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Mti Home Video has recently released the thriller 23 Minutes to Sunrise. This film stars Eric Roberts and the film released on DVD March 19th. The film's story is a mystery. Several characters find themselves at a rest stop. A man has an unnamed proposition for them, but no one wants to take him up on his offer. Events become dangerous when a young man brings a gun into the equation. But, is their an escape from this lonesome diner? An early review for 23 Minutes to Sunrise has been positive. The film has been called a "clever ensemble piece," by Mike Thomas (Matchflick). And, the film's trailer is curious. View the clip below. Release Date: March 19th, 2013 (DVD). Director: Jay Kanzler. Writers: Jay Kanzler and Patrick Pinkston. Cast: Eric Roberts, Nia Peeples, Bob Zany and Dingani Beza. The trailer for the film is here: An early review of the film is...

23 Minutes To Sunrise screens as part of The St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase on Monday, July 9th at 7:15pm at the Tivoli Theatre, 6350 Delmar Blvd.

23 Minutes To Sunrise is a small scale drama about a group of people gathered one night in an out-of-the-way 24-hour diner. It’s a well-made film hampered by a half-baked script and poorly handled third act left bank into the supernatural but it’s partially redeemed by a sardonic performance from the terrific Eric Roberts. The action all takes place in Illinois (it was filmed in Sauget), where eight people find themselves the only wee-hour inhabitants of the all-night Sunrise Diner. Sheila is a small town waitress trapped in an abusive marriage attracted to the younger black fry cook Eddie (Dingani Beza). Rachel and Ted, an unhappy 50-ish couple (Nia Peeples and Bob Zany) agonize over their failing marriage. Hair-trigger criminal Donny (Tom Sandoval) and...

The annual St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase is a great way to support the many local filmmakers who practice their art in our area. Cinema St. Louis, our city’s non-profit cinema-related event planning group, will present The Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase July 8-12. This is the 12th annual presentation, which serves as the area’s primary venue for films made by local artists. The Showcase screens works that were written, directed, edited, or produced by St. Louis natives or films with strong local ties. The 16 film programs that screen at the Tivoli from July 8-12 serve as the Showcase’s centerpiece. The programs range from full-length fiction features and documentaries to multi-film compilations of fiction and documentary shorts. Many programs include post-screening Q&As with filmmaker. It all ends with a closing-Night Awards Party Thursday July 12th sponsored by Stella Artois from 8 p.m. to midnight at Blueberry Hill‘s Duck Room,...

Occasionally I’ll look through the entertainment section of my local free weekly newspaper and notice some familiar names in the ads for the local comedy clubs. I’m sometimes curious about the lives of these names on the signs of “The Ha Ha Hub” or “The Chuckle Hut”. While taking the commuter train I’d look up at a billboard for a local casino and see the name Bob Zany highlighted every few months. Now Bob has chronicled his comedy career with the help of director Jay Kanzler in the documentary Close But No Cigar. The title not only references the omnipresent stogie Bob smokes on stage, but his attempts to grab that ultimate cigar of show business super stardom.

Zany is first seen at work delivering zingers at an audience like a counterman tossing deli subs. He decides (along with Jay behind the camera) that the best way...