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Chicago – It’s rare to see a director debut that is nuanced, anarchistic and different, but the high school coming-of-age comedy “The Crusades” – by first-timer Leo Milano – scores with its solid comedic script, unique characters and passionate homage to Chicagoland’s Northwest Burbs, as well as featuring hot actor Rudy Pankow (Netflix’s “Outer Banks”).

The film will be released through Vmi International beginning this Friday, July 7th, and will be available to stream via Apple, Vudu, Amazon, Xfinity and more. Check your provider. There will also be a Chicagoland theatrical run starting July 7th at the historic Pickwick Theatre, click The Crusades for ticket information and showtimes.

‘The Crusades,’ Directed by Leo Milano

Photo credit: Vmi International

Three friends, who attend the all-boys Our Lady of the Crusades high school, receive earth-shattering news about an upcoming merger with a rival school, so they make a pact to have an...

Leo Milano directed high school coming-of-age story.

Vmi Worldwide has come on board worldwide sales rights for TIFF to coming-of-age story The Crusades starring Rudy Pankow from Netflix’s Outer Banks.

Leo Milano directed the film about three friends at an all-boys private high school about to merge with a rival institution who plan one final hurrah while dodging authority, love affairs and violent foes in the longest weekend of their lives.

At the heart of it is Leo Grecco, a delusional romantic caught up in a teenage love triangle. Ashley Nicole Williams, Khalil Everage, Indiana Massara, Ryan Ashton, Blaine Maye...

Exclusive: Janel Parrish (Pretty Little Liars) and Jonathan Bennett (Mean Girls) have signed on to star in Myles Clohessy’s indie horror film, The Bog.

They join previously announced cast members Mark Ryder (Borgia), Timothy Murphy (Westworld) and Robert Clohessy (Blue Bloods) in the film, which goes into production in Ireland and Scotland in October.

Inspired by haunting true events, The Bog tells the story of two couples, led by a troubled Collette (Parrish), who intertwined through friendship, unknowing infidelity and a tragic family death, decide to take an epic hiking trip into the remote Scottish Highlands to get away from it all, reconnect and stay at one of the secluded ancient cottages that dot the area. What starts as the time of their lives—and a much-needed, doctor-requested couples retreat—quickly spirals out of control for the group of friends in the isolated, harrowing mountain territory. There, they find...

Exclusive: Khalil Everage (Cobra Kai) and Indiana Massara (Hero Mode) have joined the cast of The Crusades, an upcoming film from writer/director Leo Milano.

They’ll star opposite previously announced cast member Rudy Pankow (Outer Banks).

The highly stylized dramatic comedy follows three friends at an all-boys high school, as they try to survive one final weekend before merging with their rival school. It’s scripted by Milano, Jack Hussar and Shaun Early, who were inspired to write the pic, given their own experience attending an all-boys private high school.

As we told you first, Pankow will lead the cast as Leo Grecco, a charming and sometimes delusional dreamer who spends his life focused on things he can’t have.

Everage joins as unconventional jock, Sean. Despite having the game, the grades, and the girlfriend, Sean can’t seem to feel like “the man.”

Massara is set to play Jess,...

Exclusive: Rudy Pankow (Outer Banks) has signed on to star in The Crusades, a dramatic comedy from writer-director Leo Milano, which will shoot in Chicago this month.

The highly stylized feature follows three friends at an all-boys high school, as they try to survive one final weekend before merging with their rival school. It’s scripted by Milano, Jack Hussar and Shaun Early, who were inspired to write the pic, given their own experience attending an all-boys private high school.

Pankow will lead the cast as Leo Grecco, a charming and sometimes delusional dreamer who spends his life focused on things he can’t have.

Brent Madison is producing the project under his and Milano’s Bad Little Thing banner. Nicholas Turturro is exec producing, alongside his son, Nicholas Turturro III.

Thus far, Pankow is best known for his starring turn as JJ in Netflix’s popular teen drama Outer Banks,...

Shorts Program 8: Horror Shorts includes 8 individual short films of various styles, for a total running time of 95 minutes. Played consecutively, these films offer a broad and entertaining showcase for independent horror filmmakers in the St. Louis area.

The Cask Of Amontillado (13 minutes)

Directed by Hugo Fleming, The Cask Of Amontillado is a tale of revenge, based on the story by Edgar Allen Poe. Two men (Mark Bunch and Billy Benner), with their minds altered by the effects of Budweiser 40s, wander deep into a subterranean realm, whereas only would may ultimately return. The film is more of a operatic ode to Poe, that a traditional narrative film. The Cask Of Amontillado contains no dialogue, instead told entirely by the very words of Poe himself. Illustrated by a haunting piano and vocal score (Somewhere Under the Rainbow, written and performed by Heather Rice) that draws on the dark heart of Poe’s literary horror.

Cinema St. Louis, our city’s non-profit cinema-related event planning group, will presenting its 11th annual St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase which begins this Saturday, August 13th at the Tivoli Theater (and ends with a party on the 18th at Blueberry Hill). The showcase, sponsored by Stella Artois Beer, is a chance for St. Louis-based filmmakers to show off their art. All of these films were written, directed, edited or produced by St. Louis natives or those with strong local ties. The 16 film programs that screen at the Tivoli from Aug. 14-18 serve as St. Louis Filmmakers 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 filmmakers. Watch for more coverage of this important local event here at We Are Movie Geeks.com over the coming days

Here’s the schedule:

Saturday, Aug.