Category: Movie news

New movie release: Exorcist Vengeance

Exorcist Vengeance is now available on Digital and DVD. Photo: Uncork’d Entertainment, used with permission.

Uncork’d Entertainment has acquired North American rights to supernatural horror film Exorcist Vengeance starring internationally recognized action star Robert Bronzi (Death Kiss, The Gardener) and acclaimed actor Stephen Berkoff (Rambo: First Blood Part II, Beverly Hills Cop, “Vikings”). Uncork’d released the Millman Productions, Titan Global Entertainment and Proportion Productions production on Digital and DVD on February 8, 2022. (Uncork’d Entertainment, 2022)

A possession horror movie with state-of-the-art special effects, the film tells of a tough priest (Bronzi), someone the Vatican calls to do their dirty work. When a prominent family is terrorized by a demonic force, the priest is called upon by Bishop Canelo to root out the evil, but soon realizes the solution to this mystery is tied to his own past. He must find the killer and stop the Devil’s hold on the family before it is too late.

Directed by Scott Jeffrey and Rebecca J Matthews and written by Matthew B.C. (Medusa: Queen of the Serpents) and Jeff Miller (The Toybox; Ouija House; Clowntown), Exorcist Vengeance is based on the latter’s story. The film also stars Sarah Alexandra Marks, Nicola Wright, Simon Furness, Nicole Nabi, and Anna Liddell.

Jeff Miller (Death Kiss, The Russian Bride) and veteran filmmaker Mark L. Lester (director of Commando and Firestarter) are the executive producers and Scott Jeffrey, Rebecca J Matthews, and Miller serve as producers.

Exorcist Vengeance is available on Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Xbox, Google, DirecTV, Dish, and Comcast EST.

“This is my fifth movie with Bronzi, and this one packs an intriguing punch. It’s Death Wish meets The Exorcist meets Knives Out.” – Jeff Miller

“Exorcist Vengeance is a wildly entertaining horror film full of some dynamite scares and brilliant turns from Bronzi and Berkoff. Looking forward to horror fans seeing it.” – Keith Leopard, President Uncork’d Entertainment.

Uncork’d Entertainment was founded in July, 2012 by Keith Leopard, a Home Entertainment industry veteran with more than twenty-three years of experience in purchasing, acquisitions, merchandising, marketing, and analysis of major studio and independent supplier to the home entertainment market. The Company focuses on distribution in six areas: Digital Media, Physical Home Entertainment, Aggregation, Theatrical and Television, Foreign Sales, and has secured relationships across all platforms to ensure your film reaches the widest audience possible. Keith and his team are committed to maximizing revenue, controlling costs, and assuring their Content Partners the highest quality of service, a commitment to market and merchandise their film and a rewarding experience by partnering with Uncork’d Entertainment.

Punk rock documentary GRIDLOCKED: On Tour With The Briggs

GRIDLOCKED: On Tour With The Briggs is now available on digital and On Demand. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

From Gravitas Ventures, GRIDLOCKED: On Tour With The Briggs, the new rockumentary feature film on iconic punk band The Briggs, is now available on digital and On Demand. (Gravitas Ventures, 2022)

From writer-director Kevin James Barry (“Among Them”, “Serena and the RATTS”), GRIDLOCKED follows the Los Angeles-based punk rock band through their ten day tour of the west coast with personal interviews with the band’s front man, Joey LaRocca. From Joey’s engaging perspective, the film explores the sometimes harsh and other-times intensely rewarding lifestyle of musical artists. Joey must navigate a musical career that fell short of his youthful expectations as it collided with the realities of maturing and gaining family responsibilities. The story culminates, in what may be the final tour with the band that he loves, with the realization and acceptance that life does not always play out as planned.

“Avoids the usual pratfalls of reunion documentaries to really interrogate what it means to be a middle-aged artist finding new definitions of success.”
MIDWEST FILM JOURNAL

“I Can’t Recommend This Film Enough”
UNSEEN FILMS

“Such a beautiful film”
MOVIE-BLOGGER.COM

Award-winning documentary A Peloton of One opens in theaters

A Peloton of One, the award-winning sexual abuse survivor documentary, opens with a limited virtual theatrical release followed by a nationwide Video On Demand release March 11. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Global Digital Releasing has acquired worldwide rights to directors John Bernardo and Steven E. Mallorca’s powerful documentary A Peloton of One, with plans for a limited virtual theatrical via Laemmle Theaters beginning February 18 and nationwide Video On Demand March 11, 2022. (Global Digital Releasing, 2022)

Winner of The JP Morgan Chase Audience Award at the Greenwich International Film Festival, A Peloton of One is a documentary film about surviving childhood sexual abuse, focusing on the next chapter in the survivors’ story – what happens after victims come forward. The film follows Dave Ohlmuller who conducts a solo bicycle ride from Chicago to New York, meeting a variety of other survivors and legal advocates along the way.

A Peloton of One was an official selection at the Golden Door International Film Festival, New Jersey Documentary Film Festival, and Jersey Shore Film Festival.

“We are so proud to have the opportunity to bring this powerful and inspiring documentary to a global audience. This isn’t a story of just surviving, this is a story of strength, resilience and hope.” – Digital Releasing President, Joe Dain.

“Sexually abused at 12 years old by a priest in his New Jersey parish, Dave Ohlmuller set out on a sprawling solo bicycle ride from Chicago to New York to inspire other Survivors to come forward and tell their own stories, as well as educate the masses (and himself) on the impacts of this scourge. Along this 700-mile journey, Dave meets other survivors abused by coaches, teachers, family members, and like Dave himself, Catholic priests. Through these interactions and common stories, Dave tries to find a way to connect and heal, mile by mile, as he heads back east towards his childhood home.

A ‘peloton’ is a cycling term that simply means a group of riders. But Dave Ohlmuller started his journey as a peloton of one. Like so many sexual abuse victims, he believed he was alone in his despair. At the end of this journey, he realized he is now part of a much greater whole, a true PELOTON OF ONE, dedicated to helping the millions of survivors of childhood sexual abuse in this country and across the globe.” – Directors John Bernardo and Steven E. Mallorca

FESTIVALS & AWARDS

Greenwich International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award for Best Film

Golden Door International Film Festival
Official Selection

New Jersey Documentary Film Festival
Official Selection

Jersey Shore Film Festival
Official Selection

Terror Films to release Last Radio Call and Evil at the Door

Last Radio Call will be available across digital and Video on Demand platforms on January 21. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Genre distributor Terror Films will officially launch their YouTube AVOD channel in 2022 with two new releases. The first film will be Isaac Rodriguez’ found footage horror film Last Radio Call on January 14, followed by Kipp Tribble’s home invasion horror film Evil at the Door on January 21. The films will premiere exclusively on the Terror Films channel featuring a live chat event with the filmmakers, cast and fans during the premiere. The films will be released wide, across Digital and Video On Demand platforms one week later after their premieres. (Terror Films, 2022)

In addition to new releases, the channel will also feature the distributor’s entire library of diverse, indie horror films, which will eventually expand to an international audience.

“This is such an exciting time for us as a company. This was a necessary, next step in our ongoing efforts to grow our brand while increasing the reach and revenue streams of our amazing library of horror films.” – Terror Films’ President Joe Dain

Written and Directed by Isaac Rodriguez, who also produced alongside Cynthia Bergen, Last Radio Call centers around Officer David Serling, who went missing inside the abandoned Yorktown Memorial Hospital. One year later, his wife has hired a film crew to help bring light on what really happened that night. Using recovered body cam footage, she discovers a dark secret that sends her spiraling down a horrific path of ancient evil. She must now face an unknown terror to find the answers she desperately seeks. Starring Sarah Froelich, Jason Scarbough, June Griffin Garcia, Ali Alkhafaji, KeeKee Takatsuki, Bert Lopez, and Makayla Rodriguez, the film will be available across digital and Video On Demand platforms January 21, one week after it debuts on the Terror Films Channel.

Written and Directed by Kipp Tribble, who also produced alongside Patrick Rivera, Kenny Yates, and Executive Producer Richard Siegelman, Evil at the Door centers around a secret guild that has operated for nearly a century, known as The Locusts. Once a year this guild treats its members to a night of curated home invasions (aka, “runs”), known underground as “The Night of The Locusts.” With 180 minutes to do as they please with the occupants of the selected home, four masked men enter the home of Daniel and Jessica and begin to engage in sick, twisted games with them. Unbeknownst to the intruders, Liz, Jessica’s younger sister, is hiding under the bed. While the run time winds down, Liz plots her escape as The Locusts realize there is a traitor in their group. But will the division among the intruders be enough distraction for Liz to survive before The Locusts’ clock runs out? Starring Bruce Davison, Andrea Sweeney Blanco, Robert Allen Mukes, Kipp Tribble, Kenny Yates, Sunny Doench and Richard Siegelman, the film will be available across digital and Video On Demand platforms January 28, one week after it debuts on the Terror Films Channel.

Salt in My Soul documentary: a rare look into life of Mallory Smith

Mallory Smith in Will Battersby’s Salt in My Soul. Photo: Giant Pictures, used with permission.

Powerful documentary Salt in My Soul will be released theatrically in New York (Cinema Village) and Los Angeles (Laemmle Royal) on January 21 followed by the VOD Release in the US, Canada, and UK & Ireland and key territories worldwide on January 25. (Giant Pictures, 2021)

A Feature Documentary Film by Will Battersby
Run time: 96 Minutes (USA- Feature Documentary)

VOD Platforms: 

US- Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Microsoft/Xbox, Vudu
Canada- Apple TV/ITunes, Microsoft/Xbox
UK- Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Microsoft/Xbox
Ireland- Apple TV/iTunes, Google Play

Cable Platforms: 

US- InDemand TVOD (Comcast, Spectrum, Cox), DirectTV/AT&T and more 

Based on the bestselling posthumously published memoir of the same name, Salt in My Soul is a documentary and classic coming of age story about a young woman figuring out how to live while dying. Mallory Smith was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of three. In her twenty five-year battle with the deadly disease, she carved out a life that most of us do not come close to. Using Mallory’s posthumously published 2500-page secret diaries, hundreds of hours of newly discovered footage, and audio recordings, the film offers Mallory as the narrator of her own extraordinary chronicle.

Following her realization at age nine that she would die young, Mallory secretly began to record her inner thoughts in her diary while throwing herself at life: friendships in elementary school, lovers and sports teams in high school, the little travel her disease would allow. She attended college and explored the wider world, one that was just beyond her grasp. She became a devoted environmentalist, seeing a startling and vivid metaphor for her declining health in the destruction of our world. Her father feverishly researched treatment options, desperate that the death sentence be commuted. Her mother obsessively helped her to live, cooking to maintain her weight and create community, raising money for research, and teaching her to prioritize relationships over all else. Mallory fought. And she wrote – about her fears, her loves, her pain, her depression, her hopes, and gave a voice to the many millions who struggle with invisible or visible illness. In Mallory’s final days, her father uncovered a long-forgotten treatment that is now changing the world of medicine. Heartbreakingly, it came too late to save his daughter.

Mallory was a young woman who lived with illness her whole life, who suffered immeasurably but who always found the will to live happy. Her story is a testament to enduring parental love and determination and the healing power of memoir as medicine, inspiring all of us to live life as fully as possible in the face of the challenges we all face. 

“Salt in My Soul: An Unfinished Life,” by Mallory Smith, is a powerful, intimate, and inspiring portrait of a brave young woman living with chronic illness. Mallory understood that patient voices need to be amplified in order to improve healthcare, that the intersection of human behavior and nature is critical to environmental sustainability, and that love and friendship give life meaning. As Mallory’s body deteriorated, she sharpened her mind, crystalized her thinking, and honed her writing skills. In her 2500 pages of private journal entries, she created poetry out of prosaic experiences. Beautifully written, provocative, and peppered with insights, “Salt in My Soul” reminds us to follow Mallory’s mantra and “Live Happy.”  

Giant Pictures is a leading digital distributor that is committed to empowering filmmakers to own their distribution. With offices in New York and Los Angeles, we work directly with rights owners to distribute movies and TV shows to VOD and streaming platforms in North America and worldwide. Our content partners range from first-time filmmakers to award-winning independent producers, as well as notable studios Alamo Drafthouse Films, Abramorama Selects, Participant, Tribeca Enterprises, Utopia Distribution, and XYZ Films. A division of Giant Interactive, the award-winning digital media and technology services company, we distribute across 45+ platforms, including AppleTV, Netflix, Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Tubi, and Peacock. 

Movie adaptation: ‘The Lost Daughter’ by Elena Ferrante

The movie adaptation of ‘The Lost Daughter’ by Elena Ferrante is now playing in theaters everywhere. Photo: amazon

Elena Ferrante is the author of seven novels, including four New York Times bestsellers; “The Beach at Night,” an illustrated book for children; and “Frantumaglia,” a collection of letters, literary essays, and interviews. Her fiction has been translated into over forty languages and been shortlisted for the MAN Booker International Prize. In 2016 she was named one of TIME’s most influential people of the year and The New York Times has described her as “one of the great novelists of our time.” Her book “The Lost Daughter” has been adapted into a major motion picture directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Paul Mescal, and Peter Sarsgaard. (amazon, 2022)

“The Lost Daughter” – Leda, a middle-aged divorcée, is alone for the first time in years after her two adult daughters leave home to live with their father in Toronto. Enjoying an unexpected sense of liberty, she heads to the Ionian coast for a vacation. But she soon finds herself intrigued by Nina, a young mother on the beach, eventually striking up a conversation with her. After Nina confides a dark secret, one seemingly trivial occurrence leads to events that could destroy Nina’s family in this “arresting” novel by the author of the New York Times–bestselling Neapolitan Novels, which have sold millions of copies.

Movie adaptation: ‘Nightmare Alley’ by William Lindsay Gresham

The movie adaptation of ‘Nightmare Alley’ is now in theaters. Photo: amazon

William Lindsay Gresham was a novelist and nonfiction writer. Gresham’s was a tortured mind and a tormented life, and he sought to banish his demons through a maze of dead-end ways, from Marxism to psychoanalysis to Christianity to Alcoholics Anonymous to Rinzai Zen Buddhism. From these demons came his novel “Nightmare Alley” (1946), one of the underground classics of American literature. It is a study of the lowest depths of showbiz and its sleazy inhabitants – the dark, shadowy world of a second rate carnival filled with hustlers, scheming grifters, and Machiavellian femme fatales. Guillermo del Toro directed the 2021 movie adaptation from a screenplay by del Toro and Kim Morgan. It stars Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette and Willem Dafoe and focuses on Stan Carlisle, an ambitious carny who hooks up with corrupt psychiatrist Dr. Lilith Ritter, who proves to be as dangerous as he is. (amazon, Wikipedia, 2021)

“Nightmare Alley” – It all begins with an extraordinary description of a carnival-show geek—alcoholic and abject and the object of the voyeuristic crowd’s gleeful disgust and derision—going about his work at a county fair. Young Stan Carlisle is working as a carny, and he wonders how a man could fall so low. There is no way in hell, he vows, that anything like that will ever happen to him. Since Stan is clever and ambitious and not without a useful streak of ruthlessness, soon enough he is going places. Onstage he plays the mentalist with a cute assistant, then he graduates to full-blown spiritualist, catering to the needs of the rich and gullible in their well-upholstered homes. It looks like the world is Stan’s for the taking. At least for now.

Action-thriller Confession to be released in January

Stephen Moyer and Colm Meaney star in Confession, coming in January 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Uncork’d Entertainment has acquired North American rights to writer-director David Beton’s action-thriller, Confession. The film, starring Stephen Moyer (“True Blood,” “Fortunate Son”) and Colm Meany (Seberg, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”), had its market premiere at EFM earlier this year. Uncork’d will be releasing the film in theaters January 21, 2022 followed by a VOD release Jan 25. (Uncork’d Entertainment, 2021)

An intense-thriller played in real time during one fateful night, Confession fixes on a wounded man (Moyer) who takes a priest (Meany) hostage, determined to confess to a past misdemeanor before it is too late.

Written and directed by David Beton (One Last Heist), Confession also stars Clare-Hope Ashitey (Children of Men). Producers are Picture Perfect’s Lucinda Rhodes Thakrar and Jeet Thakrar. Signature’s Elizabeth Williams is an executive producer. Andrew Nerger of Signature Entertainment negotiated the deal on behalf of the film team with Keith Leopard of Uncork’d Entertainment.

“Confession is a very suspenseful, thrilling ride with terrific performances from two always-dependable performers, Moyer and Meany. It’s an incredible film to kick off our exciting 2022 slate.” – Keith Leopard, President Uncork’d Entertainment.

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Acclaimed drama HipBeat to be released on digital platforms

HipBeat will be released on digital platforms this Thursday December 23, 2021. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Writer/director Samuel Kay Forrest’s acclaimed drama HipBeat, described by the critical community as Easy Rider with dresses instead of motorcycles, has been acquired by Indie Rights. (Indie Rights, 2021)

The film, produced by Mother Earth Films, FC Films, and Castle Matrix Productions, tells of a political activist fighting against the system while searching for love in the Berlin queer community. Forrest also stars in the film alongside Marie Céline Yildirim, Judy LaDivina, Helmut Wößner, Filip Süt Rutkowski, and Andriana Manfredi.

“We’re excited to be distributing and are looking forward to finding an audience for the film.” – Linda Nelson, CEO Indie Rights

“The love revolution taking place in Berlin inspired me to start a conversation about love, gender, and politics.” – Samuel Kay Forrest

Indie Rights, who have acquired global rights, will release HipBeat on Digital platforms beginning December 23, 2021.

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Multi-award winning psychological thriller Help

Help will be available on digital formats starting February 15, 2022. Photo: google

Ridder Films, in association with Executive Producer Lucas A. Ferrara, are delighted to share the new trailer and poster for their award-winning psychological thriller Help, which will be available on digital download in the USA and Canada starting February 15, 2022. Help was filmed over just twelve days. Due to UK lockdown restrictions, only twenty cast and crew members were involved. Help is a testament to producing high-quality films during such a turbulent time. (Ridder Films, 2021)

A young woman’s life turns chaotic when she uncovers a deadly secret about her friend. A painful break up prompts Grace to visit her friend Liv who is living in the idyllic English countryside with her boyfriend Edward and his dog Polly. The trio start the weekend in high spirits but soon turns into chaos, as well-kept secrets are exposed and the friends come to see each other in a whole new light. Everyone has a secret.

Help boasts an impressive cast of promising actors of Louis James (The English Teacher, A Simple Robbery), Emily Redpath (Romeo and Juliet, Casualty), Sarah Alexandra Marks (Glamour, Psychosis), and including a cameo performance from iconic boyband Blue’s very own Duncan James.

With a plot as dark as Help’s, you might not expect to see former boyband member Duncan James’ cameo, but the unlikely pairing came about organically. “I met Louis whilst filming in Liverpool, a mutual friend introduced us, and we immediately struck up a friendship,” explains James. “His passion was palpable and there was a lot of mutual respect. I watched his performance in a few of Ridder’s short films, such as ‘The English Teacher’ and ‘A Simple Robbery’ and thought he was great, so I wanted to support him and be involved in his next project.”

“No matter how hard we try, no one is perfect. We all have our own issues and help that we seek for. Especially in our personal relationships, much like the characters in this film. During the UK’s first lockdown in March 2020, it pushed me to create even more short films than I ever did before. Of course, with each film you make, it teaches you something, you learn from your mistakes and understand what really captures the audience through my storytelling. Which ultimately made me decide it was time to make my debut feature film.” – Director Blake Ridder

“As the script was developed I could sense from the early stages he was crafting something unique. Coming onboard as Producer I knew I would I have to match Blake’s machine like work ethic. I got to work immediately assembling a strong cast and crew to lift his story off of the page. We worked closely together to make sure our visions for the production were kept aligned each step of the way.” – Producer Louis James

Distributor: Ridder Films
Digital Download Date: February 15, 2022
Digital Platforms: iTunes, Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play & Microsoft
Writer and Director: Blake Ridder
Producer: Louis James
Executive Producer: Lucas A. Ferrara
Cast: Louis James, Emily Redpath, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Duncan James, Blake Ridder, Amy Jim, Stuart Wolfe-Murray
Run Time: 96 minutes
Rating: TBC

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