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It’s shaping up as an award-winning summer for actress-producer Lucy Liu.

On Saturday night Liu received the Rising to the Challenge Award at the Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas, an honor that “recognizes artists who champion storytelling that breaks barriers and broadens representation.”

It wasn’t her only award of the night. Her new drama Rosemead, directed by Eric Lin, won Best Narrative at the 11th edition of the festival chaired by Geena Davis. Liu produced the film and stars as “Irene,” a Chinese immigrant who simultaneously faces a personal health crisis and the alarming descent of her son into schizophrenia.

“Rosemead captures the terrifying realities of motherhood in our contemporary era,” wrote the jury, comprised of filmmaker Marie Jamora (guest artistic director of AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women) and filmmaker Bomani J. Story (The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster). “When culture, society, and healthcare break down,...

The Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas has announced additional programming for the 11th annual edition of the event that runs June 16-22.

Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix, the most decorated track and field athlete of all time, will participate in the festival’s Shaping the Narrative conversation in partnership with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Ingeborg Initiatives. She Runs the World, a documentary about Felix directed by Perri Peltz and Matthew O’Neill, will screen at Bff on Wednesday, June 18.

The festival describes the film as “an impassioned look at the advocacy of Allyson Felix… At the peak of her career, she faced a life-threatening pregnancy—and a 70% pay cut from her sponsor, exposing a sports industry without maternal protections. But Allyson turned adversity into action, redefining what it means to be a champion and sparking a movement far beyond the track. Felix’s rejection of the status quo...

The Bentonville Film Festival (Bff) has announced their Shaping the Narrative, Geena & Friends participants, Juneteenth and Spotlight programming, jurors and additional panels and events taking place at the 2025 festival, set for June 16-22. The 2025 Bentonville film Festival marks 11 years of amplifying the voices of female, non-binary, Lgbtqia+, Bipoc and people with disabilities in entertainment.

Among the returning programming for 2025 is “Geena & Friends,” featuring Geena Davis and participants including Shohreh Aghdashloo (“The Penguin), Toks Olagundoye (“Frasier”), Alysia Reiner (“The Diplomat”) and Brenda Song (“Running Point”). This year’s event will take place Friday June 20 at the Thaden Theater.

Additionally, in partnership with Variety, Song will be presented with the Variety Virtuoso Award, also on June 20. Bentonville’s “Shaping the Narrative” conversation series will return this year with Olympic track and field champion Allyson Felix participating in a talk presented by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Ingeborg Initiatives.

“We’re...

“More original horror!” is always a curious statement to read from fellow horror fans. In the last few years, we’ve seen everything from a modern resurgence of new slashers, to subversive takes on the home invasion subgenre that once dominated the 2000s, to the slow, gradual return of fresh horror comedies. True, franchises may have a chokehold on the box office and wholly original concepts may be rare after a century of cinema, but contemporary horror always manages to reinvent itself by recycling classic storytelling frameworks and updating them with inventive twists, as horror is and will always be cyclical.

Mary Shelley’s original classic Frankenstein novel— a reflection on morality of new science and Galvanism of the time and the subsequent potential impacts on life and death— has spawned hundreds of movies, TV series, novels, stage adaptions, video games, and comics, and over two centuries later, creators are...

Is death really necessary? Vicaria doesn’t think so, and she’s out to prove it in “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,” which debuts on Allblk and Shudder on Friday, Sept. 22. Vicaria thinks that she has the key to beating death once and for all, and when a sudden tragedy strikes her family she’s got the perfect opportunity to prove it. But are Vicaria’s methods sound, or are they mad science that will unleash something dreadful upon the world? You can watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Allblk. You can watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Shudder.

How to Watch 'The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster' When: Friday, September 22, 2023 Where: Allblk, Shudder Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Allblk and 7-Day Free Trial of Shudder. 7-Day Free Trial$5.99 / month allblk via amazon.com 7-Day Free Trial$5.99 / month amazon.com About...

September heralds in the start of Halloween season, and that means it’s officially that time of year where streaming platforms go all in on horror. Whether you’re looking for brand new releases or an endless sea of horror options to pad out your Halloween watchlists, this month has it all. So, here’s a quick, handy guide for horror streaming in September 2023.

This month’s noteworthy streaming titles spotlight new exclusives, repertory offerings that’ll help you prepare for upcoming releases, and so much more.

Here are ten noteworthy horror titles available for streaming in September 2023 on some of the most popular streaming services, along with when/where you can watch them.

Crabs! – Screambox

A horde of mutant crustaceans descend on a small coastal town in this wacky horror comedy. There’s no pretense with Crabs!; it’s abundantly clear upfront exactly what type of movie it is...

The elements of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein are so timeless and malleable that they've inspired two artistically successful yet very different variations this year. A couple of months after the release of Bomani J. Story's The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster comes director and co-writer Laura Moss' Birth/Rebirth, an even more rewarding take on Shelley's tale of scientific hubris. It's a twisted story about motherhood, with two seemingly opposite protagonists who are both invested in the resurrection of a little girl. Marin Ireland and Judy Reyes complement each other perfectly as women whose single-minded devotion to their daring experiment has devastating consequences.

Birth/Rebirth introduces the two characters in an effective sequence that cross-cuts between the two to show their divergent personalities and interests. Both work in the same Bronx hospital, but pathologist Rose (Ireland) toils mostly alone in the morgue, dispassionately cutting into cadavers and sneaking organs...

Mary Shelley's book "Frankenstein" has received countless movie and television adaptations over the years. The iconic novel, which was originally published in 1818, follows a mad scientist named Victor Frankenstein who, after losing his mother to scarlet fever, is determined to defy nature and learn how to bring the dead back to life. Although he successfully creates a humanoid creature by using pieces from various corpses, Victor comes to regret his experiment once he loses control of the creature, who kills his loved ones.

If you're a horror fan who's itching to see a modern take on this classic story, you'll love Bomani J. Story's film "The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster." The movie, which hit theaters on June 9, stars Laya DeLeon Hayes as Vicaria, a 17-year-old genius who embarks on a mission to bring her brother back to life after losing him to gun violence.

Since "The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster...

The first trailer for The Dive teases an underwater thriller that is sure to leave audiences breathless. Released courtesy of Rlje Films, The Dive is centered around just two characters, Louisa Krause (Billions) and Sophie Lowe (Blow the Man Down) who find their perfect diving trip quickly turning into a life-and-death disaster. You can check out the first trailer for The Dive below.

The Dive begins as you would expect, with the perfect day for a dive. Clear sight, stable weather and an incredible, reclusive spot. Drew and May, sisters and experienced divers who share a close and complex bond, are excited as they marvel at this undiscovered underwater world. Their sense of wonder is interrupted when May is abruptly hit by a rock, which knocks off her goggles and leaves her shaken, but with only a small scratch.

However, the sisters’ relief is short-lived: the stone came from a landslide above the surface.

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

Ghoulies II Blu-ray from Mvd

Ghoulies II will be released on Blu-ray on September 12 via Mvd’s Rewind Collection. It comes with reversible artwork, a slipcover, and a mini poster. The first Ghoulies hits 4K Uhd and Blu-ray the same day.

The 1987 horror-comedy sequel is directed by Albert Band (I Bury the Living) and written by Dennis Paoli. Damon Martin, Royal Dano, Phil Fondacaro, J. Downing, and Kerry Remsen star. Charles Band executive produces.

Ghoulies II has been scanned in 2K from the interpositive, overseen by MGM, with Lpcm 2.0 Stereo Audio. Special features include a making-of featurette with Band, Remsen, actor Donnie Jeffcoat, and special effects artist Gino Crognale; an introduction and interview with Paoli; and deleted scenes.

All men hate the wretched; how, then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature, to whom thou art bound by ties only dissoluble by the annihilation of one of us. You purpose to kill me. How dare you sport thus with life? Do your duty towards me, and I will do mine towards you and the rest of mankind. If you will comply with my conditions, I will leave them and you at peace; but if you refuse, I will glut the maw of death, until it be satiated with the blood of your remaining friends.

That's Mary Shelley, writing in 1818's Frankenstein, the classic tale of a mad scientist playing God by resurrecting the dead to disastrous results. The quote has a very particular thematic resonance in the new horror film, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,...

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is the vision of writer/director Bomani J. Story, and the new horror film revolutionizes the classic tale of Frankenstein by audaciously intertwining an urban and socioeconomic twist throughout an eerie and deliciously disturbing take on a time-proven drama.

As if it's not enough that the brilliant young protagonist Vicaria — portrayed by the equally brilliant actress Laya DeLeon Hayes (The Equalizer TV series) — is living out her youth entombed in a community that is haunted by gang violence, bigoted teachers, and drugs. Already suffering the loss of her mother, when her brother is heartlessly murdered, it becomes a catalyst to her scientific obsession. Determined to cure death, she soon owns up to her unwelcome nickname, “The Mad Scientist," by working to resurrect her slain brother.

Or so it seems.

In the satirical and creepy tradition of Jordan Peele, there is so much more...

For over a century, Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, originally published in 1818, has been adapted for the screen. Now, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, written and directed by Bomani J. Story, joins the list of reimaginings of the classic tale. The film stars Laya DeLeon Hayes (The Equalizer TV series) as a brilliant teenager named Vicaria, who is un-affectionately known, and therefore isolated, as “The Mad Scientist” by her community and peers. A must-see for fans of Jordan Peele and the classic African American horror movie, Candyman, Story's film itself to a discussion beyond its undeniable entertainment and horror value.

A villain to some and a hero to others, Vicaria is a protagonist or antagonist depending on which side of the socially conscious (or not) theater you find yourself. Vicaria’s profoundly gripping story begins when she is triggered by too much trauma in...

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is one of the year's best horror movies. Everything from the production value to the performances syncs perfectly with writer-director Bomani J. Story’s vision. His script moves like a finely tuned watch and there is zero fat left on the bone. Some of the CGI is a bit hokey, but the reality is that even these effects align with the film's self-awareness.

After suffering the loss of her brother Chris (Edem Atsu-Swanzy), Vicaria (Layla DeLeon Hayes) begins theorizing a new hypothesis. Death is a disease, and diseases can be cured. She tries to explain this to her high school teacher, but the teacher doesn’t believe her, and also has preexisting biases against her. Luckily Vicaria's dad, Donald (Chad L. Coleman), hears her out, but has demons of his own to address. As it turns out, Vicaria has plans of her own.

Two from Magnolia Pictures, the story of an iconic record album design firm back and a sighting of Brian Cox usher in a specialty weekend with smoke clearing over New York City. Acrid plumes from Canadian wildfires have smothered the key arthouse market over the past few days in an unusual air quality event that had Mayor Eric Adams urging people to home.

Friday the sky was visible and air fresher, a boon for all — including the ongoing Tribeca Festival, which opened Wednesday night and will be unspooling 100+ features and events through June 17.

New openings: From Magnolia, Dalíland by Mary Harron starring Ben Kingsley as the iconic artist in 20 markets (including Quad in NYC and Nuart in LA) and on VOD. Written by John C. Walsh. With Christopher Briney, Barbara Sukowa, Ezra Miller, Andreja Pejic. Premiered as TIFF’s closing night film, see Deadline review here. Follows the later years...

A ponderous voiceover narration sets the stage for this monster tale. The voice belongs to Vicaria, determinedly played by Laya DeLeon Hayes, who in short order tells the story of how death has befallen her family many times. Her mother died of a stray bullet, her brother a victim of street violence and her father might be on his way due to substance abuse. She hypothesizes that death is a disease and like any disease it can be cured. With that introduction, writer-director Bomani J. Story lays the thesis for this new take on Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” But “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster” has more on its mind than just adapting that horror classic once more. It infuses a contemporary American social critique onto the familiar plot and characters.

Vicaria, who’s jokingly referred to as both a “mad scientist” and a “body snatcher,” is a brilliant...

The iconic tale of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is getting a fresh take with The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. The film centers on Vicaria, a teenage genius who, after losing both her mother and her brother to gang violence, tries to use science to resurrect her brother, only to result in the creation of a monster that puts the rest of her family in danger.

Laya DeLeon Hayes is leading the cast of The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster alongside Denzel Whitaker, Chad L. Coleman, Reilly Brooke Stith, and Keith Holliday. Exploring themes of institutional racism and grief and melding them with chilling creature feature thrills, the movie is a breathtaking and stylish spin on its source material.

Related: Frankenstein: 5 Most Accurate Versions Of The Monster (& The 5 Least)

In anticipation of the movie's theatrical release, Screen Rant spoke exclusively with writer and director Bomani J. Story...

Mary Shelley's classic 1818 novel Frankenstein has been adapted so many times in so many different formats that it's tough to imagine anyone finding a satisfying new angle on it. Writer-director Bomani J. Story doesn't entirely succeed with his directorial debut The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, but he puts enough of his own stamp on the story to make it feel fresh and contemporary. The familiar beats take on new meaning when transposed from Shelley's upper-class 18th-century Europe to the present-day urban United States.

That's where teenage Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes) lives with her father, Donald (Chad L. Coleman), in a rundown apartment complex plagued by gangs and drug dealers. Both Vicaria's mother and brother fell victim to gang violence, and Vicaria has decided that, as she puts it, "death is a disease," and she plans to find the cure. To that end, she's set up her own...

Like all great stories, Frankenstein has a universality that seems applicable to just about every historical moment, which means that film remakes in the '50s (Hammer Horror films), '70s (Flesh for Frankenstein), and 2010s (Depraved) have the opportunity to be brilliantly potent.

While it may have been birthed out of social anxiety toward industrialization, atheism, and scientific progress (along with Mary Shelley's own hang-ups), today, one could easily envisage a new Frankenstein film being an allegory for artificial intelligence and seemingly sentient technology. Who knows, maybe ChatGPT will write it?

In The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, the classic Shelley book is very loosely adapted into one of its most unique versions, an extremely clever and grim study of marginalized people, grief, urban disenfranchisement, and systemic racism. In Bomani J. Story's excellent little film, an ingenious but impoverished child prodigy wants "to cure death" after...

Writer/Director Bomani J. Story’s feature debut, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, releases exclusively in theaters on Friday, June 9.

Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, “The movie follows a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, the teen embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life.”

Laya DeLeon Hayes (“The Equalizer”), Denzel Whitaker (“Black Panther”), Chad L. Coleman (“The Walking Dead”), Reilly Brooke Stith, and Keith Holliday star.

When The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster made its world premiere earlier this year at SXSW, Bloody Disgusting spoke with Story and lead actor Hayes about their righteous reinterpretation of the mad scientist archetype. The pair spoke about Shelley’s influence and playing a complex character in teen Vicaria. Ahead of the film’s theatrical release this week, here’s part two of our chat,...

Stars: Laya DeLeon Hayes, Edem Atsu-Swanzy, Denzel Whitaker, Chad L. Coleman, Beth Felice, Reilly Brooke Stith, Keith Holliday | Written and Directed by Bomani J. Story

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is not the first version of Frankenstein set in the Black community. There was Black Frankenstein, better known as Blackenstein, back in 1973 and more recently FrankenThug. The difference is while the previous two versions were exploitation films, writer/director Bomani J. Story set out to make a more serious film, one that like Mary Shelly’s novel, is out to do more than just deliver scares.

Vicaria has not had an easy life. At eight she saw her mother shot and killed. In the wake of that, Chris started working for local gang boss Kango and ended up dead. Now she watches her father Donald struggle to support her despite the growing drug habit he’s developed trying to cope with their deaths.

It’s the first full week of June and summer is upon us, with six new horror movies headed our way this week. Best of all, most of them will be available to watch from the comfort of home.

Here’s all the new horror releasing June 6 – June 11, 2023!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

First up, we just premiered the brand new Screambox Original documentary Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story on Bloody Disgusting’s Screambox yesterday in celebration of #RobertEnglundDay, so check that out if you haven’t yet!

The documentary was shot over the course of two years, highlighting the life and career of the classically trained actor and director. Featuring interviews with Robert Englund and his wife Nancy, as well as fellow genre icons Lin Shaye, Eli Roth, Kane Hodder, Tony Todd, Adam Green, Bill Moseley, Heather Langenkamp & more,...

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is a modern and heartbreaking adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, told through the eyes of a modern teenage girl named Vicaria. Director Bomani J. Story, who also wrote the script, has already had the honor of seeing his feature film debut premiere at this year's SXSW Film Festival. It received an enthusiastic response and is now making its way to theaters on June 9, as well as to digital platforms on June 23.

The movie's answer to Victor Frankenstein is young Vicaria, played by The Equalizer star Laya DeLeon Hayes, whose world is rocked after the brutal murder of her brother. A brilliant scientist who believes death can be cured, Vicaria is determined to revive Chris — only to end up bringing back an unholy creation instead. Superman and Lois' Chad Coleman costars as her grieving father Donald, and Denzel Whitaker (Black Panther) plays local drug dealer Kango.

With longer days and—at some more progressive places of employment—Summer Fridays in full effect, daily agendas are now suddenly awash with temporal real estate. Should you use these extra hours to reconnect with family, go to museums or explore the natural world in all its holy wonders? No! You should be watching movies, and lots of ’em! Luckily, June is a rock-solid month with plenty of great Don’t-Miss Indies titles to enjoy.

Padre Pio

When You Can Watch: Now

Where You Can Watch: Theaters (Limited)

Director: Abel Ferrara

Cast: Shia Labeouf, Cristina Chiriac, Marco Leonardi

Why We’re Excited: A two-time Film Independent Spirit Award nominee for Bad Lieutenant (1992) and The Funeral (1996), indie veteran Abel Ferrara’s new biographical drama is based on the Irl story of Italian Franciscan Capuchin friar and priest Francesco Forgione, who was venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1999. It...

Every period has its boogeymen, the iconic creature creations whose mere mention pimples the flesh. Yet a few formulate the standard, who are the muses from which varied nightmarish offspring arise or are reborn in film or word. These are the legendary league of creatures: Bram Stoker's Dracula, H. G. Wells's The Invisible Man, Takeo Murata's Godzilla, King Kong, The Mummy, The Wolfman, and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

This class of classic creatures earns their classification as legends easily. The amount of work and reworks they have inspired is noteworthy. Over 200 films have been crafted with Dracula as the featured fiend. While Frankenstein does not surpass the amount of material derived in similitude to the dark prince, it still comes in with a hefty number of adaptations numbering in the dozens.

Now a June release, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, a reworking of the iconic creature narrative of "Frankenstein,...

Crypt TV, an entertainment company that was launched in 2015 by Jack Davis and Eli Roth, with Blumhouse Productions on board as an investor, has put together it first domestic feature film: a new take on Mary Shelley’s classic story Frankenstein called The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. We had previously heard that Rlje Films will be giving the film a theatrical, VOD, and digital release on June 9th, but now those plans have changed slightly. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster will still be reaching theatre screens on June 9th, but the VOD and digital side of the release has been shifted back to June 23rd. So the film will have a two week theatre-only run before it’s available to watch at home.

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster will also be streaming on Shudder and AllBlk at some point down the line.

Bomani J. Story...

A Great Divide, a anti-Asian racism drama that stars Ken Jeong, Jae Suh Park and Emerson Min, is set to open the competitive program for Geena Davis’ Bentonville Film Festival, running June 13-18.

The feature directorial debut of Emmy-winning commercial and short film director Jean Shim, which also star Miya Cech in a lead role, will get a world premiere during the ninth edition of the Bentonville, Arkansas festival. A Great Divide follows a Korean-American family that leaves the Bay Area for a fresh start in rural Wyoming after experiencing a devastating loss.

Also getting a first look at Bentonville is director R. J. Daniel Hanna’s Hard Miles, which dramatizes the true story of a youth prison social worker who took a cycling team comprising teenage inmates on a transformative 1,000-mile ride. The film, written by Hanna and Christian Sander, stars Matthew Modine, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams, Jahking Guillory, Jackson Kelly,...

In Theaters, On Demand and On Digital June 9, 2023 Starring: Laya DeLeon Hayes, Denzel Whitaker, Chad L. Coleman, Reilly Brooke Stith, Keith Holliday Written & Directed by: Bomani J. Story Produced by: Jack Davis, Darren Brandl, Bomani J. Story Synopsis: Vicaria is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be …

The post The Angry Black Girl And Her Monster Starring Laya DeLeon Hayes, Denzel Whitaker, appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

Are you ready for a Summer of Screams?

Our Summer 2023 Horror Preview is here! The 2023 slate of horror releases looks packed. Tentpole titles like The Boogeyman, Insidious: The Red Door, Talk to Me, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, and more aim to set the box office ablaze. And that’s all nothing compared to the volume of genre offerings heading to streaming, Digital, and VOD.

There’s enough horror here to keep us busy until the Halloween season. It’s a densely packed slate this summer, and trust us: this is only the tip of the iceberg for what’s ahead.

Here’s what is coming soon to help you prepare!

The Ancestral – May 2 (Screambox)

This haunter hails from the director of Furie and The Princess, Le-Van Kiet. And it’s Now Streaming on Screambox.

In the film, “After suffering a family tragedy, a widower moves his two daughters to a centuries-old ancestral home.

Your Houseplants Are Screaming: "A plant monster grows a human houseplant in a torturous room of gore and existential dread."

Written, Directed, Edited, Starring: Benjamin Roberds

Produced, Animated, Art, SFX: Katie Gregg

Director’s Website: benjaminroberds.com/

Production Co Website: dominarfilms.com/

---

Killer Kites: "When Abby's grandma dies, the only thing she inherits a stupid kite - after giving it to her brother; he is mysteriously killed and the kite disappears. While searching for the truth, she is tangled in a strange supernatural plot, where this killer kite continues to kill! Now, Abby must string together a way to stop the kite before it blows us all away. Kites may not be the scariest monster ever, but they’re up there."

Directed by:Paul Dale, Austin Frosch Starring: Manon Pages, Austin Naulty, Carter Simoneaux Distributor : Film Hub

Available Now on Amazon

Key Art for The Angry Black Girl...

Crypt TV, an entertainment company that was launched in 2015 by Jack Davis and Eli Roth, with Blumhouse Productions on board as an investor, has put together it first domestic feature film: a new take on Mary Shelley’s classic story Frankenstein called The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. Rlje Films will be giving The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster a theatrical, VOD, and digital release on June 9th, and today a poster for the film has been unveiled! You can check it out at the bottom of this article.

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster will also be streaming on Shudder and AllBlk at some point down the line.

Bomani J. Story wrote and directed the film, crafting a story about teenage anti-hero, Vicaria, who is on a desperate quest to cure death. With brilliant intelligence and a willingness to lose it all, Vicaria is able to...

Death is a disease that must be cured in The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, a modern reinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s seminal novel, Frankenstein.

A brand new official poster promises a “slick, brutal, and bracing” new reimagining of the mad scientist. Even more, it teases that “Death can be cured.”

Rlje Films will release The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster in theaters, on VOD and on Digital on June 9, 2023.

In the film, “Vicaria is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster thematically challenges our ideas of life and death. Bomani J. Story, the film’s writer and director, crafts a thrilling tale about a family that, despite the terrors of systemic pressure,...

Crypt TV, an entertainment company that was launched in 2015 by Jack Davis and Eli Roth, with Blumhouse Productions on board as an investor, has put together it first domestic feature film: a new take on Mary Shelley’s classic story Frankenstein called The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. Rlje Films will be giving The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster a theatrical, VOD, and digital release on June 9th, and a trailer for the film is now online! You can check it out in the embed above.

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster will also be streaming on Shudder and AllBlk at some point down the line.

Bomani J. Story wrote and directed the film, crafting a story about teenage anti-hero, Vicaria, who is on a desperate quest to cure death. With brilliant intelligence and a willingness to lose it all, Vicaria is able to resurrect the corpse of her recently slain brother,...

Inspired by Mary Shelley’s timeless classic Frankenstein, Bomani J. Story's The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster will arrive in theaters and On Demand and Digital on June 9th via Rlje Films, and we have a look at the official trailer ahead of its release!

Written and directed by Bomani J. Story, and produced by Jack Davis, Darren Brandl, and Bomani J. Story, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster stars Laya DeLeon Hayes, Denzel Whitaker, Chad L. Coleman, Reilly Brooke Stith, and Keith Holliday.

You can watch the trailer below, and in case you missed it, read Heather Wixson's SXSW interview with Bomani J. Story and Laya DeLeon Hayes.

Synopsis: Vicaria is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life.

Vicaria is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, The Angry Black Girl And Her Monster thematically challenges our ideas of life and death. Bomani J. Story, the film's writer and director, crafts a thrilling tale about a family that, despite the terrors of systemic pressure, will survive and be reborn again. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, starring Laya DeLeon Hayes, Denzel Whitaker, Chad L. Coleman, Reilly Brooke Stith and Keith Holliday, is coming to cinemas, on VOD and on Digital on June 9th, 2023. The official trailer was released...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Death is a disease that must be cured in The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, a modern reinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s seminal novel, Frankenstein.

A brand new trailer introduces the reimagining that gives a new spin on the mad scientist archetype, with an emphasis on mad.

Rlje Films will release The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster in theaters, on VOD and on Digital on June 9, 2023.

In the film, “Vicaria is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster thematically challenges our ideas of life and death. Bomani J. Story, the film’s writer and director, crafts a thrilling tale about a family that, despite the terrors of systemic pressure,...

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster premiered at the South By Southwest film festival earlier this month, but not before being acquired by Rlje Films. Already a success story for the indie circuit, writer-director Bomani J. Story's feature film debut is a touching and twisted take on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The movie follows the brilliant Vicaria, who has been dealt a terrible hand in life despite her many gifts. After her brother is murdered, grief consumes her and guides her on a journey to bring him back — no matter the cost.

Laya DeLeon Hayes (The Equalizer) leads The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster in a film first as Vicaria, while The Walking Dead's Chad Coleman (who can now be seen in Superman & Lois) plays her distant yet similarly grieving father Donald. Denzel Whitaker plays the local drug drealer Kango, and Edem Atsu-Swanzy plays Vicaria's...

Writer/Director Bomani J. Story’s feature debut, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster (read my review) gives a righteous reinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

The film, which premiered at SXSW this month, stars Laya DeLeon Hayes as Vicaria, an angry teen whose turbulent life prompted a determination to cure death.

Bloody Disgusting spoke with Story and Hayes after the film’s world premiere at SXSW, where the pair discussed the source inspiration and taking on a complex role in Vicaria.

“I read Mary Shelly when I was fresh out of high school, and I was obsessed with it. It gave me anxiety; I couldn’t sleep, and I also couldn’t put the book down. It really started there,” Bomani said of his enduring love of the literary classic.

But his influences on his debut were also deeply personal. Bomani explains, “I have two older sisters who...

Rlje Films has snapped up rights to the psychological thriller Sympathy for the Devil, starring Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage (Mandy) and Joel Kinnaman (Suicide Squad films), for North America, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Bringing the film to the AMC Networks business unit was Christian Mercuri’s Capstone Global, which is handling global sales. It’s set for release on July 28.

The film written by Luke Paradise and directed by Yuval Adler (The Operative) watches as a man is forced to drive a mysterious passenger at gunpoint, finding himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse where it becomes clear that not everything is at it seems.

Cage was joined in producing the pic by Alex Lebovici (Barbarian), Allan Ungar (Bandit) and Stuart Manashil (Pieces of a Woman). Exec producers included Paradise, Mercuri (Out of the Furnace), David Haring (The Old Way), Marc Goldberg (Final Score...

Transposing the classic Frankenstein story to the milieu of a black neighborhood in the South, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster uses well-worn horror tropes to examine the experiences and fears of the African American community through horror. Writer/director Bomani J. Story’s debut outing makes for a strong calling card, utilizing the flexibility of the origin story to fit the present moment without sacrificing atmosphere. 17-year-old Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes) is smart, perhaps too smart for her own good sometimes. Her gift and passion for science has convinced her family to send her to a more advanced (read: white) high school where she can be challenged. While she certainly is challenged, it’s not in the way that everyone had hoped. She asks questions, tough...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

This weekend, writer/director Bomani J. Story celebrated the premiere of his debut feature, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival. The story follows an ambitious science-focused teenager named Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes), who believes that she has found the way to cheat death, but her experiments come with a hefty price tag attached when her monstrous creation begins to rack up a body count once it is unleashed into the community.

Daily Dead recently had the opportunity to speak with both Story and DeLeon Hayes about their experiences working together on The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, being able to pay tribute to Frankenstein author Mary Shelley through their work in this film, and so much more.

Look for more on The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster closer to its release date, hopefully later this year.

Bomani and Laya, thank you both...

Mary Shelley’s seminal novel Frankenstein inspired countless works in the centuries since its initial publication in 1818, and most focus on the empathetic Creature’s narrative. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster instead examines the mad scientist responsible, reinterpreting the archetype with righteous fury in a contemporary setting. Its strengths lie far more in the humanity of its characters and the metaphor than in the horror.

By adolescence, Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes) already knows far more about death than most her age. Systemic pressures and corruption shape their neighborhood. Vicaria’s mother died long ago, her father, Donald (Chad L. Coleman), struggles to resist the pull of local drug dealer Kango (Denzel Whitaker), and the sudden, violent murder of her brother convinces Vicaria that death is a disease. The whip smart and determined teen manages to resurrect her brother, though not quite as she’d hoped. The death toll...

One of the biggest media events of the year is about to begin.

This week brings the 30th edition of the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX, from March 10-19, with a jam-packed lineup brimming with genre offerings.

No, seriously, the programming for this year’s fest is packed with horror movie and television premieres and activations that allow fans to get immersive through interactive experiences.

In anticipation of the fest, here are 13 world premieres and SXSW-exclusive experiences that we can’t wait to check out.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Directors: Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Producers: Jeremy Latcham, Brian Goldner, Nick Meyer, Screenwriters: Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Michael Gilio

A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.

Cast List: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page,...

The Overlook Film Festival has unveiled the full lineup for its 2023 edition, taking place in New Orleans from March 30-April 2, naming the world premiering Universal horror-comedy Renfield as its opening night film, and Warner Bros’ Evil Dead Rise as its closer.

The former title starring Nicholas Hoult (The Menu) as the tortured henchman of Dracula (Nicolas Cage) will be showcased via a live Q&a with Cage and director Chris McKay, as well as an Opening Night Vampire Ball, ahead of its April 14 theatrical release.

The latter, marking the latest in the storied horror franchise from Sam Raimi, comes to the renowned horror festival after world premiering at SXSW. Lee Cronin directed from his script, with Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols and Nell Fisher amongst the ensemble.

This year’s Overlook lineup consists of 26 features and 24 shorts from 12 countries, along with interactive events, live performances, immersive programming and more.

Nearly a year ago, we heard that Crypt TV, an entertainment company that was launched in 2015 by Jack Davis and Eli Roth, with Blumhouse Productions on board as an investor, was putting together it first domestic feature film: a new take on Mary Shelley’s classic story Frankenstein that would be called The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. Now Variety reports that The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster has secured a distribution deal with Rlje Films and its sister brands under AMC Networks, Shudder and AllBlk. Rlje will be giving the film a theatrical release sometime this summer, then later in the year it will be streaming on Shudder and AllBlk.

The film will be having its world premiere at the SXSW festival next month.

Bomani J. Story wrote and directed The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, crafting a story about teenage anti-hero, Vicaria, who is on...

Premiering at the upcoming SXSW Film Festival, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster has been acquired by Rlje Films and Shudder, Variety reports this afternoon.

Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, “The movie follows a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, the teen embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life.”

Variety notes, “Rlje will release the film in theaters this summer. Shudder and Allblk will follow with streaming debuts later in 2023.”

Bomani J. Story wrote and directed The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.

Laya DeLeon Hayes (“The Equalizer”), Denzel Whitaker (“Black Panther”) and Chad L. Coleman (“The Walking Dead”) star.

“Angry is a unique story from the great mind of Bomani J. Story and Crypt TV — powerfully brought to life on screen by Laya DeLeon Hayes,” said Rlje’s Mark Ward.

Ahead of its world premiere at SXSW, Rlje Films and its sister brands under AMC Networks have acquired the North American rights to the horror/thriller, “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.” Those brands include Shudder and AllBlk, all of which share a parent company. The horror-thriller is debuting in the Austin-based festival’s “Visions” category, a special program that “champions audacious, risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape.”

The movie follows a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, the teen embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life. It’s a journey inspired by Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.”

Rlje will release the film in theaters this summer. Shudder and Allblk will follow with streaming debuts later in 2023.

The film is the directorial debut of Bomani J. Story, who also penned the script.

Holy hell this year’s SXSW Film Festival really isn’t messing around.

The previous announcement unveiled a stacked horror lineup that includes headiners Evil Dead Rise and opener Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.

In addition, they revealed several prominent horror titles that will premiere as part of the Midnighters program, including the Sundance hit Talk to Me and the surprise sequel to Becky, The Wrath of Becky.

It turns out, the programming team isn’t finished!

SXSW announced another wave of film programming today, including an eighth Midnighter.

“Midnighters don’t need to be exclusively horror films, they just need to perk you up and get your blood pumping,” said Peter Hall, Film & TV Festival Programmer. “That’s why this year’s SXSW Midnighters class is a mix of horror, bone-crunching action, and mind-melting genre hybrids. Some of them introduce new, terrifying lore to the canon of suburban horror movies,...

Festival runs in Austin, Texas, from March 10-19.

Emma Seligman’s Shiva Baby follow-up Bottoms and Jon S. Baird’s Tetris starring Taron Egerton are among the second wave of SXSW unveiled on Wednesday.

Festival organisers announced all selections in Visions, Global presented by Mubi, 24 Beats, and Festival Favorites as well as additions to Headliners, TV Premieres, Narrative and Documentary Spotlight.

New to Headliners are world premieres of Emma Seligman’s Shiva Baby follow-up Bottoms which follows two unpopular queer high school students who start a fight club to have sex before graduation; and Jon S. Baird’s Tetris starring...

Exclusive: Crypt TV, which is best known for Peacock’s Girl In The Woods and Facebook Watch’s The Birch, has set up its first domestic feature film.

The company, which was launched in 2015 by Jack Davis and filmmaker Eli Roth with Blumhouse Productions as an investor, has set The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster from writer/director Bomani J. Story.

Starting production in North Carolina in June, the film is a reimagining of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, following teenage anti-hero, Vicaria, who is on a desperate quest to cure death. With brilliant intelligence and a willingness to lose it all, Vicaria is able to resurrect the corpse of her recently slain brother, but unknowingly creates an unstoppable monster hungry for revenge.

The feature film will star The Equalizer’s Laya DeLeon Hayes as 17 year-old anti-hero Vicaria and Black Panther’s Denzel Whitaker as co-star Kango.

Crypt TV’s...