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema went to “I Like Movies,” directed by Chandler Levack, while the international feature film award went to “A Man (Aru Otoko),” directed by Kei Ishikawa. “A Bunch of Amateurs,” directed by Kim Hopkins, won the documentary award.

See more winners here:

Nueva Vision Award for Spain/Latin America Cinema: Manuela Directed by Clara Cullen

Best Middle Eastern/Israeli Film Award: The Taste Of Apples Is Red Directed by Ehab Tarabieh

Best Nordic Film Award: Summerlight And Then Comes The Night (SUMARLJÓS Og Svo Kemur NÓTTIN) Directed by Elfar Aðalsteins

Social Justice Award for Documentary Film: Black Mambas Directed by Lena Karbe

Adl Stand Up Award, sponsored by Adl Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties, the Skinner Social Impact Fund, and Steve & Cindy Lyons...

Apple Original Films unveiled the trailer for the highly anticipated thriller, ‘Tetris,’ starring Taron Egerton.

The movie tells the unbelievable story of how one of the world’s most popular video games found its way to avid players around the globe. Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton) discovers Tetris in 1988 and then risks everything by travelling to the Soviet Union, where he joins forces with inventor Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Efremov) to bring the game to the masses. Based on a true story, “Tetris” is a Cold War–era thriller on steroids, with double-crossing villains, unlikely heroes, and a nail-biting race to the finish.

Directed by Jon S. Baird, Toby Jones, Roger Allam, Anthony Boyle, Togo Igawa, Ken Yamamura, Ben Miles, and Matthew Marsh also star.

Also in trailers – “This hit is for you, Mr Wick…” Bold new trailer lands for ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

The film will premiere globally on Apple TV...

The game you couldn’t put down, the story you couldn’t make up.

On Thursday, Apple TV released the first official trailer for their upcoming biographical film “Tetris,” directed by Jon S. Baird from a screenplay written by Noah Pink in his feature writing debut.

The film tells the true story of the high-stakes legal battle to secure the intellectual property rights to the puzzle video game “Tetris,” which is recognized today as one of the most popular video games of all time.

You can watch the trailer here:

It stars Taron Egerton, Toby Jones, Nikita Yefremov, Roger Allam, Anthony Boyle, Togo Igawa, Ken Yamamura, Ben Miles, Matthew Marsh, and Rick Yune. The film was produced by Gillian Berrie, Leonard Blavatnik, Gregor Cameron, and Matthew Vaughn under the AI Film and Marv Studios production banners.

“Tetris” is scheduled to be released on Apple TV+ on March 31, 2023.

Predict the 2023 Emmy...

“The Last of Us” should be very scared right now, because the world’s best video game is getting the adaptation it deserves. “Tetris,” a biographical film about the development behind one of the most iconic video games ever, will premiere on Apple TV+ March 31, the company announced Thursday. The news was accompanied by a trailer for the film, showing star Taron Egerton as Tetris Company co-founder Henk Rogers.

For those who (somehow) have never heard of it, “Tetris” is a 1984 video game from Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov that requires the player to sort differently shaped pieces on a playing field, attempting to complete lines in order to remove blocks and get the highest score possible before the screen fills up. Its simple but addictive gameplay made it immediately successful, and when a version was ported to the Game Boy handheld in 1989, the game became a worldwide smash. Around...

The idea of a "Tetris" movie might sound pretty ridiculous. After all, it's just a puzzle game where you drop down shapes and try to achieve combinations. There's not really a plot and there's barely an objective, so when numerous announcements were made that such a movie was in the works, you may have understandably scoffed. While Larry Kasanoff's science-fiction trilogy may have stalled in the negotiation stages, there is one "Tetris" movie that did end up making it out of production, and it ... actually looks really cool?

"Tetris," directed by Jon S. Baird, is being distributed by Apple TV+, but isn't the type of movie you might think it is. While certainly about the famous puzzle game, there is no attempt to make the game itself out to be a grand lore-heavy adventure. That's because the real story behind the game's popularity is stranger than fiction. As depicted in its trailer,...

Tetris, the newest movie from Apple TV+, gets a glorious retro trailer. The puzzle game Tetris, which asks the player to arrange differently shaped blocks in straight lines as they fall from the top of the screen, was originally created in 1984. The film, starring Taron Egerton and Toby Jones, follows the vicious real-life legal battle for the rights to the game.

Today, Apple TV shared the official trailer for Tetris, which spans everything from Egerton's new mustache to the Kgb.

"It's poetry, art and math all working in magical synchronicity," says Egerton's character Henk Rogers to open up the trailer. His passion, which borders on obsession, explains why he goes on to defy the odds to bring Tetris to America, given the surprisingly difficult and action-packed road ahead of him, all scored with Europe's synth hit "The Final Countdown."

Related: Why Apple’s Dear Edward Has Split Audiences So Hard...

When we tell you there’s a movie about Tetris on the way, what do you think of? No, this is not a Pixels-style, literal blocks falling from the sky adaptation of the game, but a dramatisation of the quest to secure the rights to the game, headed up by Black Bird and Rocketman star Taron Egerton. He plays Henk Rogers, a Dutch entrepreneur who is particularly enthralled by Tetris and keen to snap up the international distribution rights – but comes up against resistance from the Soviet authorities, Kgb agents and the game’s inventor, Alex Pajitnov (Nikita Yefremov). The film is being released by Apple TV+, and the first trailer just dropped. Have a watch below.

The Soviets aren’t the only people standing in Henk’s way, with British media tycoon Robert Maxwell (Roger Allam) and bratty son Kevin (Anthony Boyle), as well as big Nintendo boss Hiroshi Yamauchi...

Invasion Trailer 2 — Apple TV+ has released the second TV show trailer for Invasion (2021). View here the Invasion teaser trailer. Crew Invasion stars Shamier Anderson, Golshifteh Farahani, Sam Neill, Firas Nassar, Shiori Kutsuna, Tara Moayedi, Azhy Robertson, Daisuke Tsuji, Billy Barratt, India Brown, Paddy Holland, Cache Vanderpuye, and Togo Igawa. Andrew Baldwin, [...]

Continue reading: Invasion (2021) TV Show Trailer 2: People from around the World try to Survive a Violent Alien Attack [Apple TV+]...

Invasion Trailer — Apple TV+‘s Invasion (2021) teaser trailer has been released. The Invasion trailer stars Shamier Anderson, Golshifteh Farahani, Sam Neill, Firas Nassar, Shiori Kutsuna, Tara Moayedi, Azhy Robertson, Daisuke Tsuji, Billy Barratt, India Brown, Paddy Holland, Cache Vanderpuye, and Togo Igawa. Crew Andrew Baldwin, Simon Kinberg, and David Weil and wrote the screenplays [...]

Continue reading: Invasion (2021) Teaser Trailer: Sam Neill stars in a H.G. Wells-inspired Alien invasion TV Series [Apple TV+]...

To celebrate the release of Master Moley by Royal Invitation, the new animated children’s special which starts this month, we sat down with the show’s star and executive producer Warwick Davis to find out about this delightful new show.

Created by James Reatchlous, Master Moley sees Davis in the title role of this exciting new show, with the plot and loveable characters derive from bedtime stories that James told his daughters over 20 years ago. Julie Walters, Gemma Arterton, Charles Dance, Richard E Grant, and Togo Igawa co-star in the special, and is set to be released as a series very soon.

Davis chatted to us about the show’s origins, its importance for children, and the lessons it hopes to help teach younger viewers, the incredible cast assembled, and his hopes for the show’s future. He also talks about the new Willow TV series for Disney+, how...

WarnerMedia has acquired the rights to new animated show “Master Moley,” starring Warwick Davis and Gemma Arterton, for its children’s platform Boomerang in more than 100 countries across Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Master Moley” is based on original stories written by British entrepreneur James Reatchlous, who spoke to Variety about how it came to life.

The deal, struck by Jetpack Distribution, will see the animation’s 30-minute special, “Master Moley By Royal Invitation,” head to the channel in November. The acquisition of the new 52-part series, comprising 11-minute episodes, “The Misadventures of Master Moley,” will continue the adventures of Master Moley and friends on Boomerang next year.

The animation follows adventurous mole Master Moley, who lives deep in a burrow under Queen Elizabeth II’s Windsor Castle in the bustling city of MoleTown, where he is the keeper of a magical book, which has the power to bring peace between humans and moles.

Stars: Maryam Hassouni, Mike Beckingham, Dougie Poynter, Derek Jacobi, Nigel Barber, Togo Igawa, Margo Stilley, Daniël Boissevain, Tom Wu, Jeroen Krabbé, Fabian Jansen, Reinout Bussemaker, Dominic Keating | Written by Finola Geraghty, Brendan Bishop | Directed by Andy Newbery

Robert Atkinson (Beckingham) is a young London banker and today the opportunity to show the lady in his life how great things could be with him has arrived. When locking up the bank for the weekend he takes a whole bunch of cash that he intends to make into a whole bunch more cash by gambling it all. Unsurprisingly and because you know, movies, He loses all the cash but is about to gain a new “friend” in Mr Lau (Togo Igawa). Robert’s new “friend” offers to clear all of his debts and then some if he just takes one briefcase to Amsterdam and brings another back. Next thing we know there...

Jetpack Distribution has snagged the rights to “Master Moley” and will sell the animated series internationally. There is both a one-off “Master Moley” special and an accompanying series.

The special has a standout voice cast including Warwick Davis (“Harry Potter”), who will also executive produce. Signature Entertainment is selling the special and handling U.K. distribution, while Jetpack is handling the 52-part 11-minute series.

Other stars lending their voices to the special include Julie Walters (“Mamma Mia!”), Gemma Arterton (“Their Finest”), Richard E. Grant (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”), Togo Igawa (“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”) and Charles Dance (“Game of Thrones”).

Davis voices the titular mole character. The property was created by James Reatchlous and based upon an original idea conceived as a bedtime story. It follow the adventurous Master Moley, who uncovers a magical book that has the power to bring peace between humans and moles. Davis exec produces alongside Reatchlous,...

To celebrate the release of the international series ‘Giri/Haji’ to BBC Two in October we are honoured to share nine exclusive first look images from the show.

The eight-part series, directed by Julian Farino, is said to be a soulful thriller that explores the butterfly effect of one murder upon two very different worlds.

The Story

The new series follows Kenzo (Takehiro Hira) a middle-aged Tokyo detective and family man, who travels to London in search of his younger brother, Yuto (Yosuke Kubozuka). The siblings, once devoted and now estranged, are driven to opposite sides of the world by the spiralling consequences of one violent, split-second decision. Fukuhara (Masahiro Motoki), a notorious Japanese gang-lord and feared Yakuza, hears of his nephew’s murder in London – and the ramifications of the crime erupt across the globe. As a result, Kenzo’s family’s honour and the fragile peace between the...

The BBC and Netflix have unveiled the international cast and a first-look image of their ambitious bilingual drama “Giri/Haji,” which has begun filming in London. An acclaimed Japanese lineup, led by Takehiro Hira and Yosuke Kubozuka, is joined by Emmy-winning British actress Kelly Macdonald, British actor Charlie Creed-Miles and U.S. actor Justin Long.

The eight-part thriller, whose title translates as “Duty/Shame,” is shot in both Japanese and English and will be subtitled. Set between London and Tokyo across multiple time frames, the show explores the ripple effects of one murder on two cities. The shoot will move to Tokyo later this year.

“Giri/Haji” is created and written by BAFTA nominee Joe Barton and directed by BAFTA-winner and Emmy nominee Julian Farino. The Japanese cast also includes Masahiro Motoki, Yuko Nakamura, Aoi Okuyama, Mitsuko Oka, Togo Igawa, Katsuya and Yoshiki Minato. British actors Will Sharpe and Tony Pitts also star.

"You're the only one who can disrupt their plans." October Coast has debuted a new trailer for an Italian political thriller titled The Confessions, from Italian director Roberto Andò. Described as a "refreshing suspense thriller", the story is set during a G8 meeting being held at a luxury hotel on the German coast. One of the guests is a mysterious Italian monk, invited by Daniel Rochè, the director of the International Monetary Fund. He wants the monk to receive his confession, that night, in secret. The next morning, Rochè is found dead, and off we go. Toni Servillo stars along with Connie Nielsen, Daniel Auteuil, Lambert Wilson, Pierfrancesco Favino, Moritz Bleibtreu, Johan Heldenbergh, Richard Sammel, Togo Igawa, and Marie-Josée Croze. This film looks like a heavy political thriller, might be worth watching. Here's the new official Us trailer (+ poster) for Roberto Andò's The Confessions, direct from YouTube: A G...

Pete Dillon-Trenchard May 27, 2017

Doctor Who series 10: we go Easter egg hunting in The Pyramid At The End Of The World

Spoilers lie ahead...

See related Jessica Jones’ Kilgrave: Marvel’s creepiest villain yet Iron Fist: Rosario Dawson pops up in new clip Luke Cage smashed Marvel's 2016 Netflix ratings

The Monks have taken over the planet, and I forone welcome our new decomposing overlords. Fortunately they’ve given us permission to publish this list of references, similarities and generally interesting things that we found inside The Pyramid At The End Of The World. They’ve also asked that we let you know it is your duty to leave anything that you feel we’ve missed in the comments section...

There’s a president for that

The Doctor’s role as president of the world comes into play again here; it was first established in 2014’s Death In Heaven...

Louisa Mellor Rob Leane Jul 18, 2017

Thunderbirds Are Go's next batch of episodes will feature Emilia Clarke, David Tennant, Mark Gatiss and more...

2015 saw the revival of Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds in new animated series, Thunderbirds Are Go. The first twenty-six episode series aired in two chunks on ITV here in the UK, and a second season was speedily announced.

See related  Spider-Man: Homecoming - director Jon Watts interview

The first half of series 2 has already aired, and the remaining 13 episodes will air in the autumn of this year.

Today, thanks to the show's official site, we've got some exciting cast info to share. Here are the main supporting players from the second half of Thunderbirds Are Go series 3...

Adam Hills as Buddy Pendergast

Alan Ford as Light Fingered Fred

Asa Butterfield as Space Controller Conrad

David Tennant as Tycho Reeves

Emilia Clarke as Doyle

Kathryn Drysdale as Kate

Mark Gatiss...

Stars: Salma Hayek, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Laura Cepeda, Togo Igawa, Akie Kotabe, Gabriella Wright, Caroline Chikezie, Jennifer Blanc, Jelena Gavrilovic, Aisha Ayamah, Masashi Fujimoto | Written by Yale Hannon | Directed by Joe Lynch

When Everly (Hayek) betrays her sadistic mob boss Taiko (Watanabe), he sends a group of his most brutal men to torture and kill her. When she manages to get the upper hand and survives, she finds herself trapped in the apartment awaiting the next attempt on her life.

It’s a brave move to set a movie in an apartment which is basically one room, and not allow the main actor to leave it. There are a few cheats to make the world of Everly feel that bit more bigger, though claustrophobic but for the most part, this is about a strategic war in an apartment. While the action is thick and fast though, Everly is also about being a mother,...

Director: Joe Lynch; Screenwriter: Yale Hannon; Starring: Salma Hayek, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Laura Cepeda, Togo Igawa; Running time: 92 mins; Certificate: 18

Maybe it was because Salma Hayek made a compelling badass in Oliver Stone's Savages that she signed up for the bullet-riddled, entirely brain-free splatter-fest that is Everly. But she doesn't get to wear a suit here and strut with intent. Instead, director Joe Lynch strips her from scene one, makes her crawl on the floor, ties her up, cages her and generally makes her the subject of every sordid violent fantasy he can think of. And, for what? Even slobbering Salma fans might come away feeling frustrated at the lack of an x-rated payoff.

Quentin Tarantino is the obvious standard-bearer for Lynch, who has previously directed B-movie shorts and one feature dubiously titled Knights of Badassdom (straight-to-video), but whereas Qt lavishes as much attention on characterisation as bloodletting, Lynch doesn't see the need.

Everly - Radius-twc - Blu-ray and DVD Director: Joe Lynch Cast: Salma Hayek, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Jennifer Blanc, Togo Igawa Everly stars Salma Hayek as the kept girlfriend of a gangster who decides to finally break free of her terrible life. Having typed that, it sounds like a standard Sundance drama, so I should probably point out that breaking free of her life involves guns and killing wave after wave of people who are hired to try and kill her. Hayek is fantastic in the movie, and it's clear she has plenty of fun taking on the kick-ass role, no matter how absurd things get. And it does get absurd. The whole thing has a weird sense of humor and a pretty terrific sense of action and humor, feeling more like a late '80s cult movie than most modern...

Read More...

Everly (2014) Film Review, a movie directed by Joe Lynch, and starring Salma Hayek, Gabriella Wright, Jennifer Blanc, Togo Igawa, Caroline Chikezie, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Akie Kotabe, Andy McDermott, Uros Certic, Aisha Ayamah, Jelena Gavrilovic, Dragana Atlija and Laura Cepeda As we move into 2015, audiences continue voyaging deeper into television’s current golden era. Movies — [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Everly (2014): The Perfect Template for A Video Game Movie...

Everly, Baby: Lynch’s Grindhouse Glory Shoots Blanks

If Pam Grier had starred in a 1970’s version of Oldboy directed by Jack Hill, it probably would’ve looked something like Everly, actor/producer/editor/cinematographer Joe Lynch’s sophomore effort as film director. Playing like an homage to those cheapie exploitation classics of the vintage grindhouse era, there’s an element of admiration for Lynch’s product, which, at least superficially, appears to honor its battered but resilient female protagonist by eschewing gratuitous nudity and attempting to grant her a character arc that extends beyond her desirable body (though this is accomplished only via typical fashion, i.e. her maternal instinct). But by keeping the action of the film confined to one rundown, grimy apartment in a complex apparently on lockdown a la The Raid or Dredd, no matter of grisly violence can secure our visual absorption through the film’s already slim running time.

Joe Lynch's Everly opens with the screams of a sex slave played by Salma Hayek. It seems impossible things for her could get much worse — but they do. Emboldened by a detective who's pledged to wrest her from gangster Taiko (Hiroyuki Watanabe), Hayek's Everly has chosen today to fight for freedom. Good luck, lady.

Taiko has an arsenal: killer dogs, machine-gunning brutes, sai-stabbing prostitutes, and a cruel torturer who calls himself The Sadist (Togo Igawa), all happy to make house calls. Forget finding her long-lost mom and five-year-old daughter (Laura Cepeda and Aisha Ayamah) — Everly can't even escape from her own apartment.

Everly has the heaving, bloody bosoms of an exploitation flick, yet Hayek gives the character powerful dign...

Everly Radius-twc Reviewed by: Harvey Karten for Shockya. Databased on Rotten Tomatoes. Grade: C+ Director: Joe Lynch Screenwriter: Yale Hannon Cast: Salma Hayek, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Akie Kotabe, Laura Cepeda, Jennifer Blanc, Togo Igawa, Masahi Fujimoto, Aisha Ayamah Screened at: Review 1, NYC, 2/19/15 Opens: February 27, 2015 To get a handle on what to expect from the director appropriately named Joe Lynch, here are some precedents for his current “Everly.” In “Knights of Badassdom,” he finds three people reenacting a live-action Dungeons and Dragons-type medieval escapade only to conjure up a blood-sucking evil Succubus. In “Chillerama,” things go wrong during a screening of previously lost films in a drive-in cinema [ Read More ]

The post Everly Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

From RedBand.Ca,  Sneak Peek a restricted trailer from director Joe Lynch's action thriller "Everly", written by Yale Hannon, based on a story by Lynch and Hannon, starring Salma Hayek, Akie Kotabe, Jennifer Blanc, Masashi Fujimoto, Togo Igawa, Gabriella Wright, Caroline Chikezie, Laura Cepeda, and Hiroyuki Watanabe, opening February 27, 2015:

"...'Everly' (Salma Hayek), a prostitute working for criminal overlord 'Taiko' (Watanabe), is attacked in her apartment by Taiko's enforcers after he discovers she has been working with the police to bring down his organization..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Everly"...

An action/thriller centered on a woman who faces down assassins sent by her ex, a mob boss, while holed up in her apartment. The new action movie stars Salma Hayek, Akie Kotabe, Laura Cepeda, Jennifer Blanc, Togo Igawa, Gabriella Wright, Caroline Chikezie, and Hiroyuki Watanabe as Taiko. “Everly” hits theaters everywhere on February 27, 2015.

The post Everly Gets A Brand New Trailer appeared first on Shockya.com.

We’re back with another trio of trailers. This time we have a new synthesizer-heavy look at It Follows, a preview of Joe Lynch’s Salma Hayek-starring action extravaganza Everly, and a tease of the upcoming Game of Thrones IMAX experience, as well as a snippet of Season 5.

“For 19-year-old Jay (Monroe), the fall should be about school, boys and weekends at the lake. Yet, after a seemingly innocent sexual encounter she suddenly finds herself plagued by nightmarish visions; she can’t shake the sensation that someone, or something, is following her. As the threat closes in, Jay and her friends must somehow escape the horrors that are only a few steps behind.”

RADiUS-twc have slated It Follows to hit U.S. theaters on March 27th, 2015. Penned and directed by David Robert Mitchell (The Myth of the American Sleepover), It Follows stars Maika Monroe (Labor Day), Keir Gilchrist (It...

Everly has released a new green band trailer.

Salma Hayek stars in the high-concept action movie, written and directed by Joe Lynch.

The actress plays a former yakuza prostitute who has become a police informant.

After her old boss tracks her down, he puts a price on her head which sees an army of contract killers besieging her in her apartment in one blood-soaked night.

Everly must survive in order to be reunited with her mother and son.

Togo Igawa and Masashi Fujimoto also star in the film.

Everly will be released on January 23 in the Us and April 10 in the UK.

The domestic trailer is now online for the upcoming action thriller Everly, starring Salma Hayek, Togo Igawa, Masashi Fujimoto, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Caroline Chikezie, and Jennifer Blanc.

Joe Lynch directs the film from a screenplay Lynch wrote along with Yale Hannon.

It's Christmastime, but all is not well in the world of Everly (Salma Hayek). A call girl by trade, Everly has turned against her gangster boss Taiko (Hiroyuki Watanabe) and become a police informant. In response, Taiko has put out a hit on Everly and her family. Soon, every criminal in town wants to cash in. Everly’s survival instincts quickly kick in as she matches wits and firepower with Taiko and a seemingly endless stream of killers.

Have a look at the trailer by using the player below and let us know what you think.

Everly is set to hit on iTunes January 23rd and in theaters February 27th.

If the first trailer released last month didn't have enough action for your liking, then feast your eyes on the second trailer for RADiUS-twc's Everly, starring Salma Hayek. This action-thriller centers on Salma Hayek's title character, who squares off with numerous assassins sent by her ex-boyfriend, a vicious mob boss, while holed up in her apartment, as she tries to save her estranged mother and daughter. The story is entirely set in Everly's apartment, with RADiUS-twc setting a January 23 release on iTunes and VOD, before it hits theaters February 27.

Togo Igawa (The Last Samurai; Memoirs of a Geisha), Masashi Fujimoto (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance), Hiroyuki Watanabe, Jennifer Blanc, Caroline Chikezie and Gabriella Wright co-star in Everly. The film is directed by Joe Lynch (Chillerama), based on a concept he created with Yale Hannon, who wrote the screenplay.

Salma Hayek is no stranger to the action genre, having starred in Desperado,...

The Salma Hayek-starring Everly has released a red band trailer.

The Frida actress stars in director Joe Lynch's high-concept action/revenge movie.

Warning - Trailer contains explicit content:

Hayek plays a former prostitute that informs on her employers.

Marked for death, she is confined to her apartment while an army of hired killers come for her. But she won't go down without a fight.

Togo Igawa and Masashi Fujimoto also star in the film.

Hayek is known for her roles in action films including Robert Rodriguez's Desperado and From Dusk Till Dawn.

Everly will be released on January 23 in the Us and April 10 in the UK.

An action/thriller centered on a woman who faces down assassins sent by her ex, a mob boss, while holed up in her apartment. The new action movie stars Salma Hayek, Akie Kotabe, Laura Cepeda, Jennifer Blanc, Togo Igawa, Gabriella Wright, Caroline Chikezie, and Hiroyuki Watanabe as Taiko. “Everly” hits theaters everywhere on February 27, 2015.

The post Everly Gets A New Trailer appeared first on Shockya.com.

Everly Trailer. Joe Lynch‘s Everly (2015) movie trailer stars Salma Hayek, Jennifer Blanc, Togo Igawa, Caroline Chikezie, and Akie Kotabe. Everly‘s plot synopsis: “A call girl by trade, Everly has turned against her gangster boss Taiko (Hiroyuki Watanabe) and become a police informant. In response, Taiko has put [...]

Continue reading: Everly (2015) Movie Trailer: Salma Hayek Fights Gangster’s Men...

Over a year since the first still was released, an international trailer has finally been revealed for Joe Lynch's action thriller "Everly". Salma Hayek plays a woman trying to save her estranged mother and daughter when her dangerous mob boss ex-partner sends assassins to take her out.

Togo Igawa, Masashi Fujimoto, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Jennifer Blanc, Caroline Chikezie and Gabriella Wright star in the film which is based on a Black List script by Yale Hannon. RADiUS-twc is planning an unspecified 2015 release at present.

Over a year since the first still was released, an international trailer has finally been revealed for Joe Lynch's action thriller "Everly". Salma Hayek plays a woman trying to save her estranged mother and daughter when her dangerous mob boss ex-partner sends assassins to take her out.

Togo Igawa, Masashi Fujimoto, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Jennifer Blanc, Caroline Chikezie and Gabriella Wright star in the film which is based on a Black List script by Yale Hannon. RADiUS-twc is planning an unspecified 2015 release at present.

Salma Hayek's career has been a weird one, ranging from Oscar-contending roles in Frida to the horrible Bandidas as well as serving as executive producer on "Ugly Betty", which is really the only highlight on her resume in the past ten years unless you count her supporting work in the Grown Ups movies. So, to see her going the action route is no big surprise as today we have the first trailer a hard-r actioner which received its R-rating for "strong bloody violence, torture, nudity, sexual images and language." The movie sounds a bit like The Raid in that Hayek plays a woman trapped in her apartment, who must fend off scores of assassins sent by her ruthless ex, a nefarious drug kingpin. Joe Lynch (Wrong Turn 2) directs and Togo Igawa (The Last Samurai) co-stars. Radius is handling the release stateside, though no official date has yet been set.

Following the first photo released back in November 2013, the first trailer has finally debuted for Everly, starring Salma Hayek as the title character. The Black List script by Yale Hannon is an intense action thriller centered on a down-on-her-luck woman (Hayek) who is forced to fend off waves of assassins sent by her ex, a dangerous mob boss, while trying to save her estranged mother and daughter. The film is set entirely in one apartment, and is based on a concept created by director Joe Lynch.

Everly co-stars Togo Igawa (The Last Samurai; Memoirs of a Geisha), Masashi Fujimoto (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance), Hiroyuki Watanabe, Jennifer Blanc, Caroline Chikezie and Gabriella Wright. RADiUS-twc will release the film sometime next year, but the studio has not issued a specific release date at this time. With this trailer's debut, hopefully the studio issues a release date soon.

After recently starring in comedies...

A new Everly trailer has landed online for your viewing pleasure assuming you take pleasure from watching Salma Hayek kill lots of people.  Joe Lynch's upcoming action film takes place entirely in one apartment, and stars Hayek as "a down-on-her-luck woman who is forced to fend off waves of assassins sent by her ex, a dangerous mob boss, while trying to save her estranged mother and daughter."  So you're basically watching Hayek in horde-mode, and I see nothing wrong with that as long as it doesn't become tedious. Hit the jump to watch the Everly trailer.  The film also stars Togo Igawa, Masashi Fujimoto, and Hiroyuki Watanabe, and will be released in the U.S. by Radius-twc, although there's currently no release date. Via The Playlist. Here's the official synopsis for Everly: Everly co-stars Togo Igawa (Last Samurai; Memoirs Of A Geisha), Masashi Fujimoto (Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance) and Hiroyuki Watanabe.

Hector and the Search for Happiness

Directed by Peter Chelsom

Written by Peter Chelsom, Tinker Lindsay, and Maria von Heland

USA, 2014

There’s a burgeoning subgenre of films about people in existential crisis setting out on a globe spanning adventure to find themselves, to figure out how to really live. These movies are ostensibly inspirational, but for several reasons, they often play out as somewhat depressing. For one thing, they seem to suggest that all it takes to feel alive is a costly globe-spanning adventure. Even more troublingly, they tend to turn the problems and wonders of the rest of the world into just more glib lessons for their heroes to learn. To the ranks of films like Eat, Pray, Love and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, we can now add Hector and the Search for Happiness.

Hector (Simon Pegg) is a disaffected psychiatrist who walks away from his...

A rich white man tours the misery of others to learn about happiness. Yes, it is as offensive as it sounds. I’m “biast” (pro): love Simon Pegg

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

I have not read the source material

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Are you poor, living in squalor, working a demeaning job, suffering from a lack of white male privilege, and/or fatally ill? Well, you should thank your lucky stars that you’re not Hector (Simon Pegg: Cuban Fury, The World’s End). He may be a wealthy psychiatrist living the high life in London, but he’s just not happy. Not with his gorgeous, enormous flat. Not with his beautiful, brilliant, and attentive girlfriend, Clara (Rosamund Pike: A Long Way Down, The World’s End). So off he goes, jetting around the world — sometimes in first class!

Director: Peter Chelsom; Screenwriters: Maria von Heland, Peter Chelsom, Tinker Lindsay; Starring: Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike, Stellan Skarsgård, Toni Collette, Jean Reno, Christopher Plummer; Running time: 120 mins; Certificate: 15

Simon Pegg tackles the meaning of life as the eponymous wanderer and/or wonderer in an adaptation of a book by French psychiatrist François Lelord. Hector and the Search for Happiness is part fable, part self-help manual with echoes of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, but like that film, there's a considerable gap between its deeply profound objective and the soft handling.

Hector is subject to gentle teasing for taking life too seriously, but he isn't a purely comic character and that's unfortunate for Pegg who usually gets laughs playing pompous idiots. He's much less compelling being moody and teary-eyed, especially because he doesn't have much to complain about. Hector is a successful psychiatrist who lives in a plush London home with a lovely girlfriend,...