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Dazzler Media presents gaming-inspired, comedy-adventure Max Reload and the Nether Blasters coming to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital from 24th January. Max Reload and the Nether Blasters is a retro, action-packed comedy-adventure featuring a top cast including Hassie Harrison (Yellowstone), Joey Morgan (Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse), Joseph Reitman (Happy!), Greg Grunberg (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), Kevin Smith (Clerks), [...]

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Joey Morgan, the actor who made his debut in 2015’s Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse and garnered additional attention for his performance in the Max Winkler’s 2017 Tribeca Film Festival premiere Flower, died yesterday at the age of 28. A cause of death has not been disclosed.

“Joey Morgan came into my life nearly 9 years ago when I made Scouts,” tweeted Christopher Landon, director of the comedy Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. “He was quiet, funny, intelligent and thoughtful. And when the cameras rolled he was magnetic. He passed today and the news is heartbreaking. I am honored to have known him.”

A native of Chicago, and brother of actor Trevor Morgan, Morgan made his film debut in the Landon horror comedy, playing Augie Foster, one of three Boy Scouts defending his town against the undead creatures of the title. He costarred with Tye Sheridan and Logan Miller, who played the other two Scouts,...

Hollywood is mourning the loss of a rising star. Actor Joey Morgan, who starred in films Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse and Flower, died on Nov. 21 at the age of 28. "Joey Morgan passed away early Sunday morning," his rep confirmed to THR. "It was a shock and devastated all of us who loved him. He will be dearly missed. We hope everyone understands how painful this is for his loved ones and can respect boundaries and allow them to grieve in private." No additional details, including Joey's cause of death, have been shared publicly at this time. Joey's friend and Flower co-star, Zoey Deutch, took to social media on Sunday to honor him. "rest in peace...

Joey Morgan, star of comedies Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, Flower and Compadres, has died. He was 28.

“Joey Morgan passed away early Sunday morning. It was a shock and devastated all of us who loved him. He will be dearly missed. We hope everyone understands how painful this is for his loved ones and can respect boundaries and allow them to grieve in private,” a rep for the actor said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death was given.

Scouts director Christopher Landon paid tribute to the actor on Twitter, writing, “Joey Morgan came into ...

Joey Morgan, star of comedies Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, Flower and Compadres, has died. He was 28.

“Joey Morgan passed away early Sunday morning. It was a shock and devastated all of us who loved him. He will be dearly missed. We hope everyone understands how painful this is for his loved ones and can respect boundaries and allow them to grieve in private,” a rep for the actor said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death was given.

Scouts director Christopher Landon paid tribute to the actor on Twitter, writing, “Joey Morgan came into ...

Max Reload And The Nether Blasters, hitting theaters on August 7, and VOD on August 11. The film stars Greg Grunberg, Tom Plumley, Hassie Harrison, Joey Morgan, Lukas Gage, Joseph D. Reitman and Richard Lippert with Kevin Smith, Lin Shaye, Martin Kove, Jesse Kove, and featuring the voice of Wil Wheaton. When small-town video game store …

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It has taken mainstream society more than a generation to grasp the idea that computer gaming is a social phenomenon and a legitimately satisfying part of many people's lives. With the revamped Jumanji series leading the way, an increasing number of films have been tapping into this, often with a distinctive Eighties vibe that harks back to the brief period when they were cool before. Thanks to the involvement of genre stars including Kevin Smith, Lin Shaye and Will Wheaton, this one has secured a fairly high profile release that will bring hope to all the directors out there making small scale indie gaming films, and it has enough going on to thrill gaming fans.

Max Jenkins (Tom Plumley), known to his friends as Max Reload, is a dedicated gaming nerd who works in a gaming store with best friends Liz (Hassie Harrison) and Reggie (Joey Morgan), who occasionally look.

Retro games have an appeal that even their Aaa titles on the Playstation 4 and Xbox One can’t quite compete with. Things for the original Nintendo Entertainment System, and before, contain a portal back to childhood that’s pretty singular. In crafting a sci-fi film that pays tribute to those sort of games, Max Reload and the Nether Blasters manages to pull off something fairly unique. It won’t necessarily be for everyone, but gamers and those who appreciate the games of an era past will find it pretty clever. Even beyond that crowd, it’s just a solid little action comedy that’s vying for your attention this weekend. The movie is a mix of action and comedy, filtered through a science fiction lens. Set in a small town, video game store clerk and gaming expert Max Jenkins (Tom Plumley) is about to discover a killer game. Long a...

Max Reload And The Nether Blasters is hitting theaters on August 7, and VOD on August 11. The film stars Greg Grunberg, Tom Plumley, Hassie Harrison, Joey Morgan, Lukas Gage, Joseph D. Reitman and Richard Lippert with Kevin Smith, Lin Shaye, Martin Kove, Jesse Kove, and featuring the voice of Wil Wheaton. When small-town video …

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"What would happen if the game went mobile?" Another retro video game fantasy adventure! Max Reload & The Nether Blasters is the creation of filmmakers Scott Conditt & Jeremy Tremp, and it's debuting sometime later this year. A small town video game store clerk must go from zero to hero after accidentally unleashing the forces of evil from a cursed Colecovision game... It's up to Max and his best friends Reggie and Lizalong with old-school gaming gurus Eugene Wylder and Barton Grabowski ​to figure out how to beat the dark forces of The Nether before it's Game Over for humanity. Ha ha. Sounds fun, doesn't it? Starring Tom Plumley, Joey Morgan, Hassie Harrison, Greg Grunberg, and Joseph Reitman. And it also features Kevin Smith, Lin Shaye, Martin Kove, and voice talent by Wil Wheaton. Max Reload & The Nether Blasters is a "love letter to gaming, retro nostalgia and the wonderfully ridiculous plotlines of 1980s adventure-cinema.

Exclusive: Mvd Entertainment Group has picked up the North American distribution rights to Max Reload and the Nether Blasters, a gaming action-adventure film written and directed by Scott Conditt and Jeremy Tremp. Jay and Silent Bob and Comic Book Men’s Kevin Smith stars alongside Tom Plumley (Upright Citizen’s Brigade alum), Hassie Harrison (Tacoma Fd), Joey Morgan (Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse), Lukas Gage (Euphoria), Joseph D. Reitman (Money Monster), Charlie Talbert (The Big Short), and Greg Grunberg (Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker). Mvd will release the pic in theaters and on multiple VOD platforms this summer.

The plot follows a small town video game store clerk who must go from zero to hero after accidentally unleashing the forces of evil from a cursed Colecovision game… Max Jenkins’ gaming fantasies collide with reality when a legendary “lost” installment of the Nether Game series appears on...

Last week the first trailer was released for a new sci-fi/horror comedy series called Critters: A New Binge, which is coming to Shudder. Now, we learning that the SyFy Channel secretly shot a new Critters movie based on director Stephen Herek’s 1986 cult film.

According to JoBlo, the project has already finished production. It was shot in South Africa and it was directed by Bobby Miller (The Cleanse). The best part of this is, the original film’s lead actress Dee Wallace is also said to star in the film! She hinted at her involvement with the film in an interview with Bionic Buzz, which you can watch below.

There are no details about the new Critters movie, and there were a bunch of production photos posted on Instagram, but many of those photos have since been removed after word got out.

The original 1986 movie centered on a family...

Though the Critters films have never been popular with the critics, the franchise’s four-movie run from 1986 to 1992 apparently left enough of an impression on horror fans for the series to be resurrected decades later in the form of an upcoming TV show titled Critters: A New Binge.

With a title so inescapably reminiscent of the 1990 film Gremlins 2: The New Batch, it’s almost as though Critters is embracing its reputation as a Gremlins rip-off franchise, though going by the show’s first trailer, A New Binge is leaning further into campy comedy than the Critters’ mogwai cousins ever did. Complete with goofy, gory death scenes, over-the-top acting and low-budget FX, the 1-minute preview should provide all the footage you need to decide whether or not the series is for you.

Earlier this week, it was announced that streaming service Shudder had acquired exclusive Us rights to A New Binge,...

Joseph Baxter Feb 28, 2019

The classic Critters horror film franchise is returning in the form of a TV series that’s set for streaming service Shudder.

Critters may be but one of several campy horror franchises from the 1980s to – akin to the soon-to-be-animated Gremlins – feature diminutive multiplying mini-monsters, but the imagery of its eponymous alien invaders – resembling demonic bipedal versions of Star Trek Tribbles with shark teeth and T-Rex arms – make them especially memorable, even if the poster image of the toilet monster from Ghoulies was more memorable in its ability to make tense experiences out of nature’s call for a generation. Regardless, Critters is getting a long-overdue return.

AMC Networks’ horror-centric Shudder streaming service will be the platform for a revival television series bearing the meta-minded title, Critters: A New Binge. Moreover, the series is arriving a lot sooner than you might have thought, since the announcement reveals...

(l-r) Dylan Gelula as Kala, Zoey Deutch as Erica, and Maya Eshet as Claudine, in Max Winkler’s Flower. Photo courtesy of The Orchard.

Director Max Winkler takes the “troubled teen” concept of Rebel Without A Cause and refreshes it by casting a 17-year-old girl as the teen. Flower is a film that at first looks like a trashy “bad girl” tale takes an unexpected detour into fresh territory, becoming an unexpected and affecting mix of dark humor and human drama leading to self-discovery and a satisfying end.

Director Max Winkler (Ceremony) took any unusual approach with what had been considered an un-producible script by young adult author Alex McAuley. The director re-worked the script with co-writer Matt Spicer (Ingrid Goes West) then hired as many women as he could for his film crew, including director of photography Carolina Costa, and actually actively listened to them, along with his lead...

In Flower, Erica (Zoey Deutch), 17 years old and ready to spread her wings, is still adjusting to the idea of living with her mother Laurie (Kathryn Hahn) and Laurie's new boyfriend Bob (Tim Heidecker). Things get infinitely more complicated when Bob's mentally unbalanced son Luke (Joey Morgan), fresh out of rehab, moves in with the family. In our exclusive clip from Flower, we see the awkward tension between the new family members that is on ample display. The simple act of ordering...

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The art house scene saw two new films enter theaters in L.A. and New York: The Orchard’s dramedy “Flower” and Good Deed’s antiwar film “Journey’s End.” “Flower” opened on three screens and had the highest per screen average of the weekend, earning $57,851 for a PSA of $19,284. The film will expand to 20 major markets next weekend, followed by a nationwide release on March 30. Premiering at Tribeca last year and starring Zoey Deutch, “Flower” follows a young woman named Erica who decides to help her severely depressed stepbrother Luke (Joey Morgan) stalk and expose a man he thinks sexually assaulted him,...

Equal parts vulgar and endearing, Flower joins the ranks of recent female-led comedies such as Ingrid Goes West and The Edge of Seventeen that force you to empathize with the main character, regardless of how unlikable they may be. Though not as socially conscious as Ingrid and not as cohesive as Seventeen, Flower remains an inventive and surprising entry that appears to be very aware of (and even afraid of) its own boldness.

Flower revolves around Erica (Zoey Deutch), a promiscuous high-schooler whose main hobby is performing oral sex on older men and blackmailing them with her friends, with the goal of saving up enough money to bail her dad out of jail. As if that wasn’t ethically murky enough, her life becomes more tumultuous when her mom’s new boyfriend (the wonderfully awkward Tim Heidecker) retrieves his anxiety-ridden son, Luke (Joey Morgan) out of rehab. But what starts...

The warrior women of Wakanda are joined this week by Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, but those aren’t the only powerful women in theaters. Zoey Deutch stars in Flower, playing Erica. Erica and her friends Kala (Dylan Gelula) and Claudine (Maya Eshet) like to blackmail men who have sex with teenagers. Things take a dark turn when Erica’s mom (Kathryn Hahn) starts dating Bob (Tim Heidecker). Bob’s son Luke (Joey Morgan) reveals that he’s been abused, so Erica and her friends turn to Luke’s abuser (Adam Scott) to avenge him. Max Winkler directed Flower. The son of actor and director […]

The post Flower star Zoey Deutch & director Max Winkler on making the female Risky Business appeared first on Monsters and Critics.

A breakthrough performance by a talented young actress is always a sight to behold. Last year at the Tribeca Film Festival, I saw Zoey Deutch own the screen in Flower. This independent picture has stayed with me for almost 12 full months, mainly due to Deutch’s captivating turn. She is riveting, to the point where I’m just as eager to fete her performance today as I was in the moments after that Tribeca screening ended last April. That’s the mark of a talented actress, and Deutch is certainly one. In fact, within the next few years, I’m sure I’ll be writing about her as an A-lister and potentially even an award winner. The movie is an indie black comedy/coming of age story. Erica (Deutch) is a troublemaking teen who, when we first meet her, is blackmailing a small-town cop after performing a sexual act on him.

As March brings a close to 2017 in cinema with the Academy Awards, there are also a great number of noteworthy 2018 films making their way to theaters, ranging from animated adventures to dark comedies to ambitious blockbusters. Looking further back, in terms of restorations that are touring the country, don’t miss Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach, Mind Game, Police Story, and Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day.

Matinees to See: They Remain (3/2), Red Sparrow (3/2), Souvenir (3/2), The Leisure Seeker (3/9), Gringo (3/9), Ramen Heads (3/16), 12 Days (3/16), Keep the Change (3/16), 7 Days in Entebbe (3/16), Roxanne Roxanne (3/23), I Kill Giants (3/23), Game Over, Man! (3/23), Final Portrait (3/23), Salomé & Wilde Salomé (3/30), Outside In (3/30)

15. Ready Player One (Steven Spielberg; March 29)

Synopsis: When the creator of a virtual reality world called the Oasis dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all Oasis users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune. Wade Watts finds...

Max Winkler’s debut Ceremony was an assured indie dramedy and now eight years later, he’s back with his follow-up. Flower, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, has the impressive cast of Zoey Deutch, Kathryn Hahn, Adam Scott, Tim Heidecker, Joey Morgan, Dylan Gelula, and Maya Eshet. Ahead of release this March, The Orchard has debuted the full trailer. Telling the story of the Everybody Wants Some!! star as an L.A. teen who loves to rebel with her group of friends, and gets in a bit over her head, it looks like Winkler has cooked up another witty, well-observed comedy.

See the trailer and poster below.

Rebellious, quick-witted Erica Vandross (Zoey Deutch) is a 17-year-old firecracker living with her single mom Laurie (Kathryn Hahn) and mom’s new boyfriend Bob (Tim Heidecker) in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley. When Bob’s mentally unbalanced son...

"So what's the plan?" The Orchard has debuted the second official trailer for an teen-angst dramedy titled Flower, from director Max Winkler (of the film Ceremony). This follows up the first red band teaser trailer. Flower stars the awesome Zoey Deutch as a young rebellious teen who decides to act out and band with her two friends to expose the kinky secrets of sexy high-school teacher Will, played by Adam Scott. Things get wacky and weird. The film's full cast includes Kathryn Hahn, Joey Morgan, Tim Heidecker, Dylan Gelula, Maya Eshet, plus Eric Edelstein. This looks hilarious, there's a few times I actually laughed out loud watching this trailer. Really looking forward to seeing this! Damn, where did it come from? Have fun. Here's the second official trailer for Max Winkler's Flower, direct from The Orchard's YouTube: You can still watch the red band teaser + see the poster for Flower here,...

When Alex McAuley’s screenplay “Flower” made the Black List of most liked unproduced screenplays back in 2012, its simple logline was eye-popping in its possibilities: “A coming of age story about the unlikely bond that forms between a sexually adventurous teenage girl and her obese, mentally unstable step-brother.” Though it took another five years to be made — thanks to the addition of director and co-screenwriter Max Winkler and his partner, Matt Spicer, who recently broke out with his “Ingrid Goes West” — the final product is a snappy combination of McAuley’s big ideas, Winkler and Spicer’s off-kilter wit, and the full-force charm of star Zoey Deutch.

Read More:‘Flower’ Review: ‘Badlands’ Meets ‘The Bling Ring’ In Strange And Sexy Coming-Of-Age Story That Certifies Zoey Deutch As a Major Star — Tribeca 2017

As 17-year-old Erica Vandross, Deutch is a wild, funny, smart, and unique leading lady, tasked with carrying a coming-of-age tale of a different stripe.

Max Winkler’s latest pic Flower addresses the very serious topic child predation with an irreverent hand — and the new trailer perfectly illustrates that. Zoey Deutch stars as Erica, an R-rated fast-talking Juno-meets-Gilmore Girls-esque 17-year-old who is as feisty as she is quick-witted. In the video above, we see her and her mom (Kathryn Hahn) welcome her new boyfriend’s (Tim Heidecker) mentally unbalanced son Luke (Joey Morgan) from rehab to live with the family. As a…...

"We're vigilantes - it's our moral obligation." The Orchard has debuted the first red band teaser trailer for an teen-angst dramedy titled Flower, from director Max Winkler (of the film Ceremony). You wouldn't expect a young adult comedy to need a red band trailer, but this gets wicked fast. It's only red bad for the language, nothing else, so don't expect too much with this teaser. Flower stars the awesome Zoey Deutch as a young rebellious teen who decides to act out and band with her two friends to expose the kinky secrets of sexy high-school teacher Will, played by Adam Scott. Things get wacky and weird. The full cast includes Kathryn Hahn, Joey Morgan, Tim Heidecker, Dylan Gelula, Maya Eshet, plus Eric Edelstein. This looks very funky and very angsty, which seems like it may be fun sometimes, but annoying other times. Here's the first red band teaser trailer for Max Winkler's Flower,...

Chicago – The 16th Tribeca Film Festival wrapped last Sunday (April 30, 2017) and the award-winning films of the festival have been named. Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com was there for the first week of Tribeca and files his personal best of the films he experienced.

This is Patrick switching to first person, and I was able to see 13 media and film works, and took a turn in the “Immersive” or Virtual Reality arcade (there will a separate article on that experience). I sampled TV, short films, documentaries and narrative films, and rank them from first preferred on down, but honestly I didn’t see anything that I didn’t like, which is a testament to the programmers of this iconic film festival.

The following are the prime 13, and an indication of when they are scheduled to release…

“Flower”

’Flower,’ Directed by Max Winkler

Photo credit: Tribeca Film Festival

What seems like a “Juno” rip-off,...

Max Winkler’s “Flower” is nothing if not a coming-of-age story, but it’s explicitly clear from the very first scene that the film’s teen characters have already lost their innocence a long time ago. We open in the front seat of a cop car, as 17-year-old Erica (“Before I Fall” star Zoey Deutch, acing another tricky lead role) gives a dispassionate blowjob to a uniformed police officer. Not that she doesn’t enjoy giving head — Erica has a sketchbook filled with immaculate drawings of every penis that she’s ever put in her mouth — but, like just about all of her sexual encounters to date, this hook up is purely transactional. When the cop asks her where she learned to suck dick like that, Erica bluntly replies: “Middle school.”

It’s a simple grift, and one that’s never played for titillation: Erica uses her jailbait charms to...

The Orchard has made the first purchase of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, picking up Max Winkler’s dark teenage comedy “Flower,” TheWrap has learned. The film, which had its world premiere at Tribeca this past Thursday, stars Zoey Deutch as a 17-year-old girl in the San Fernando Valley who has to deal with her mother’s new boyfriend (Tim Heidecker) and his estranged son (Joey Morgan) while making money with her friends as a makeshift vigilante group. Max Winkler, who is the son of “Happy Days” star Henry Winkler, directed the film and co-wrote the script with Alex McAulay and Matt.

Every festival offers up the possibility of discovering something new — new stars, new films, new shows, new platforms — and this year’s Tribeca Film Festival is no different. Now in its sixteenth year, the New York City-set festival continues to grow and change, while constantly embracing what’s new and what’s next. The 2017 edition of the festival includes plenty of rising names to get excited about, from writers and directors to actors and actual platforms for hot content delivery. Who’s going to change the industry in the coming years? We’ve got some ideas.

This year’s Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 19 – 30. Check out some of the hottest breakouts to watch out for at the fest.

Read More: Tribeca 2017: 14 Must-See Films From This Year’s Festival

Brian Shoaf, writer and director, “Aardvark”

Not much is known about Brian Shoaf, whose IMDb page is currently topped...

While Independence Day: Resurgence isn’t going over as well as the original, we found some things to appreciate. Nonetheless, Roland Emmerich is already gearing up for another sci-fi mammoth. Deadline reports Emmerich is teaming up with long-time collaborating writer Harald Kloser for Moonfall, which the pair wrote together in 2012 with screenwriter Spencer Cohen. Apparently a mix between Emmerich’s own 2012 and Spielberg’s Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Moonfall’s titular event is quite literal as a band of misfits must unite to save our planet and everyone on it when the moon drops from orbit and plummets towards Earth.

There’s no dates attached to the project, but it has been fast-tracked by Universal and will be co-produced by Emmerich and Kloser. In the meantime, read our review of Independence Day: Resurgence and watch a video essay on why the original has held up after 20 years.

In...

Exclusive: Zoey Deutch, Kathryn Hahn, Tim Heidecker and Adam Scott have been set to star in Flower, the Max Winkler-directed coming-of-age story. The script, which made the Black List, was written by Ya author-turned scribe Alex McAulay. Pic, about an unlikely bond that forms between a sexually adventurous teenage girl and her mentally unstable step-brother, will start production this summer. Joey Morgan, Dylan Gelula, Maya Eshet, Eric Edelstein and Romy Byrne will also…...

Zoey Deutch, Kathryn Hahn, Tim Heidecker and Adam Scott have been set to star in the Max Landis-directed coming of age tale "Flower".

Young adult author turned scribe Alex McAulay will pen the story about an unlikely bond between a sexually adventurous teenage girl and her mentally unstable step-brother.

Joey Morgan, Dylan Gelula, Maya Eshet, Eric Edelstein and Romy Byrne also star and production is currently slated to begin this Summer. Brandon James, Matt Spicer, Eric B. Fleischman and Sean Tabibian will produce.

Source: Deadline...

Mexican comedian Omar Chaparro partners up with all-American actor Joey Morgan for the action comedy, Compadres. CineMovie sat down with the two actors to talk about their odd coupling on set and off, and what buddy comedies are their favorites. Chaparro also discusses his first time playing it serious for the bilingual movie which also stars his buddy Eugenio Derbez's daughter Aislinn Derbez who he had to kiss in the movie. He tells CineMovie's Sue Evelyn Gil that scene was very difficult for him because of his friendship with her father. 

Read More ...

Known in Mexico and by audiences across Latin America for his humorous impressions, satirical characters, and his skills as an entertaining host for a variety of TV shows, actor and comedian Omar Chaparro has spent the past few years actively pursuing a career in film.

One of his most recent successes, both in Mexico and in the Spanish-speaking U.S. market, is the film “Pulling Strings,” which is one in a series of box-office hits for production company Pantelion. In that film, a romantic comedy with bicultural sensibilities, Chaparro played a role close to those he previously had delved into during his years in television. But for his latest project, “Compadres,” in which he is the protagonist, the performer decided to challenge himself by bringing to life a Mexican police officer who friends a young American hacker.

Because of the physicality required for the role and the dramatic undertones in the screenplay, this is a departure for Chaparro, who clearly is aiming to broaden his acting skills and the audience for his work. In our conversation with the actor we discuss his role as Garza, who deviates from the Mexican stereotypes, his relationship with co-star Joey Morgan, and yet another upcoming project with Pantelion to be released later this year.

"Compadres" opens on April 22 across the U.S.

Aguilar: Garza is a character significantly different from those you have played in the past. It feels like a real departure in your career. Tell me about the challenges of making this transition into a more serious role.

Omar Chaparro: It was a challenge for multiple reasons. Physically I had to train harder and they also wanted to make a more human character. He is a Mexican character that knows how to defend himself. They also wanted to make the actios sequences seem as realistic as possible. They didn’t want the shoot-outs, the punches, the kicks, and the explosions to look cheap, so I had to take my role very seriously. I do think that I left some aspects of what I had been doing on television behind, even though this is my eight film. I believe this is a much more serious character despite the film being an action comedy. He is an honest cop. He is strong, brave, and audacious, but he is also someone who is going through an extreme situation, which is the kidnapping of a loved one. He is definitely a character with more nuances that what I had been doing. It is a bit more distant from comedy and closer to reality.

Aguilar: One of the most refreshing elements about your role is that he is not another version of the stereotypical Mexican character we often see in American films. It's a film that takes place between Mexico and the U.S., but a Mexican lead. Was that part of the appeal for you?

Omar Chaparro: Yes of course. I loved the fact that this is a bicultural film that reflects the reality of life on the border, the differences between the "Gringos" and the Mexicans, and how we coexist and can become friends. But I also enjoyed that my character is an antihero. He is different, and I think that it will let the audience see a different type of Mexican in a Hollywood film. He is not the gardener or the one that crosses the border illegally and is being chased by Ice. He is a good cop, almost like a Mexican Bruce Willis. That’s something we hadn’t really seen before and that makes it fun.

Aguilar: Part of what makes this comedy work is the banter between you and your co-star Joey Morgan who plays Vic. Was this friendship developed organic during the set? How was the experience of working with someone from a very different background and with different experiences?

Omar Chaparro: It was very fun. We clicked right from the first day we met. I lived in the U.S. for a year many years ago - I lived in Boise, Idaho more specifically. I was living with a young guy similar to him. In real life he is kind of bipolar, very sensitive, passionate, and intense. He reminded of that kid 20 years ago when I was living in Idaho. I think that’s part of why we created such a strong bond. He became my friend. We went out partying. We went to the Gloria Trevi concert and he slept over at my place. The chemistry between us was real and you can see that in the film. There are scenes where we are improvising and playing around. The song we perform in the movie, the one called “Puto” by Molotov, wasn’t even on the screenplay. We were inside the car as the camera was rolling and I started singing it and he joined me. We didn’t even know they were recording us until we heard the director yell out, “Don’t cut.” He liked it and that’s why it’s in the film.

Aguilar: In a sense you showed him a different side of Mexican culture.

Omar Chaparro: Yes! He liked it. But he also taught me things. I feel like despite his young age he has great cinematic chops as well as an agile talent for comedy. He can also instantaneously get into a dramatic performance. He would give me advice on acting and even on my accent and English pronunciation. He was like my dialect coach.

Aguilar: How important is it for you, in the roles you choose to play, that they have an element of comedy since it's something you do so well? There is definitely much more than just fun gags in "Compadres."

Omar Chaparro: The film is very balanced. It’s a movie with a lot heart. Besides the action scenes that are also very well realized, there are lots of scenes that make you laugh. It’s a film about how these characters and these cultures intertwine. We even see the cop risking his life for this kid or the kid getting emotional in the climax of the film. That’s something very beautiful, and I think audiences will connect with these emotional aspects of the film.

Aguilar: Speaking of that, it seems like the relationship between you and Joey in the film is almost like that of a father and a son. He doesn't have a father and Garza is a afraid of starting a family and losing his freedom.

Omar Chaparro: They complement each other. He is a kid that spends his time locked in his room behind a computer. He doesn’t know anything else. He is a lonely kid that takes care of his grandfather. His parents died when he was very young and he never had a father figure in his life besides his grandfather, who is in a home. Garza, on the other hand, is a lone wolf that lives in a camper and that doesn’t think about having a family. They complement each other and they quickly develop a beautiful and affectionate friendship in the midst of the shoot-outs and chases.

Aguilar: Have you found it difficult to get work in bigger films, in particular in the U.S. where non-white actors tend to have a harder time getting leading roles?

Omar Chaparro: I don’t like to use the word difficult, I prefer to say “not so easy.” This is a country with so much diversity and where there’s a lot of competition. When there is a casting call for a TV show or a film, besides the actors that are already in Hollywood, there are also actors from Ireland, Australia, Guatemala, and elsewhere trying to get the part. The tapes come from all over the world for any role. The competition is arduous and it’s not very easy to get a lead role. I’m very fortunate to be in a film of this size as the protagonist, even though I’m aware that I still have a long way to go I’m enjoying this moment. I’m enjoying everything, from the reviews to the fact that people are supporting the film. It’s almost a miracle that this is actually happening, so I really want to enjoy this moment.

Aguilar: Is there any specific character that you would like to play in the future now that your career has broadened beyond comedy?

Omar Chaparro: As an actor, an also because I’m very hyperactive, I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied. I think happiness exists in the middle ground between appreciating what you have and always wanting more. That’s what I’m doing. I’m appreciating this action comedy right now, but I want to know what’s next. I want to play roles that challenge me. I’m very comfortable in comedies, but I’d love to play perhaps a boxer, someone from another country, or even a famous drug dealer. Maybe star in a movie about the life of El Chapo Guzman, why not? [Laughs}.

Aguilar: Where you hesitant about embarking in this project because of the demands in involved, included the fighting sequences and the physical strength and abilities that would entail?

Omar Chaparro: I believe that when Francisco González, the producer of the film, thought of me for this leading role, he knew that he wanted an actor that had experience doing comedy but that could also be believable during the action sequences. I have the pleasure of being his friend, and he knows that throughout most of my life I trained in karate Shotokai. Probably that also motivated him to think of me. I did tell him, “I’m a little rusty because I haven’t trained in a while,” but they say that what you learn well you never forget. In any case we trained boxing and Krav Maga, a different martial art style, for several weeks before we started shooting. I think that helped a lot while choreographing the sequences.

Aguilar: Given that the film will play in both sides of the border, was there any concern about whether the comedy would work for both Spanish-speaking audiences and those who only speak English?

Omar Chaparro: Comedy is always different in Spanish and in English. American comedy is different, so the biggest challenge for this film was for it to be understandable in both cultures. The film is about to be released in the U.S, but in Mexico the film is already a success. It did so well that there has been talks of a sequel, “Compadres 2.” We are waiting to see how people here in the U.S. react to it. One of the writers,Ted Perkins, is a gringo, and the other is Gabriel Ripstein, who is Mexican, so they were very careful so the comedy could work for both cultures. That has a lot to do with the story itself. If the characters are real and the story is authentic, then the comedy will work in any country.

Aguilar: What are your future plans? Will you go back to television or continue seeking roles in films? I understand you already have another upcoming film.

Omar Chaparro: I want to continue learning. I’m excited to make more films and I want to improve my English. We also just shot a film called “No Manches Frida,” which will open in theaters on September 2nd, and it also stars Marta Higareda. It’s based on a very famous German story that was adapted into Spanish. I believe that it can become a box-office success both in Mexico and in the U.S. I’m very happy, we are just now finishing promotion for “Compadres,” and we are going to start promoting this other film in August. Cinema is opening its doors to me and I’m very excited.

Aguilar: Would you say part of this increased in opportunities and production in terms of Mexican films with bicultural appeal has to do with Pantelion's efforts?

Omar Chaparro: Yes. Pantelion has been taking chances on good and different stories like “Comapadres.” It’s a film that is working with a genre that hadn’t been done in Mexico in a long time and with a unique tone, and I think the audiences really appreciate that. Gringos are going to enjoy the film as well because about 60% of the dialogue in the film is in English. We can only hope that the film does as well here as it did in Mexico.

See Full Gallery Here

Omar Chaparro and Joey Morgan (Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse) make for an unlikely buddy-cop duo in today’s exclusive batch of images for Enrique Begne’s action-comedy, Compadres.

Arriving by way of Pantelion Films, Begne has assembled an all-star cast for the action flick, placing Chaparro in the role of former Mexican cop, Garza. Framed for a crime he didn’t commit, Garza’s only hope of rescuing his significant other – and clearly his name in the process – is to partner with Vic, a tech whizz-kid with the hacking ability to help his new partner track down an old nemesis named Santos. Before he tracks them down, that is.

Joining Chaparro and Morgan for the actioner are Eric Roberts, Kevin Pollak, Erick Elías, Aislinn Derbez, Camila Sodi, Héctor Jiménez, Mauricio Barrientos and José Sefami.

Lock and load! Pantelion Films will roll out Compadres via...

Happy 2016, everyone! I sure hope you received some shopping money this holiday season, as this first week of horror and sci-fi home entertainment releases is a big one and we’ve got a lot to look forward to. Two of my personal favorites of 2015 are making their way home this week to Blu-ray and DVD—Deathgasm and Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse—and Universal is serving up a double dose of terror with their releases of The Green Inferno and The Visit.

Scream Factory is also keeping busy with their double feature Blu-ray of The House Where Evil Dwells / Ghost Warrior and Over Your Dead Body, the latest from Takashi Miike. Other notable releases on January 5th include The Inhabitants, Wrecker, Condemned, and Kill Game.

Deathgasm (Dark Sky Films, Blu-ray & DVD)

High School is Hell! Metal-thrashing Brodie is an outcast in a sea of jocks and cheerleaders until he...

As a means of contributing more awesome cat photos to the "Interwebs", the makers of Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse created a website dedicated to zombifying your feline friend. Also: a clip from Scouts Guide, Jack's Back Blu-ray details, Unotld comic details, a 400 Days trailer, Howl release details, and Indigenous stills.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse: "Zombify Your Cat allows you to transform little Fluffy into a terrifyingly hungry undead creation.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse is available now on Digital HD and On Demand, and will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/5.

Three scouts and lifelong friends join forces with one badass cocktail waitress to become the world’s most unlikely team of heroes. When their peaceful town is ravaged by a zombie invasion, they’ll fight for the badge of a lifetime and put their scouting skills to the test to save mankind from the undead.

One of the most sexist movies I’ve ever seen. Male juvenile fantasy at its most tired, its most obvious, its most banal, and its most infuriating. I’m “biast” (pro): who doesn’t like a good zombie movie?

I’m “biast” (con): good zombie movies are few and far between

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

It’s not scary and it’s not funny, but this alleged horror comedy does earn one distinction: it’s one of the most sexist movies I’ve ever seen. After a slacker janitor in a biolab accidentally unleashes a zombie plague, three faux Boy Scouts — they are members of the “American Scout Society” — find themselves reexamining their friendship while fighting their way through hordes of the walking undead in their small town, culminating in one of them getting to rescue the girl of his dreams, which, of course,...

It’s no Shaun of the Dead – despite copying a few tricks from it – but this silly zombie action romp has some good laughs

As well as many other cheerfully offensive points, this zombie teen action-comedy has some speculation about what happens when animals, as well as humans, get bitten by the horrible bug. It doesn’t have the poignancy or satire shown in Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead – although the fight scene accompanied by Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 is Wrightesque – but there are laughs. Ben (played by Tye Sheridan – from Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life) is a member of a local scout troop, along with sex-obsessed Carter (Logan Miller) and nerdy Augie (Joey Morgan). Ben senses that the scout uniform is not exactly a babe magnet, but when the zombie apocalypse hits, it’s these boys’ can-do scouting spirit that is going to save their local community.

Starring Tye Sheridan, Joey Morgan, Logan Miller, Sarah Dumont and David Koechner, Scouts Guide to the Apocalypse tells the story of three scouts and lifelong friends who join forces with one badass cocktail waitress to become the world’s most unlikely team of heroes… When their peaceful town is ravaged by a zombie invasion, they’ll fight for the badge of a lifetime and put their scouting skills to the test to save mankind from the undead.

Directed by Christopher Landon, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse is released in UK cinemas on November 6th.

Playing in theaters now is the horror comedy Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse

Wamg has your free passes to see the movie for the first time or to see it again!

Three scouts and lifelong friends join forces with one badass cocktail waitress to become the world’s most unlikely team of heroes. When their peaceful town is ravaged by a zombie invasion, they’ll fight for the badge of a lifetime and put their scouting skills to the test to save mankind from the undead.

From director Christopher Landon, the film stars Tye Sheridan, David Koechner, Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan, Sarah Dumont and Cloris Leachman.

For your chance to win Run-of-engagement passes to see the film in the St. Louis area, enter:

Your Name And E-mail In Our Comments Section Below. We Will Contact You If You Are A Winner.

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Winners Will Be Chosen From All Qualifying Entries.

Earlier this month we got to chat to the cast and filmmakers involved in Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. First up we give you the lead characters. The young cast of Scouts Guide to The Zombie Apocalypse reveal their unbridled enthusiasm for their roles in this scarily funny Halloween movie. Find out why model

The post Logan Miller, Sarah Dumont & Joey Morgan exclusive Interview – Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse appeared first on HeyUGuys.

[Editor's Note: We're bringing some of our columns from Deadly Magazine into Daily Dead as well and today we have a look at our review roundup from Monte he likes to call "Movie Mayhem." Each month, he'll give you the rundown on movies he watched over the last 30 days that you may be interested in checking out. In the first installment on Daily Dead, find out what he thought of Bone Tomahawk, Tales of Halloween, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, and more...]

Bone Tomahawk: It’s a horror film, but it’s mostly a western. Add Kurt Russell, some cannibals and basically point me in the direction of the movie theater because I’m sold. “Bone Tomahawk” is an impressive film, one of the best of the year so far; a mix of unusual humor, touches of thoroughly effective and satisfying horror, a beautifully rendered western era composition, and stunning performances from an impressive cast. Richard Jenkins, known to horror fans as one of the operators of horror in “The Cabin in the Woods”, is amazing. Mr. Jenkins constructs a character that is both too old to banter with the mindset of those younger than him but also too old to not share whatever wisdom he can conjure up through insufferable anecdotes. Matthew Fox, from televisions “Lost”, plays a prideful and somewhat despicable hired gun. Mr. Fox might be at his best here,...

“Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” isn’t scoring well with audiences or critics, merely scaring up $140,000 at the Thursday night previews and receiving terrible reviews across the board. Calling it “dumb,” “badly written” and “an assemblage of poor taste,” the film accumulated a score of 29 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. The zombie movie, directed by Christopher Landon and starring Tye Sheridan, David Koechner, Cloris Leachman, Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan, Sarah Dumont and Patrick Schwarzenegger, is full of gore and sex, and that’s about all it has going for it, critics say. TheWrap’s film critic, Alonso Duralde...

2015 has been an exceptional year for genre-infused comedies and the latest, Christopher Landon’s wickedly entertaining Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, is yet another great addition to this year’s class. A tremendously intelligent and heartfelt example of how to properly balance bawdy humor and horror, Scouts Guide is honestly the most fun I’ve had with a studio film in quite some time and proves there are still ways to make zombies interesting and enjoyable, even to hardcore fans (like myself) who may feel like we’ve seen everything we possibly can with these living dead creatures.

Scouts Guide follows Ben (Tye Sheridan), Carter (Logan Miller) and Augie (Joey Morgan)—a group of high schoolers who still participate in their local Scouts program on the eve of a big campout with their adult supervisor, Scout Leader Rogers (David Koechner). Their plan to spend the night in the woods together is soon thwarted,...

Horror movies are a genre I usually like to watch with as few people as possible simply because general horror audiences are awful. Constant chatting, giggling and laughing at inopportune moments, directing each character and what their decisions should be, or critiquing their actions. Oh, and the cell phones! Dear lord, the cell phones. I let in every distraction, I can’t help it, and it yanks me right of the movie. My screening was an “Ultimate Fan Experience” for Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse in which the general public could purchase a $15 ticket in order to see the movie a day early, get a t-shirt, and dress up like boy scouts — very few dressed like boy scouts, and it was more creepy than it was endearing. The other “bonus” was a seemingly endless pre-show video from DJ Dillon Francis who has literally a couple of seconds of screen time in the film as,...

What is there to say about Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse that its title doesn’t say? At first glance, it seems to be the perfect picture for seventeen-year-olds who have just earned a driver’s license and the freedom to see it without a parent or adult guardian. However, it’s likely most seventeen-year-olds looking for an R-rated comedy have grown out of the brand of humor this one attempts to deliver.

Directed by Christopher Landon (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones) from a script by Landon, Lona Williams, Emi Mochizuki and Carrie Lee Wilson, it provides exactly what you’d expect: blood, gore, boobs, and nature hikes. Its sexual politics are only slightly more evolved than those truly weird 80s horror films Agfa and the Alamo Drafthouse are preserving. Here we get a zombie attack by oral sex, zombie boobs, and one silly gag that I admit had...

If you are uptight and faint of heart, Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse is not your movie. Still here? Ok, good. If you aren’t easily offended, and are looking for a laugh mixed with some jump scares, this movie is for you!

In Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse, three life-long scouts team up with cocktail waitress after a zombie outbreak spreads through their town. They don’t have long to use their survival skills and try to make it out before it’s too late.

Sound like a familiar plot? Sure… but I promise that you haven’t quite seen a zombie movie like this. This movie is completely predictable, but fun! Director Christopher Landon combines the modern-day tale with elements of 80’s horror and adventure films. In other words, there are plenty of cheesy, raunchy moments… and yes, even boobs. I’m an old school, campy horror fan,...

Just in time for Halloween, a film emerges that fails to make up in squashed breasts and ripped penises what it lacks in wit or originality

Plenty of times you watch a bad film and come out sighing: “That’s a shame, there was a good movie in there somewhere!” Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse offers no such frustration. This is idiocy from soup to nuts, devoid of any clever ideas, meaningful performances or memorable set pieces. But it isn’t wholly without merit, as there are a few jocular gross-outs involving squished undead breasts, ripped ghoul penises and the entrails of a belligerent deer. For teens that are too old to go trick-or-treating but aren’t quite of age to go barhopping, this low-budget flick offers a handful of amusements as it perpetuates our poisonous, conformist popular culture.

After an energetic and largely wordless prologue in which a...