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Kōki Named Asian Film Awards Rising Star

The first winner at the upcoming Asian Films Awards has been named. Japan’s Kōki has won the Afa Rising Star Award, joining previous winners such as 2017’s Park Seo-joon and 2019’s Win Metawin.. Known as a singer and model, Kōki made her acting debut in 2022 and earned a Blue Ribbon Award in Japan for her dual role performance in horror film Ox Head Village. She went on to star in UK-Iceland romantic feature Touch and more recently was in British survival thriller Tornado, about a young Japanese woman who finds herself in peril when her father’s traveling puppet show crosses paths with a ruthless criminal gang. It is due to premiere as the opening night gala at the Glasgow Film Festival this month. She will also appear in upcoming Japanese pic True Beauty. Kōki will attend the Afa ceremony in Hong...

We know that Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather trilogy is considered to be the zenith of mafia films. There have been other great titles such as Goodfellas, One Upon a Time in America, Scarface or Heat, but The Godfather trilogy (especially the first two movies) is something else. It is, without a doubt, peak cinema.

This trilogy set the scene for the story of the Corleone family, and while it was inspired by the books by Mario Puzo, the franchise is considered to be a faithful and accurate depiction of the life in mafia families, as well as the world of mafia in general.

Now, we can confirm that a new mafia-themed movie is on its way and it is going to be titled Corleone. The movie will begin production next year and we can also confirm that it has found its director. If you’re curious about the movie,...

Exclusive: Swedish director Amir Chamdin, whose drama Partisan won Best Series at the 2020 Canneseries market, has signed on to direct Corleone, an action-thriller set in the United States and Sicily.

Written by Sandro Lorino, Rich Ronat and Nate Adams, the film is based on a story by Sandro Lorino and and Antonio Lorino, and tells the story of a family man with a mysterious past, whose peaceful life is upended when he becomes entangled in a deathly cat-and-mouse game with the first female boss of the Cosa Nostra.

Production is being lined up for March, with casting currently underway. The film is being produced by Richard Salvatore (Stolen Girl), Nate Adams (Vanquish), and Sandro Lorino and Norbert Krott for Lorino Pictures. Executive producers include Fabio Costabile (Skincare) and Dirk Schweitzer (Operation Napoleon).

Chamdin most recently directed ballet Gustavia, which premiered at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm this past October.

Welcome to the deep dive on Crescent City, the 2024 crime thriller that brought together some heavyweight acting talent without delivering the dramatic goods. Directed by Rj Collins from a script by Rich Ronat, this serial killer yarn looked to keep viewers guessing about the killer’s identity as murders mounted in a small Southern community.

But with a premise this promising, did the finished film live up to its potential? Join me as we take a closer look at all aspects of this mystery’s muddled telling.

We’re talking a star-studded cast here—Alec Baldwin, Terrence Howard, Esai Morales, even Aussie actress Nicky Whelan signed on. Their talents alone had many anticipating intrigue. The basic setup also showed promise—a ruthless murderer terrorizing a town, sowing chaos and paranoia as cops race to stop the bloodshed.

All the ingredients seemed there for an atmospheric, page-turning thriller. But as the facts will show,...

New Orleans natives may be slightly disappointed to find that a movie titled “Crescent City” — long a popular nickname for the storied Louisiana metropolis — actually is set in and around Little Rock, Ark. On the other hand, they might be happy to find that their hometown is not represented at all in this overplotted and instantly disposable drama, a bland gumbo of serial killer tropes, internal affairs investigation, Satanic sex addicts and buddy-cop shoot-’em-up stuff. The movie opens day-and-date Aug. 16 in limited theatrical runs as well as on digital platforms, but it’s really best suited for home screen perusing — just so viewers can intermittently hit pause and ask one another, “Wait, what the hell was that all about?”

Terrence Howard and Esai Morales struggle mightily — and do more for the movie than it ever does for them — while attempting to impose some degree of plausibility (or at least...

The Exchange has acquired international sales to thriller Crescent City, adding the title to its slate for next week’s European Film Market (EFM).

The crime mystery, currently in post-production, stars Terrence Howard, Esai Morales, Alec Baldwin and Nicky Whelan. Rj Collins directs from a screenplay by Rich Ronat. Producers are Eduard Osipov of Beno Films, Vince Jolivette of Filmopoly, David Lipper, Denise Loren and Robert A Daly Jr of Latigo Films, and Maurice Compte.

Crescent City is the story of a twisted murder that sends three detectives on a whirlwind investigation.

The Exchange reports that a US distribution deal...

Tagline: "Pray the Lord My Soul to Keep." While We Sleep is an upcoming possessed themed horror film. From cinematographer Andrzej Sekula (Cube²: Hypercube), this indie feature was written by: Brian Gross (Dream Killer) and Rich Ronat. Now, a new poster has been released for this supernatural feature, which has been in production since at least 2019. Starring Jacy King (Killer Island) and Oliver Trevena, the film's latest movie poster is showing here. The graphic shows a young girl, demonically possessed. Flames emerge from her face as a priest tries to turn back the Devil. However, this family's corruption might be too much for this one priest. While We Sleep is being repped by Vmi Worldwide, for a future release. Set to show in 2021 at some point, an older trailer is available below, in case horror fans missed it. As well, a more specific release date will be announced soon,...

Exclusive: Peter Facinelli has signed on to direct his third feature film Headhunter, a crime thriller distributed by The Exchange.

The film tells the story of a twisted murder who sends three detectives on a whirlwind investigation revealing dark secrets and turning everyone into a possible suspect. The Exchange, holding world sales rights, will introduce the title to buyers at the upcoming 2021 virtual Cannes Market. The film is produced by Rj Collins and Sean Lydiard and Mainstay Entertainment’s Ray Moheet and Norman Aladjem. Brian O’Shea, Nat McCormick and Caddy Vanasirikul of The Exchange will exec produce. Rich Ronat penned the script.

“We are very excited to be working again with Peter again, not only is he a consummate professional and pleasant to work with, but after my buyers screened The Vanished during the Berlin Market they wanted to know what he had coming out next. To me that is...

Well well… As we skip right ahead to the latest movie in our Lord and Saviours filmography we come across Grand Isle. We started this little adventure with a TV and a blink and you will miss it cameo so It is good to get into some deep Cagey waters. Throw into the mix Kelsey Grammer and I am ready see what this 2019 direct to video release has for me… Incidentally his 6th movie of the year, not bad output for the hardest working man in cinema history.

Grand Isle

Director: Stephen S. Campanelli | Writers: Iver William Jallah, Rich Ronat

Stars: Nicolas Cage, KaDee Strickland, Luke Benward, Kelsey Grammer

Buddy is a young hard working new father struggling to make ends meet since coming home from his time in the Navy. After a twisty turny series of events Buddy is in the frame for murder and in an effort to...

Nicolas Cage takes a prisoner (Emily Marie Palmer) in this first-look still from the thriller Grand Isle.

Also starring Kelsey Grammer, the film — which was directed by Clint Eastwood’s long-standing camera operator Stephen S. Campanelli (Sully, American Sniper, The Mule) from a script by Iver William Jallah and Rich Ronat — sees Cage playing a trigger-happy ex-Marine living on a quiet island in Louisiana with his seductive wife (Private Practice’s KaDee Strickland).

Grand Isle was produced by Raja Collins (True Memoirs of an International Assassin), Jeff Rice (2 Guns) and Jake Seal (Blaze).

Vmi Worldwide is selling the project ...

Nicolas Cage takes a prisoner (Emily Marie Palmer) in this first-look still from the thriller Grand Isle.

Also starring Kelsey Grammer, the film — which was directed by Clint Eastwood’s long-standing camera operator Stephen S. Campanelli (Sully, American Sniper, The Mule) from a script by Iver William Jallah and Rich Ronat — sees Cage playing a trigger-happy ex-Marine living on a quiet island in Louisiana with his seductive wife (Private Practice’s KaDee Strickland).

Grand Isle was produced by Raja Collins (True Memoirs of an International Assassin), Jeff Rice (2 Guns) and Jake Seal (Blaze).

Vmi Worldwide is selling the project ...

Nicolas Cage is to star in a crime thriller about a man framed for murder.

The Oscar-winning actor has been attached to star in 'Grand Isle' and will play a character named Walter, according to sources close to the production.

The story centers on a father who is framed for murder and must prove his innocence through recalling a twisted and dark sequence of events.

It is set to be directed by Stephen S. Campanelli and Iver William Jallah. Campanelli previously directed the Olga Kurylenko thriller 'Momentum' and indie drama 'Indian Horse, but is also known for his camera work on several Clint Eastwood movies, including 'Sully,' 'American Sniper,' and 'Million Dollar Baby.'

Jallah is a newcomer, who is credited alongside Rich Ronat on the script for 'Grand Isle.' The movie is being produced by Jeff Rice Films and Village Studios.

Cage has most recently been seen in genre movies 'Mom and Dad' and 'Mandy' and heard in animated features 'Teen Titans Go! To the Movies' and 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.'...