Wicked Ones will premiere on Video On Demand this September 13, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
From Wild Eye Releasingand director Tory Jones, and starring Halloween’s Dale Miller, beware Wicked Onesthis September. Morgan Pyle, Chris Hahn, and Lucas Dunaway star in a frighteningly fun mesh of Friday the 13th and The Strangers, Wicked Ones premieres on Video On Demand on September 13 followed be a Special Edition Blu-ray on November 8, 2022. (Wild Eye Releasing, 2022)
Wicked Ones – Evil multiplies in this follow up to 2017’s sleeper hit The Wicked One. Set a decade after the events in the first film, survivors Adam and Alex return to Carpenter Falls with their three children – only to be thrust into another confrontation with The Wicked One and two crazed copy cat killers.
I Dream of a Psychopomp will be on digital on August 19 and on the Kings of Horror Channel on August 26, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Danny Villanueva Jr.‘s supernatural drama I Dream of a Psychopomp premiered on Terror Films channel on August 12 and it will be available on digital August 19 and on the Kings of Horror Channel August 26. Jillian Lebling (Bridge of Spies, The Blacklist), Elohim Peña, Ben Shaul, Peter Knox, Steven Alonte, Kulani Kai, N. Meridian, and Fiona Rose star. (Terror Films Channel, 2022)
I Dream of a Psychopomp – A grieving widower haunted by the distressed ghost of his recently deceased wife is visited in his dreams by a psychopomp, a spirit guide of a living person’s soul, who teaches him about the spirit world and soul guiding through stories of death and the supernatural.
“Creating this film was a way to familiarize myself with death in order to ease some of its force when it knocks. Throughout the editing process, I was the primary caregiver of my dying mother who passed away from stage 4 lung cancer on Memorial Day of 2020. She was such a loving person and truly my best friend. I found my exposure to the subject of death and understanding why it is what it is through creating this film to be helpful through the grieving process. Death has become a taboo subject in American culture. We often avoid conversations about it until it arrives, and when it does, we whisper. I think if we talk more about it, we’ll better understand it, and it can be less devastating when it comes. In a time where we are collectively grieving from the many lives lost during the pandemic, I believe this film is especially relevant today.” – Danny Villanueva, Jr.
The movie adaptation of ‘Bullet Train’ is now on theaters and stars Brad Pitt. Photo: Amazon
Kotaro Isaka is a bestselling and multi-award-winning Japanese writer whose books have sold millions of copies around the world. He has won the Shincho Mystery Club Award, Mystery Writers of Japan Award, Japan Booksellers’ Award and the Yamamoto Shugoro Prize. His book “Bullet Train” is a dark, satirical thriller that follows the perilous train ride of five highly motivated assassins. It was adapted into a major film from Sony starring Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martínez Ocasio, and more. (Amazon, 2022)
“Bullet Train” – Satoshi—The Prince—looks like an innocent schoolboy but he is really a stylish and devious assassin. Risk fuels him, as does a good philosophical debate, such as questioning: Is killing really wrong? Kimura’s young son is in a coma thanks to The Prince, and Kimura has tracked him onto a bullet train heading from Tokyo to Morioka to exact his revenge. But Kimura soon discovers that they are not the only dangerous passengers on board. Nanao, also nicknamed Ladybug, the self-proclaimed “unluckiest assassin in the world,” is put on the bullet train by his boss, a mysterious young woman called Maria, to steal a suitcase full of money and get off at the first stop. The lethal duo of Tangerine and Lemon are also traveling to Morioka, and the suitcase leads others to show their hands. Why are they all on the same train, and who will make it off alive? A bestseller in Japan, “Bullet Train” is an original and propulsive thriller that fizzes with incredible energy as its complex net of double-crosses and twists unwinds up to the last station.
This past weekend I got the chance to watch Bullet Train and I was surprised to learn that it is based on a book. I have not read the book but from reading up on it, there are some obvious differences. Considering that the source is a Japanese novel, The Prince is a boy in the book but a white girl in the movie and Nanao, one of the assassins, is also white and portrayed by Brad Pitt. This does not bother me in the least and I prefer to focus on the story. It is an action comedy movie that reminds me of Deadpool and Quentin Tarantino movies like Kill Bill because of the dark humor and the insane amount of killing and blood involved but without going overboard. The plot twists and surprises keep it interesting and the fact that it takes place on a bullet train foreshadows the momentum of the action. Overall, it is a fun movie, plenty of action and comedy and not too long with a run time of a little over two hours.
Of The Devil is available on DVD and digital. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Kelton Jones’ new movie Of The Devil features The Exorcist’s Eileen Deitz and was released this week. The film, written by Jones and based on a story by James Cullen Bressack, has a cast that includes Vernon Wells (The Road Warrior), Devanny Pinn (Crossbreed), and Robert LaSardo (The Mule). It is available on Vudu and Amazon Prime Video. (Uncork’d Entertainment, 2022)
Of The Devil – A desperate mother and father attempt to cure their eight-year-old son’s brain tumor by enlisting the help of a shamanistic healer. When the ritual results in the child being possessed by an ancient demon, the father must now face his own demons and return to his role as a former priest in order to save his son’s soul and to protect humanity from the evil that he has unleashed.
Carmen will open theatrically in major cities and on Video on Demand on September 23, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Carmen is perhaps veteran director and accomplished actor Valerie Buhagiar’s most joyous film outing yet. Set in a sun-dappled village in Malta in the 1980s, Natascha McElhone gives a career-best performance as a 50-year-old woman finding a new start in life through romance. Carmen will be released in the US Theatrically in major cities and on VOD in the US and Canada on Friday, September 23, 2022. (Good Deed Entertainment, 2022)
In a small Mediterranean village, Carmen has looked after her brother, the local priest, for her entire life. When the Church abandons Carmen, she is mistaken for the new priest. Carmen begins to see the world, and herself, in a new light. In Malta, it is tradition for the younger sister to devote her life to the church when an older brother enters the priesthood. Inspired by true events, Carmen lives a life of servitude from the age of 16 until 50, when her brother dies. Realizing her own mortality, she leaves the church and makes up for lost time.
Carmen is Buhagiar’s third feature film as a director. She first burst on the scene as a performer in such classic Canadian films as ROADKILL (1989) and HIGHWAY 61 (1991). Other indelible feature performances include EXPECTING (2002), A WINTER TALE (2007), and ADRIATICO MY LOVE (2011). Malta, Canada- 2021, 88 minutes, in English and Maltese. Director: Valerie Buhagiar Starring: Natascha McElhone, Michaela Farrugia, Steven Love.
US Theaters include New York – Cinema Village and Los Angeles – Laemmle Monica with exclusive engagements in Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco (Bay Area), Columbus, and more. US Video on Demand platforms include Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, XFinity Cable, and more.
Good Deed Entertainment (GDE) is an Ohio based independent studio dedicated to producing, financing, and distributing quality entertainment for under-served audiences. Its distribution slate includes recent releases Summertime, Ma Belle, My Beauty, and Lucky Grandma, in addition to the Academy Award nominated, Loving Vincent, and Spirit Award nominated, To Dust.
Movie poster for the movie adaptation of ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’ by Shirley Jackson Photo: google
Shirley Jackson was one of the most brilliant and influential authors of the twentieth century. She is widely known for her supernatural stories and novels, including the well-known short story The Lottery and the best-selling novel “The Haunting of Hill House.” (Shirley Jackson, 2022)
“We Have Always Lived in the Castle”is a 1962 mystery novel by American author Shirley Jackson. The novel is written in the voice of eighteen year old Mary Katherine ‘Merricat’ Blackwood who lives with her sister and uncle on an estate in Vermont. Six years before the events of the novel, the Blackwood family experienced a tragedy that left the three survivors isolated from their small village. It is the story about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family and the struggle that ensues when a cousin arrives at the estate. The movie adaptation is available to stream on Peacock, Amazon Prime, and Roku, among other services. (amazon, Wikipedia, 2022)
We Have Always Lived in the Castle is an American mystery thriller directed by Stacie Passon and written by Mark Kruger. It stars Taissa Farmiga, Alexandra Daddario, Crispin Glover, and Sebastian Stan. The arrival of a cousin with ulterior motives threatens the claustrophobic and isolated world of two sisters and their uncle.
Camping Trip – far from COVID, far from safe. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Fuica Film Pictures and 8Cube are delighted to share the new trailer and poster for their upcoming horror movie Camping Trip. Camping Trip stars Leo Zola (Leonardo Fuica), Caitlin Cameron, Hannah Forest Briand, and Alex Gravenstein and is directed by Leonardo and Demian Fuica, who both make their English language feature-length directorial debuts. The sinister thriller will be available on Digital Download in the USA & Canada (via Gravitas Ventures) starting August 19, 2022. (Gravitas Ventures, 2022)
Camping Trip – In the summer of 2020, two couples decide to go on a COVID era camping trip after months of being in lockdown. The freedom of nature and the company of their best friends offer the group a rare sense of normality, but though secluded, they are not alone. Nearby, during a botched drop off, two goons decide to go rogue; inadvertently, implicating the campers. What started as a fun-filled vacation quickly turns into a test of loyalty and survival. Suddenly the pandemic is the least of their worries.
The film was shot during the height of the pandemic in 2020, meaning requiring strict health and safety procedures were required, but this was not the only obstacle to overcome. Shooting was also forced to halt for a day when a scene sounded so real to the nearby member of the public, the police were called.
Camping Trip movie poster. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
A multi-award-winner on the festival circuit, The Andy Baker Tape premieres on the Terror Films Channel August 5 before a wide digital on August 12 and the Kings of Horror on August 19, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Alpha House’s Bret Lada writes, directs and stars in unnerving found footage horror movie The Andy Baker Tape, releasing this August from Terror Films. A multi-award-winner on the festival circuit, The AndyBaker Tape premieres on the Terror Films Channel August 5 before a wide digital on August 12 and the Kings of Horror on August 19, 2022. (Terror Films, 2022)
The Andy Baker Tape – On October of 2020 food blogger Jeff Blake and his half-brother Andy Baker hit the road on a food tour that had the potential to change their lives. They were never seen again. This is their footage.
“The Andy Baker Tape was written, shot, and edited in a 6-month period during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Created by a displaced screen actor, an out-of-work Blue Man, an Australian-based sound engineer, and a first-time female producer; this film is a testament to creation and keeping the artistic spirit alive while the rest of the world was forced into hibernation. Our story is a joyride of laughs, thrills, and suspense. My team and I are delighted to share it with you.” – Bret Lada
Infrared is now available on digital platforms and will be released on Kings of Horror on August 5, 2022. Photo: google
Terror Films released found footage horror film Infrared, starring The Room’s Gregory Sestero, worldwide on digital platforms on July 22 and it will be available on Kings of Horror on August 5, 2022. (Terror Films, 2022)
Infrared – A paranormal investigator and his production crew gain access to a mysterious, abandoned school but when the thrilling haunt turns deadly, the team must race to uncover the terrifying truth before they become the school’s next victims. Jesse Janzen, Leah Finity, and Lori Richardson also star in the spooker.
“Infrared is first and foremost a horror film, but at its heart, is a movie about siblings reconnecting in a time of need. Often in horror films, we find ourselves rooting for the characters we don’t like to die, so it was important for us to develop characters that we wanted to survive, creating a larger emotional investment for those watching. With this intention in mind, we set out to wholly develop their backstories and create a believable connection. From there we tackled the darker themes and scares within the film, workshopping ideas with our actors, and giving them the freedom of collaboration within our improvisational process. This film is injected with humor, tension and scares, and we really hope that nobody finds an owner’s manual in their basement.” – Directors Robert Livings and Randy Nundall Jr.
Infrared movie poster. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
The Ghost Lights will be released on digital on August 26 followed by the Terror Films Channel September 2 and Kings of Horror on September 9, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Coming this August from Terror Films isThe Ghost Lights, a spine-chilling new science-fiction thriller about a journalist on the search for truth about extra-terrestrial life. The Ghost Lights will be released on digital on August 26 followed by the Terror Films Channel September 2 and Kings of Horror on September 9, 2022. (Terror Films, 2022)
The Ghost Lights – A journalist returns home after the death of her father and discovers a mysterious cassette tape describing strange disappearances and mysterious lights appearing in the skies of West Texas. In an effort to connect with the memory of her late father, she sets out on a cross-state road trip to discover the truth. Billy Blair (Jonah Hex), Katreeva Phillips, and John Francis McCullagh uncover an X-File in this summer’s most intriguing genre jaunt.
The Ghost Lights begins as a photographer is taking pictures outdoors and exploring the area. The action then fast forwards to the present as Alexandra, a journalist, returns home to Dallas for her father’s (Arthur Steve Bennett) funeral but as it turns out, she is too late because the funeral has already taken place. When she goes to her father’s house to look around, she finds a mysterious cassette tape and it turns out to be her father’s interview with a miner from the small town of Terlingua, Texas. It is set on October 15, 1978, and he is interviewing Mario Cuevas in the Wild Cactus Saloon. Mr. Cuevas has a story to tell about the ghost lights in Terlingua. He claims that people have been seeing these lights for years and they disappear if they get too close to the lights. Intrigued by the story and hoping to learn more about her father, Alexandra sets out on a road trip to Terlingua to see for herself and continue the story he began.
It is promoted as a horror story, but The Ghost Lights is much more than that. It is a drama about loss, guilt, and coping with a loved one’s death. Halfway through it turns into a suspense thriller because a mysterious man, supposedly a ‘man in black,’ begins chasing Alexandra because she might be getting close to the truth. Without giving too much away, on top of the original interview, there is another one that takes place in the present that hints at what really happened to her dad. In the end, she manages to reconnect with her dad as she originally intended. The cinematography is stunning and the soundtrack sets the appropriate mood throughout this suspenseful and haunting story. The interview scenes are in black and white, giving them a melancholy feel. Having personally been to Marfa and West Texas in general, this movie accurately portrays the atmosphere, mood, and general spookiness of the region. Overall, The Ghost Lights is part family drama, part science fiction movie about the possibility of extraterrestrial life and the government’s attempt to stifle any and all investigations. It explores the human condition through the universal themes of family, coping with tragedy, and the ongoing search for the truth.
*Thank you to October Coast for an advance screening.*
The Ghost Lights poster. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
SA Examiner 