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Fangoria's 2025 Chainsaw Awards nominees have been revealed, and voting is now open! With voting taking place from July 9th - 20th, you'll have plenty of time to vote for your favorite nominees across categories you might expect from an entertainment awards show.... but where else are you going to be able to vote on your favorite creature FX, makeup FX, and public domain resurrection movie? You can vote now or learn more and check out the nominees list below:

[From the Press Release] Fangoria, the iconic horror magazine and genre authority, has announced the nominees for the 2025 Chainsaw Awards, recognizing standout achievements in horror across film, television, and gaming. Voting opens July 9 and runs through July 20 at fangoria.com/vote, putting the power in fans’ hands to crown the best in blood.

Ready to see who made the cut? The full list of the 2025 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards nominees awaits below. Scroll to the bottom...

The Academy Awards may not celebrate the horror genre all that often, but that’s why horror has its own awards celebrations. The biggest and best are the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, and the nominees for this year’s ceremony have been announced this morning. As always, the legendary horror magazine is putting the power in Your hands, with voting Open Now!

The Fangoria Chainsaw Awards 2025 will recognize standout achievements in horror across film, television, and gaming, and voting is open now through July 20 at fangoria.com/vote!

Fangoria previews, “Highlights from this year’s nominee slate include genre-defying films like The Substance and Sinners, standout lead performances by Willa Fitzgerald (Strange Darling) and Hunter Schafer (Cuckoo), and some highly anticipated sequels in the video game category like Death Stranding 2 and Silent Hill 2 Remake.

“Nominees were selected by a nominating body of over 150 industry tastemakers, creators, and professionals, drawing from the...

“Sinners” and “The Substance” lead the nominations for Fangoria’s 2025 Chainsaw Awards, which recognizes standout achievements in horror across film, television and gaming.

“This year we continue the new tradition of pitting the second half of last year with the first half of this year in a cage match of cinematic carnage,” Phil Nobile Jr., Fangoria Eic, said in a statement. “Like the Grammys, but gorier. It’s made for a rather chaotic list of nominees, and we expect the voting to be vicious and voluminous.”

“Sinners” and “The Substance” each earned 10 nominations, competing in the same categories for best wide release, best cinematography, best score, best director, best screenplay, best costume design, and best lead and supporting performances. Nominations also include “Strange Darling,” Cuckoo,” “The Ugly Stepsister,” 28 Years Later” and “Longlegs.” Other categories include best streaming premiere, best kill and best creature FX.

Nominees were chosen by a...

I have to admit, I’ve never seen the 1991 cult classic Vegas in Space, which was distributed by Troma Entertainment – but it has become clear to me that the production had a fascinating behind-the-scenes story. Not only was the making of the movie the subject of a book by Craig Seligman called Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?, but now Deadline reports that Joshua Grannell, better known under the drag name Peaches Christ, is set to direct a film adaptation of that book!

Grannell has also written the screenplay for Who Does That Bitch Think She Is? with Michael Varrati, whose credits include My Acting Coach Nightmare, Aquarium of the Dead, The Wrong Stepmother, and Christmas with You. In director Phillip R. Ford’s all-drag science fiction flick, Vegas in Space, written by Ford and star Doris Fish, three male space travelers from Earth undergo sex-change operations in order...

The story behind Troma’s all-drag sci-fi comedy Vegas in Space will be told in a new film based on Craig Seligman’s 2023 book Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?: Doris Fish and the Rise of Drag.

Deadline reports that Peaches Christ, the drag persona of Joshua Grannell (All About Evil), will direct Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?from a script they co-wrote with their Midnight Mass podcast co-host, Michael Varrati (“The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula”).

In the 1991 cult classic, directed by Phillip R. Ford and co-written by star Doris Fish, three male space travelers from Earth undergo sex-change operations in order to solve a jewel heist on a planet occupied solely by women.

Principal photography on Vegas in Space spanned 18 months, but it took Ford and Fish eight years to raise the funds to complete the movie. Fish died from complications with AIDS mere months before the film’s premiere.

The behind-the-scenes story of the 1991 Troma Films cult classic Vegas in Space is getting the biopic treatment from director Peaches Christ (drag persona of Joshua Grannell).

Ahead of the Phillip R. Ford-helmed film’s July 11 screening at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Deadline can exclusively reveal that Grannell (All About Evil) will helm an adaptation of Craig Seligman’s 2023 book Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?, from a script by Grannell and Michael Varrati (Netflix’s Christmas with You).

In Phillip R. Ford’s all-drag science fiction flick, Vegas in Space, written by Ford and star Doris Fish, three male space travelers from Earth undergo sex-change operations in order to solve a jewel heist on a planet occupied solely by women.

A legendary San Francisco drag queen, Fish died from complications with AIDS in 1991, months before the film’s premiere.

“I first discovered Vegas in Space as a teenager in Maryland,...

The Soho Horror Film Festival’s virtual sibling Sohome Horror Pride returns this weekend with a defiant and dazzling showcase of queer horror from around the globe. Running from 13 to 15 June, the 2025 edition marks the sixth outing of the award-winning LGBTQ+ genre event, and delivers a line-up of 10 feature films and 25 shorts – all available on a pay-what-you-can basis, making it one of the most accessible genre festivals of its kind.

The programme takes full advantage of the weekend’s Friday the 13th date, presenting a theme strand titled Queering the Slasher, a celebration and subversion of the tropes that have long shaped the horror genre. Among the headline titles is Black Theta, Tim Connolly’s self-aware homage to early-2000s slashers, making its European premiere. The festival also features the international debut of The Brooklyn Butcher, a sleazy, neon-lit portmanteau that Cinephobia Releasing described as “Abel Ferrara meets Paris, Je...

One of the earliest shot-on-video horror movies, Sledgehammer will make its Blu-ray debut via Terror Vision.

This edition is limited to 1,500, with fewer than 800 copies remaining. Scheduled to ship in July, it costs $32.

The 1983 slasher has been newly transferred from a master tape. It comes with a slipcase, soundtrack CD, booklet, 11×17 poster, and postcard, all housed in a rigid box.

Special features:

Audio Commentary by Actor Ted Prior and Rights Holder Clint Kelly (new) Audio Commentary by Film Historian Yasmina Ketita and Terror Vision’s Brad Henderson (new) Audio Commentary by Actor Ted Prior and Rights Holder Clint Kelly Audio Commentary by Bleeding Skull’s Joseph A. Ziemba and Dan Budnik Interview with Actor Ted Prior (new) Interview with Actor Doug Matley (new) Interview with Actress Linda McGill (new) Interview with Actress Jeanine Scheer (new) Interview with Makeup Supervisor Robin Beauchense (new) Interview with “The Last Drive-In” Host Joe Bob Briggs...

The world’s biggest LGBTQ+ horror film festival returns to the airways this June! Get ready for the 6th annual Sohome Horror Pride, part of the Soho Horror Film Festival! This year’s edition brings attendees a massive 10 feature films and 25 short films from around the world, showcasing the best in LGBTQ+ filmmaking.

This year’s Sohome Horror Pride event appropriately starts on Friday, June 13, 2025, and goes until June 15. With the festival starting on such an auspicious date, it only makes sense that this year’s themes in “Queering the Slasher”!

Festival director Mitch Harrod said, “Times may feel like the apocalypse with rights being revoked, sponsors jumping ship, books being banned and narratives being erased, but let the horror history books set the record straight: queer is here- always has and always will be. It is an honour always to get to stand with the forefront of the genre...

Sohome Horror Pride, the online edition of award-winning Soho Horror Film Festival, returns this June with its sixth annual event. The fest unveiled its lineup today, and among its packed programming is a special event from Bloody FM’s Horror Queers Podcast.

The fest returns, fittingly, on a Friday the 13th, running from June 13-15. The event will showcase 10 feature films, 25 short films, and 3 special events.

That includes a special presentation of the Horror Queer’s Podcast; a live commentary of Scream 3 in which the hosts will finally settle the score: are Gail Weather’s bangs really that bad?

“We couldn’t be more honored to discuss the most misunderstood entry in the Scream franchise. It’s been such a joy to watch Scream 3’s reappraisal and reclamation over the past several years, and we only hope we can do the film justice. An enormous thanks to the...

One of Stephen King’s favorite movies in recent years has been released into theaters this week, while one of the most popular theatrical releases of 2025 so far has made its way home. And that’s just the beginning of a week packed with Eleven new horror releases.

Here’s all the new horror that released March 3 – March 7, 2025!

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

After scaring up $30 million at the box office worldwide, the Valentine’s Day-themed slasher movie Heart Eyes is now available on Digital at home courtesy of Sony.

Josh Ruben (Werewolves Within, Scare Me) directed Heart Eyes, with Mason Gooding (Scream) and Olivia Holt (“Cruel Summer”) starring in the romantic slasher.

You can rent the film on Digital outlets now for $19.99 or purchase it for $24.99. We’ve also learned that Heart Eyes will be slashing into DVD & Blu-ray on April 15.

Exclusively...

2024 marked the 50th anniversary of director Tobe Hooper’s classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (watch it Here), and the celebration is continuing into 2025, as Anchor Bay is set to give Dinner with Leatherface, a documentary that looks at the life, career, and legacy of original Leatherface actor Gunnar Hansen, a Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital release on February 25th. With that date coming up next Tuesday, we’ve gotten our hands on an Exclusive clip from the documentary, and you can check it out in the embed above!

JoBlo’s own Tyler Nichols had the chance to watch Dinner with Leatherface last month and gave it an 8/10 review that can be read at This Link.

Director Michael Kallio provided the following statement: “I want to show the person Gunnar really was. He was an incredibly intelligent, witty man of so many talents. And he was a complete gentleman who embraced all...

Writer/director/producer Michael Varrati goes meta with the upcoming movie There’s a Zombie Outside, and Gravitas Ventures has provided us with the trailer debut today.

Written and directed by Michael Varrati, There’s a Zombie Outside stars Ben Baur, Phylicia Wissa, Danny Plotner, Ty Chen, Francisco Chacin, William Lott, Tiffany Shepis, and Peaches Christ, and will shamble its way onto digital and cable VOD on March 4, 2025.

“Having once found solace in art, a man whose identity is intertwined with cult cinema soon begins to have issues distinguishing fact from fiction when he believes he’s seeing a monster from his movies for real, leading him to question the very foundations of reality…and himself.”

Meagan Navarro wrote in her Popcorn Frights mini review last August, “There’s a Zombie Outside stacks the horror side of the equation full of notable stalwarts, including Tiffany Shepis as Officer Findlay, Peaches Christ,...

2024 marked the 50th anniversary of director Tobe Hooper’s classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (watch it Here), and the celebration is continuing into 2025, as Anchor Bay is set to give Dinner with Leatherface, a documentary that looks at the life, career, and legacy of original Leatherface actor Gunnar Hansen, a Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital release on February 25th. With that release date right around the corner, we have an Exclusive look at the documentary’s trailer, which you can check out in the embed above!

Director Michael Kallio provided the following statement: “I want to show the person Gunnar really was. He was an incredibly intelligent, witty man of so many talents. And he was a complete gentleman who embraced all the love he received from his adoring fans. He meant so much to so many people. This film is really a tribute to him… a great friend that I miss every single day.

For horror fans, October is sacred. Commonfolk wear costumes, visit haunted attractions, and celebrate all things festively creepy en masse. Television channels, streaming platforms, and theaters dedicate overwhelming program blocks of Halloween favorites. Horror is en vogue, but with that attention comes the invariable onslaught of taste-maker trades showing their whole-ass behinds. Those who treat horror as unworthy for 11 other calendar months suddenly have opinions about horror's "resurgence," "death," or incoming "fatigue." It's a clockwork tradition that riles internet hordes — with good reason.

This year, two specific articles dominated genre discussions despite their wildly unsubstantiated and data-ignorant claims. The Hollywood Reporter warned that studio executives are worried about "Horror Fatigue," while Vulture opted for the headline "Horror Movies Are Just Trying To Survive." I hate the phrase "Horror Fatigue"; it's a made-up phenomenon that's been disproven year after year. Yet, sites like THR and Vulture approach horror-centric journalism with a goldfish's attention span.

London is set to become the capital of fear this winter as the Soho Horror Film Festival makes its eagerly awaited return for 2024. With an expanded hybrid format, this year’s festival promises to be the biggest yet, delivering a chilling mix of in-person and online scares across two weekends. Kicking off at Brixton’s Whirled Cinema from 22nd to 24th November, the festival then moves online for its Sohome Horror Film Festival from 28th November to 1st December, offering fans a ghoulish feast of over 80 films from 17 countries.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, the festival will showcase an exceptional strand of found footage films. Leading the charge is the international premiere of Tim Kasher’s Who’s Watching, a disturbing tale of obsession starring Zachary Ray Sherman. Horror fans can also expect chills from Stuart Ortiz’s documentary Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire,...

Perennial indie horror favorite Wnuf Halloween Special and its recent sequel, Out There Halloween Mega Tape, are about to expand into a cinematic universe with a new installment and a spin-off.

At the recent Hometown Horror and Hops convention in Plymouth, Ma, Wnuf Halloween Special and Out There Halloween Mega Tape writer-director Chris Lamartina gave Bloody Disgusting an exclusive scoop on the upcoming Wnuf projects and more.

Up first is a spin-off titled Trick or Treat with Reed Richmond.

Lamartina previews, “We’re almost wrapped production on Trick or Treat with Reed Richmond, a Wnuf spin-off starring George Stover who is reprising his role as B-movie star Reed Richmond from Out There Halloween Mega Tape.

“I’ve joked that if the plan is to make Wnuf a true trilogy, Trick or Treat with Reed Richmond is my Ewok Adventure. It’s this weird little standalone project that’s not really...

Tales From The Void Trailer: "Cineverse Corp. (Nasdaq: Cnvs), an innovative streaming technology and entertainment company, alongside Bloody Disgusting, its horror division, and Screambox, have announced today they are unleashing new original series Tales From the Void, just in time for Halloween.

The anthology will feature six chilling tales based on stories from r/NoSleep, with two episodes premiering exclusively on Screambox every Sunday between October 13 and October 27 in the US, airing the next day on Super Channel in Canada, and available to buy or rent on digital platforms the following Tuesday.

Tales From the Void covers a wide spectrum of horror, from creepy dolls to unborn children, unsolved mysteries to serial murders, and unexplained phenomena to creatures that stalk the night. Each unnerving tale blends genre thrills with social commentary to explore the darker side of the human psyche. Each episode of the series is accompanied by a post-show...

Fangoria Magazine and Fangoria Studios have unveiled their list of presenters for the 2024 Chainsaw Awards, which will premiere Sunday, Oct. 13 exclusively on Shudder. The full broadcast replay will be made available on-demand on Shudder the following day.

The Chainsaw Awards recognizes achievement in horror film, television and for the first time this year, video games. “Late Night With the Devil” star David Dastmalchian will host this year’s ceremony with Fangoria.com editor Angel Melanson. Presenters for the evening include Fede Álvarez (“Alien: Romulus” co-writer and director), Skeet Ulrich (“Scream”), Madeleine McGraw (“The Black Phone”), Dewayne Perkins (“The Blackening”), Lauren Lavera (“Terrifier 3”), Akela Cooper (“Malignant”), Peaches Christ (“Midnight Mass”), Dane Diliegro (“Prey”), Alec Gillis, Tiffany Shepis (“Victor Crowley”), Lachlan Watson (“Chucky”) and more.

The 2024 nominees, which include films like “Evil Dead Rise,” “M3GAN,” “Infinity Pool,” “The First Omen,” “I Saw the TV Glow,” and TV shows like “Yellowjackets” and “Chucky,...

Exclusive: Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding), Malin Akerman (The Heartbreak Kid) and Brian Austin Green have wrapped shoot in the Bahamas on under-the-radar rom-com Perfectly Imperfect, which heralds from Eta Films, Beno Films, Jnw Films and Al Bravo Films.

Joseph Nathan Weisman makes his feature directorial debut from an original screenplay by Wendi Coates (Camp Cool Kids) and Michael Varrati (Christmas with You).

The rom-com follows Jake (Mulroney), a by the numbers single dad, who sets off on a cruise with his quirky family and his childhood friend Reuben (Green). Onboard, he unexpectedly crosses paths with Meg (Akerman), a woman he once had an awkward date with on the mainland. As they get a second chance to connect, Jake and Meg discover that while neither of them is perfect, they might actually be perfectly imperfect for each other. Above and below are first-look images.

The film was produced by Eric Brenner,...

The latest edition of the Popcorn Frights Film Festival is underway, unleashing movie premieres, repertory screenings, and horror celebrations with much more still to come.

Opening weekend kicked off with a variety of repertory screenings of Psycho Cop Returns, Maniac Cop 2, Maniac, Society, the “lost” cut of Return of the Living Dead 3, and more with the filmmakers in attendance. It also came with a slew of brand new premieres from emerging filmmakers.

Here’s a round-up of some of Popcorn Frights 2024’s feature offerings so far…

Beezel

Director Aaron Fradkin explores the enduring, grisly horrors lurking within the bowels of a New England home via an experimental triptych. Co-written with Victoria Fratz, Beezel begins with an appropriately gnarly child death in the ’60s, shot on Super 8, kicking off three different experiences with witchy terror stretched over six decades. Fradkin puts heavy emphasis on scare-crafting, ensuring every second...

The distribution company Kino Lorber recently launched an interesting Blu-ray line called Kino Cult, and so far they have released the 1985 sci-fi Western Alien Outlaw, the Bettie Page double feature Teaserama and Varietease, the 1985 horror film The Dark Power, the 1974 drama Drifter, the 1974 Jess Franco horror film Lorna the Exorcist, the 1973 Jess Franco crime thriller Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac, and the 1985 Clive Barker adaptation Underworld (a.k.a. Transmutations). Now our friends at Bloody Disgusting have learned that five more Kino Cult Blu-ray releases are set for August 20th, and there’s a theme to this batch: they’re all “nature run amok” horror movies! Most of them are movies I love to watch, too. Here’s the line-up: The Food of the Gods, Empire of the Ants, Frogs, Squirm, and Kingdom of the Spiders. Each one is available for pre-order on Amazon, and each of these...

Nature will run amok when Kino Lorber unleashes five classic eco-horrors on Blu-ray as part of its Kino Cult line:The Food of the Gods, Empire of the Ants, Frogs, Squirm, and Kingdom of the Spiders. Due out on August 20, each title comes with a slipcover and features reversible artwork. Pre-orders are up for $24.95.

1976’s The Food of the Gods is written and directed by Bert I. Gordon, based on H. G. Wells’ 1904 novel The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth. Marjoe Gortner, Pamela Franklin, Ralph Meeker, Jon Cypher, and Ida Lupino star.

In the film, “On a remote island, a mysterious substance is oozing from the ground. A farmer sees that it acts as a growth hormone and thinks his fortune is made. But when rats, chickens, worms and wasps begin sampling the potent substance, they morph into bloodthirsty giants! Now, it’s up to...

Summer is underway and June is already ending, but we’ve still got plenty of goodies rolling out on Screambox as we barrel towards the fast-approaching Halloween season.

First, make sure you catch the definitive Robert Englund documentary, Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, now streaming, as well as the Screambox Original sci-fi horror movie everyone’s raving about, New Religion, also now streaming.

Getting a head start on Christmas in July, today we just unwrapped 24 shorts by 24 directors from around the globe with the horror anthology film Deathcember.

The premise of Deathcember, provided by Shout! Factory, is incredibly fun, with the film playing out like a cinematic advent calendar.

The “ultimate advent horror anthology” film’s full list of directors includes Dominic Saxl, Michael Varrati, Lazar Bodroža, Florian Frerichs, Isaac Ezban, Sonia Escolano, Bob Pipe, Steve De Roover, Jürgen Kling, Ama Lea, Sadrac González-Perellón, Julian Richards, Lee Sang-woo,...

We are back for a brand new Let’s Scare Bryan to Death, where we’re going to Massachusetts by way of Italy with Fabrizio Laurenti’s 1988 Witchery. Our selection this month comes from director/screenwriter Michael Varrati, whose work includes some amazing short films, a segment in the horror holiday anthology Deathcember, and multiple episodes of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula. Varrati brings a sharp, darkly comical perspective to his work and his love of horror shines through in his work.

Varrati’s pick this month was actually released in In Italy as La Casa 4 and is part of a disjointed series that actually starts with the first two The Evil Dead movies, renamed La Casa and La Casa 2 for Italian audiences. Witchery forgoes the Evil Dead cabin for a big, old house on an island that can only be accessed by boat and is said to be haunted by a witch.

Shudder and Fangoria Studios are partnering to premiere the 2023 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards on Sunday, May 21st at 9pm Et, exclusively on AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers, and the supernatural.

The ceremony, which recognizes outstanding achievements in horror film and television, will be hosted for the third year in a row by actor and writer David Dastmalchian, this time joined by co-host Peaches Christ. Presenters scheduled to appear include Jamie Clayton (“Hellraiser”), Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw (“The Black Phone”), and Akela Cooper among its presenters.

This year’s nominees, first announced Jan. 23, include Jordan Peele’s “Nope,” Ti West’s “X” and “Pearl,” Dan Trachtenberg’s “Prey,” Scott Derrickson’s “The Black Phone,” Noah Segan’s “Blood Relatives,” the Duffer brothers’ Netflix series “Stranger Things,” Bryan Fuller’s “Queer for Fear,” Zach Cregger’s “Barbarian” and Damien Leone’s “Terrifier 2.”

“2022 is going to go down in...

Bitchy, Bickering Bitches.

It’s been a pretty wild December, with us covering off-kilter films like the much-maligned Batman & Robin and the not-as-bad-as-you-think Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings. Now for a special holiday treat, we’re covering Herbert Ross‘ 1973 mystery The Last of Sheila, which not only inspired Rian Johnson’s Knives Out (review) and Glass Onion (review), but was also the only screenwriting collaboration between famous queers Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim!

In the film, movie producer Clinton Greene (James Coburn) invites a group of friends to spend a week on his yacht a year after his wife Sheila (Yvonne Romaine) was killed in a hit-and-run accident. While the plan is to have them play a scavenger hunt mystery game, it comes with a hidden agenda: exposing their worst secrets and possibly revealing one of them as Sheila’s killer. Is it Alice the actress (Raquel Welch), her...

It’s that time of year again, when people trade in their Halloween decorations for Christmas ornaments and replace their scary movies with jolly romantic comedies filled with holiday spirit. Streaming service giant Netflix is no stranger to the genre that brings in the cheer, laughter, and occasional romance. Its latest, Christmas With You, sees Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr. join forces to create Christmas magic through song. Gabriela Tagliavini directs the screenplay from Paco Farias, Jennifer C. Stetson, and Michael Varrati. It’s cheesy in all the right places and serious in very few, but Christmas With You is reliably sweet and sincere when it needs to be.

Aimee Garcia stars as pop superstar Angelina, whose career takes a turn for the unexpected when her label brings on rising star Cheri Bibi (Nicolette Stephanie Templier). Left with limited opportunities to advance her career forward, Angelina must show her...

It’s been 18 years since Freddie Prinze Jr. made his last “Scooby-Doo” appearance, but the beloved ’90s teen star has still yet to solve the mystery of how to be a convincing actor. Not to sound like a total Scrooge, but Netflix’s “Christmas with You” is such a woefully by-the-numbers approach to the holiday rom-com that it forgets the most important ingredient: it even lacks the spirit of Christmas itself.

In Gabriela Tagliavini’s film, Prinze stars as Miguel, a single dad music teacher whose talented singer daughter Cristina (Deja Monique Cruz) uploads a rendition of pop star Angelina’s (Aimee Garcia) hit track on Instagram. Angelina’s own flailing music career hinges on a Christmas hit, all the better to mimic Mariah Carey’s career (this is an actual reference in the movie) but Angelina just can’t tap into the holiday spirit, as she’s reminded at...

As sweet, sticky and snappy as a candy cane, “Christmas with You” provides a refreshing, sugary boost to any Netflix subscriber’s cinematic diet. This holiday offering, centered on a burnt-out pop star searching for creative inspiration and finding love, welcomes its co-star Freddie Prinze Jr. back to rom-coms, a genre from which he’s been absent for the past two decades. It also delivers unexpected seasonal delights with authentic, universal appeal. The ease with which it packages comedic hijinks and poignancy allows specifics of Latin American culture to shape and broaden its genuine emotional impact. And what a lovely gift that turns out to be.

Recording artist Angelina (Aimee Garcia) has been conquering the pop charts for decades, but finds herself stuck at a creative crossroads. The industry at large and her record producer Barry (Lawrence J. Hughes) are determined to pit her against label-mate/ingénue Cheri (Nicolette Stephanie Templier), who has stronger songs,...

Digital Release Announced for So Vam: "Distribution Solutions, a division of Alliance Entertainment, announces the Digital release of Mutiny Pictures’ So Vam coming June 21, 2022. The queer horror is impressively co-written, produced, and directed by then 16-year-old Alice Maio Mackay, a young trans filmmaker in her feature debut!

Kurt is a high school outcast in a conservative town who dreams of moving to the city to be a famous drag queen. When he is kidnapped by a predatory old vampire and attacked, he is rescued just in time by a gang of rebellious vampires who feed on bigots and abusers. As a

vampire, he finally knows empowerment and belonging. However, his killer is still out there, creating new minions with their own rotten

hatred and threatening all that he loves. Until Kurt faces the monster, he will never truly be free. But, this time, he need not face it alone.

The...

“A tribute to midnight cinema that wears its influenceson its red-soaked sleeve.” — Screen Anarchy

Following a world premiere at the San Francisco International Film Festival and a limited theatrical run in 2010, Peaches Christ’s All About Evil disappeared underground for years, becoming the stuff of legend. Now, the demented, blood-splattered classic is back for good, courtesy of a June 10th special edition Blu-ray release from Severin Films and a North American streaming release on Shudder June 13th. Here’s the trailer:

To celebrate, Peaches Christ herself will present the film at “Peaches Christ 4-d Screenings” along the West Coast, including the Los Feliz 3 in Los Angeles on June 9 and the Victoria Theater in San Francisco on June 11 where the film was shot. Fans in Los Angeles can also attend a Blu-ray signing event at Dark Delicacies on June 12 with Peaches Christ and members of the cast.

All About Evil combines...

The Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Return to Shudder Sunday, May 15: "Fangoria, Fangoria Studios and Shudder announced today that the 2022 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards will premiere on Sunday, May 15th at 7pm Et, exclusively on Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers, and the supernatural.

The ceremony, which recognizes outstanding achievements in horror film and television, will once again be hosted by actor and writer David Dastmalchian, and will feature Dee Wallace, Joe Lo Truglio, Joe Dante, Tracie Thoms, Jim Cummings, Rachel True and the directing team known as Radio Silence among its presenters. (See below for the full presenters list.) This year’s nominees include Candyman, Last Night in Soho, Titane, Chucky, and Midnight Mass. The special is produced by Armen Aghaeian, produced and directed by Ama Lea, and written by Michael Varrati. Executive Producers are Tara Ansley, Abhi Goel, and Phil Nobile Jr.

“Last year’s Chainsaw Awards...

Stars: Christine Prouty, Stuart Packer, Ryan Woodcock, India Lillie Davies, Jake Herbert, Michael Ironside | Written by Michael Varrati | Directed by Maximilian Elfeldt

It’s interesting to see that the classic monsters of yesteryear, the kings of horror storytelling – Dracula, the Mummy, the Wolfman – are all returning to the [small] screen in new and different takes on the existing mythos. Us Brits had a go with films like The Mummy Reborn and its sequel and the more recent Bram Stoker’s Van Helsing; both made on a low budget by indie filmmakers. Now it’s the turn of American indie king’s The Asylum to have a crack at a legendary horror icon with Dracula: The Original Living Vampire – a film whose title would suggest was Supposed to be a cash-in on the Sony/Marvel film Morbius… after all, in the comics Morbius if dubbed “The Living Vampire” too!

But this is definitely no Morbius.

If for some reason Marvel’s Morbius doesn’t catch your interest, maybe Dracula: The Original Living Vampire will take a – Bite – out of your attention. Here’s our review. Directed by Maximilian Elfeldt, and written by Michael Varrati, the film is set in modern-esque times like that of Bram Stoker’s Dracula; however, the setting and […]

The post ‘Dracula: The Original Living Vampire’ Review – ‘Morbius’ Mockbuster Makes for a Fun Remix appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Exclusive: Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr. have signed on to star in an untitled holiday rom-com that Gabriela Tagliavini (Despite Everything) is directing for Netflix.

Pic centers on Angelina, a pop star feeling career burnout, who escapes to grant a young fan’s wish in small town New York. There, she not only finds the inspiration to revitalize her career, but also a shot at true love.

Jennifer C. Stetson and Paco Farias wrote the original screenplay, with Michael Varrati handling revisions.

German Michael Torres is producing for GMT Films, alongside Lucas Jarach, with Eric Brenner serving as the film’s executive producer.

Garcia is a SAG Award nominee known for her series regular role as Ella Lopez in Netflix’s Lucifer. The actress will next be seen in the second season of Hulu’s Woke and in Richard Gray’s Western...

We're only days away from the virtual horror pride festival Frightgown! With over 80 LGBTQ+ horror critics and creators involved, the event is all in support of the Transgender Law Center, and we have all the details on the final schedule of events, including feature films, shorts, panels, hangouts, and much, much more!

Salem Ma - June 22, 2021 - Salem Horror Fest and the Horror Queers podcast have announced the final schedule of events for the inaugural Queer Horror Pride celebration Frightgown, a new 3-day virtual Pride festival celebrating queer voices in a series of features, shorts, panels, virtual hangouts, exclusive content for fans and allies alike in support of the Transgender Law Center this Friday, June 25 - Sunday, June 27.

Headlining the event will be a pair of feature films with the virtual premiere of Bad Girls directed by Christopher Bickel and an encore of Death Drop Gorgeous directed by Michael J Ahern,...

Stars: Vivica A. Fox, Eva Ceja, D.C. Douglas, Erica Duke, Anthony Jensen, Madeleine Falk, Robert Contrado, Jeffery Thomas Johnson, Brandon Lee W., Anna Telfer, Kim Nielsen, Ash Dadvand, Rishi Arya, Torrey B. Lawrence | Written by Marc Gottlieb, Michael Varrati | Directed by Glenn Miller

It had to happen didn’t it. First we had Zombeavers, then Zoombies and its sequel and now the zombie plague hits sea life with Aquarium of the Dead – the latest undead horror from The Asylum. Of course, given this an Asylum release, the timing couldn’t be more perfect – after all once you’ve seen an Army of the Dead you’re going to want to see an aquarium full of them too right?!

Glenn Miller, director of the aforementioned Zoombies films is back behind the camera for this fishy tale, which comes from a story by Michael Varrati (who also co-wrote the excellent Tales of Poe...

Daria Nicolodi, the Italian-born actress who starred in “Inferno” and the cult classic “Deep Red” and also co-write “Suspiria,” died Thanksgiving Day. She was 70 years old. The cause of death has not been released.

Her daughter, actress Asia Argento, posted a heartfelt tribute to her mother along with several family photos on Instagram in announcing the death.

“Rest in peace beloved mother,” the caption written in Italian but translated into English, read. “Now you can fly free with your great spirit and you won’t have to suffer anymore. I will try to go on for your beloved grandchildren and especially for you who would never want to see me so grieved. Even if without you I miss the ground under my feet, and I feel I have lost my only true point of reference. I am close to all those who have known and loved her. I will always be your Aria,...

In his latest interview/podcast, host Stuart Wright talks with Deathcember producers Dominic Saxl / Ivo Scheloske about their 24 days of Xmas Horror Anthology.

Deathcember screens at the following festivals, withews of general release still to be announced;

24 November – Night Visions, Helsinki, Finland 30 November / 01 December – Rojo Sangre, Buenos Aires, Argentina 08 December – PDXTreme Fest, Portland, Or, USA 13 December – Crash International Fff, Goiania, Brazil 19 December – /Slash X-mas, Vienna, Austria 10-19 January – Fantasy Filmfest White Night, Germany

The anthology film is composed of 24 shorts + 3 bonus segments, each inspired by a unique take on holiday terror, with concepts ranging from giallo-inspired to stop-motion to Japanese ghost tales, and beyond every corner of the horror genre. The full list of directors includes Dominic Saxl, Michael Varrati, Lazar Bodroža, Florian Frerichs, Isaac Ezban, Sonia Escolano, Bob Pipe, Steve De Roover, Jürgen Kling, Ama Lea, Sadrac González-Perellón, Julian Richards, Lee Sang-woo, Vivienne Vaughn, Ruggero Deodato, Sam Wineman, Andreas Marschall,...

“Write what you know…fear what you don’t.” Just a few weeks ago we announced that Michael Varrati‘s short film A Halloween Trick would be making its premiere on Dekkoo, a streaming service for gay men, on October 30th. It seems that the platform is planning a bit of a short film release extravaganza, as we’ve just […]...

On the heels of a successful film festival run, the award-winning horror-comedy From Hell, She Rises has bowed online, and you can watch it now at the top of the article! The 2017 short film, written by Michael Varrati and directed by La-based filmmaker Ama Lea, revolves around sultry vampires Marguerite and Alessandra (actresses Sarah […]

The post Exclusive: Ama Lea’s Award-Winning Short From Hell, She Rises Debuts Online! appeared first on Dread Central.

Epic Pictures have acquired the worldwide sales rights for the upcoming Christmas horror anthology Deathcember, which features rising and celebrated directors and talent from around the world in an impressive advent calendar of terror and to accompany the announcement have also released the first teaser trailer and poster!

The anthology was created by Dominic Saxl, who produced alongside Ivo Scheloske, production manager with Anolis Entertainment, and Frank Vogt, COO of Magna Mana Production and made in part thanks to the German HessenFilm fund. Says Saxl:

We’re beyond proud of the film that Deathcember has become. With all the incredible and diverse talent involved, it holds something for every horror fan – and we‘re confident that our collaboration with Epic will give everyone the chance to see for themselves.

Notable directors include Pollyanna McIntosh (Darlin’), Isaac Ezban (Parallel), Lucky McKee, Lee Sang-woo (Barbie) and Ruggero Deodato (Cannibal Holocaust). Segments from...

Shudder is making a Queer Horror Documentary to explore the history of gay themes in horror cinema. The producers behind the critically acclaimed Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror documentary are developing the new project. Sam Wineman is serving as the director and writer for the untitled documentary and it is expected to be ready for release next year. A concrete release date has yet to be revealed by the streaming platform.

The new documentary will take a look at the Lgbtq representation in the horror genre throughout the years and it will feature the work of "pioneering queer creators like James Whale and Clive Barker." Sleepaway Camp, High Tension, and Jennifer's Body are just some of the movies that will be examined in the upcoming doc. Sam Wineman explains.

"While watching Horror Noire, I identified deeply with the discussion of loving a genre and having that love be unrequited.

Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, will explore the history of queer horror films in a new feature-length documentary from writer/director Sam Wineman. The project follows on the heels of “Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror,” which shed new light on how African American characters and creators were used — and misused — across a century of genre cinema. The film premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival and was released to widespread critical acclaim earlier this year.

The untitled documentary will explore the complex, fascinating history of queer horror on film, through the works of pioneering queer creators like James Whale and Clive Barker. The film will examine the coded, sometimes problematic, depiction of Lgbtq+ characters in films like “Sleepaway Camp,” “High Tension” and “Jennifer’s Body.” It will chart the course of queer subjects and creators in the horror genre from the...

June is Pride Month, a month dedicated to the history, recognition, and appreciation of the queer community and all the incredible things they have brought to this world. And we here at Dread Central are proud to add to the conversation and joy by inviting screenwriter and actor Michael Varrati to create a Dread X […] The post Dread X: Deathcember’s Michael Varrati Top 10 Queer Horror Films appeared first on Dread Central.

Scream Queen Caroline Williams Featured On The “Dead For Filth” Podcast Hosted By Michael Varrati Scream Queen Caroline Williams is a featured guest on the latest edition of the “Dead For Filth” podcast hosted by the extremely accomplished screenwriter/producer Michael Varrati. Iconic Scream Queen Caroline Williams began her career in Texas, co-starring for revered cinema …

The post Scream Queen Caroline Williams Featured On The “Dead For Filth” Podcast Hosted By Michael Varrati appeared first on Hnn | Horrornews.net.

Brains! Melons! Rupert Everett! Oh My! The last few weeks on the Horror Queers Podcast we’ve questioned the sheer ineptitude of slasher musical Stage Fright, explored the sibling relationship in Mike Flanagan’s “haunted mirror” film, Oculus, and heralded the thoroughly underrated slasher sequel, Psycho 2 with Dead for Filth‘s Michael Varrati. In the newest episode, Trace challenges his self-professed dislike […]...

Scream Queen Caroline Williams joined the Dead for Filth podcast as a special guest for their latest episode. In it, the panel discusses Williams' many accomplishments and more. Also in today's Horror Highlights: Hellbound Hearts: The Dark Art of Clive Barker event at The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies - London and Don't Click production details.

Dead for Filth Podcast Welcomes Caroline Williams: "Scream Queen Caroline Williams is a featured guest on the latest edition of the “Dead For Filth” podcast hosted by the extremely accomplished screenwriter/producer Michael Varrati.

Iconic Scream Queen Caroline Williams began her career in Texas, co-starring for revered cinema master Louis Malle is his Corpus Christi-based film, Alamo Bay. She worked opposite stars Ed Harris and Amy Madigan in what was her first feature film, after only six months of training at the Studio For Actors, under the tutelage of Chris Wilson. She had...

From the minds of Michael Varrati and Matthew Herrmann, a live reading of William Castle's House on Haunted Hill (1959) will occur for two nights only on Friday, October 5th and Saturday, October 6th at the Cavern Club Celebrity Theater in Silver Lake, California. The live reading cast will include Roz Drezfalez, Drew Droege, Barrett Foa, Sam Pancake, Mitch Silpa, Lynne Stewart, and Molly Tarlov, and we have the full details on the live performances:

Press Release: A live reading of the cult horror film classic “House on Haunted Hill” has been announced for two performances only on Friday, October 5, and Saturday, October 6, at the Cavern Club Celebrity Theater inside Casita Del Campo Restaurant in Silver Lake. The curtain will rise at 9pm for both performances.

Conceived by Michael Varrati and Matthew Herrmann, “House on Haunted Hill” will feature the talents of (in alphabetical order) drag favorite Roz Drezfalez, Drew Droege (Bright Colors,...