Tag: Action

‘The Sound’ Review: Horror Meets High Altitude in This Survival Thriller

The Sound is available on Video On Demand. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Movie Review: The Sound (2025)

Survival, Supernatural Terror, and the Forbidden Wall

Release Date: June 27, 2025
Available in Theaters & On Demand
Distributor: Blue Harbor Entertainment
Rating: R (Language and Some Violence)
Running Time: 104 mins
Genres: Thriller / Horror / Action

Synopsis

Survival horror thriller The Sound opened nationwide in theaters and on Video on Demand on June 27, 2025. Distributed by Blue Harbor Entertainment, the film plunges audiences into an adrenaline-charged nightmare on one of the most dangerous climbs ever attempted. (EG-PR, 2025)

A world-class team of climbers is granted access to the Forbidden Wall, a mysterious rock face sealed off for decades. Among them is Sean (Marc Hills), whose grandfather’s doomed attempt 63 years ago has become legend. But as the climbers ascend, they are confronted by a malevolent force that transforms their expedition into a terrifying battle for survival—hundreds of feet above ground and completely isolated from help.

Cast & Crew

  • Produced, Directed & Written by: Brendan Devane (The Canyonlands)
  • Executive Producer: James Devane (Sadieland Productions)
  • Director of Photography: Ryan Galvan
  • Editing: Alex Russek (Reel Rock)
  • Score by: James Iha (The Smashing Pumpkins)

Starring:
Marc Hills (Elephant Department), Rachel Finninger (American Horror Story), Nicholas Baroudi (The Hating Game), Jocelyn Hudon (The Strain), William Fichtner (Crash, Armageddon), Christina Kirkman (Trigger Happy), Jolene Kay (Star Trek), David Clennon (The Thing), Hazel Findlay (Reel Rock), Brette Harrington (The Alpinist), Adrian Ballinger (Edge Of The Earth), Alex Honnold (Free Solo)

Review

The Sound is a chilling and suspenseful horror thriller that combines the physical danger of a mountaineering expedition with the creeping dread of supernatural terror. Set against the dizzying heights of the Forbidden Wall, the film begins as a survival story and spirals into a psychological nightmare.

Marc Hills gives a standout performance as Sean, a climber burdened by his family’s haunted legacy. The eerie backstory involving his grandfather’s failed expedition adds depth and mystery, enhancing the film’s foreboding tone.

While the film excels in atmosphere and breathtaking cinematography, particularly during the sweeping climbing sequences, it stumbles slightly in character development and pacing. Some of the supporting roles fall into familiar tropes, and not all supernatural elements are fully fleshed out. However, the originality of combining climbing with horror, along with a memorable plot twist at the end, helps The Sound stand out.

Fans of vertical thrillers like The Descent or The Ritual will find much to enjoy here. The Sound leaves viewers gripping their seats—and maybe thinking twice about what lurks on forgotten mountainsides.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

*Thank you to EG-PR for the screener link for review consideration. I have not been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Have you seen The Sound? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Related post: ‘The Sound’ Echoes with Terror: A Climbing Thriller That Goes Beyond the Edge

‘Tiger Chair’: Max Brooks’ Haunting Vision of a Future American Warzone

‘Tiger Chair’ is a short story by Max Brooks. Photo: Amazon

📚 Book Review: Tiger Chair by Max Brooks

A Chilling Vision of America at War

What happens when the world’s most powerful nation becomes the battleground? In “Tiger Chair,” Max Brooks—the #1 New York Times bestselling author of “World War Z”—offers a provocative and unsettling answer.

Set in a near-future where China has invaded the United States, “Tiger Chair” plunges readers into the heart of a guerrilla war raging through the streets of Los Angeles. The Chinese military believed it would be a quick and easy conflict, but years later, the insurgency continues to escalate while state propaganda refuses to shift. One Chinese officer, torn between loyalty to his homeland and the wellbeing of his soldiers, risks everything by writing a brutally honest—and possibly suicidal—letter home, exposing the harsh truths behind the war.

A Compact Yet Powerful Narrative

Brooks’s meticulous research, combined with his talent for creating vivid, emotionally complex characters, makes “Tiger Chair” a standout in the realm of speculative fiction. The titular “tiger chair”—a real-life torture device—emerges as a harrowing symbol of power, fear, and moral ambiguity. With a first person point of view narration by the Chinese officer, it makes it more personal.

Though brief, this story hits hard. It asks difficult questions about nationalism, duty, and the future of warfare, all within a fast-paced and highly believable narrative.

👩‍💻 About the Author

Max Brooks is the author of “World War Z,” “Devolution,” and “The Harlem Hellfighters.” He is also a nonresident senior fellow at the Modern War Institute at West Point and the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Brooks frequently lectures at institutions including the U.S. Naval War College, U.S. Special Operations Command, and the Army’s Mad Scientist Conference.

Final Thoughts

“Tiger Chair” is both a gripping tale of war and a sobering warning. For readers interested in speculative military fiction with sharp political undertones, it’s a must-read.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

“If our way is the only way, why is it leading us off a cliff? I wish I knew. But I’m not a political scientist, or a philosopher, and if the last three years have proved anything, I’m not much of a soldier, either.”

‘The Sound’ Echoes with Terror: A Climbing Thriller That Goes Beyond the Edge

Brendan Devane’s ‘The Sound’ opens theatrically and on Video On Demand nationwide on June 27. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

🎬 THE SOUND – A High-Stakes Horror Thriller Set Against a Vertical Nightmare

Release Date: In Theaters and On Demand – June 27 (US)
Genre: Thriller / Horror / Action
Rating: R
Running Time: 104 minutes

🔥 Synopsis

In the gripping new horror thriller The Sound, a team of elite climbers is given rare access to the Forbidden Wall—a towering, remote rock face that has remained closed off for decades. Among them is Sean (Marc Hills), a seasoned climber haunted by the memory of his grandfather’s doomed attempt on the same wall 63 years prior.

But what begins as a high-adrenaline expedition soon devolves into a terrifying fight for survival. As the team ascends, they encounter a chilling and malevolent force lurking within the rock, one that will push them far beyond their physical and psychological limits—hundreds of feet above solid ground.

The Sound courtesy clip, used with permission.

🎥 Key Cast

  • Marc Hills (Elephant Department)
  • Rachel Finninger (American Horror Story)
  • Nicholas Baroudi (The Hating Game)
  • Jocelyn Hudon (The Strain)
  • William Fichtner (Crash, Armageddon)
  • Christina Kirkman, Jolene Kay, David Clennon, and elite climbers Hazel Findlay, Brette Harrington, Adrian Ballinger, and Alex Honnold (Free Solo) add realism and intensity to the climbing sequences.

🎬 Creative Team

  • Written, Directed & Produced by: Brendan Devane (The Canyonlands)
  • Executive Producer: James Devane (Sadieland Productions)
  • Cinematography: Ryan Galvan
  • Editor: Alex Russek (Reel Rock)
  • Original Score: James Iha (The Smashing Pumpkins)
  • Distributor: Blue Harbor Entertainment

🎟️ Where to Watch

In Theaters – Limited release in key cities:

  • Los Angeles: Lumiere Music Hall
  • New York Metro / New Jersey: Cineplex 12 Newark
  • Dallas: Angelika Dallas
  • Denver: Bow Tie Movieland 7, Carbondale
  • Chicago: Roxy Cinema, Ottawa
  • Boston Area: Scene One Gilford Cinemas
  • Minneapolis: St. Michael Cinema
  • Detroit: Bel Air Cinema
  • Orlando: GQT Merritt Square
  • Atlanta: Fieldstone 6, Hiawassee
  • Saratoga Springs: Scene One Milton Mall
  • …and more cities nationwide

On VOD – Available on all major platforms including:

  • Apple TV
  • Amazon Prime Video
  • Fandango At Home
  • And more

🧗‍♂️ Final Thoughts

The Sound promises an intense blend of claustrophobic fear, psychological horror, and heart-pounding action—all set on a precarious vertical battlefield. With real-life climbing legends in the cast and a chilling supernatural twist, this is one summer thriller that will leave audiences hanging… literally.

Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Now Streaming: ‘Bound,’ a Raw Tale of Survival and Redemption

Acclaimed indie drama Bound is now streaming. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Indie Drama Bound Now Streaming on Major Platforms

📍 Los Angeles, CA – Freestyle Digital Media has officially released the acclaimed indie drama Bound, now available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Fandango at Home, and Apple TV.

Centered around themes of found family, survival, and forgiveness, Bound is a raw, emotionally charged story that has captivated audiences across the festival circuit. Since its world premiere at Dances With Films, the film has earned an impressive 11 wins and 34 nominations.

🎬 About the Film

Bound marks the directorial debut of Broadway actor Isaac Hirotsu Woofter (War Horse), who also wrote the screenplay. Inspired by true events, the film tells the story of a young artist who escapes her drug-dealing stepfather, fleeing to New York City with only her pet flying squirrel. There, she reinvents herself with the support of a new, unconventional family—only to later return home to confront her past and truly find freedom.

⭐ Cast

  • Ramin Karimloo (Holby City)
  • Jessica Pimentel (Orange is the New Black)
  • Alexandra Faye Sadeghian (Ditch Boys)
  • Bryant Carroll (Hit Man)
  • Pooya Mohseni (The Walking Dead: Dead City)
  • Jaye Alexander (film debut)
  • Bandit the flying squirrel

🎞️ Film Details

  • Genre: Drama / Crime / Thriller
  • Run Time: 1 hr 41 min

🎤 Director’s Statement

“From outdoor Shakespeare to Lincoln Center, I spent 25 years telling other people’s stories. Five years ago I decided to tell my own story. We’re thrilled to finally bring this gritty underdog tale to your screen. I like gut-punching movies that take you for an emotional ride, so strap on your hard hat and fasten your seatbelt. Let’s go.”
— Isaac Hirotsu Woofter

If you’re a fan of indie cinema with grit, heart, and originality, Bound is a must-watch. Add it to your watchlist today and experience one of the most talked-about indie films of the year.

“Films like Bound are great examples of what true independent filmmaking should look like” — Film Threat

“This pulse-pounding thriller is bound to move audiences on an emotional level. Once you see Bound, it will be impossible to forget it.” — Digital Journal 

“Evoking early Sean Baker, Woofter brings together an excellent cast and gives them idiosyncratic and interesting characters.” — Flickering Myth 

Bound still. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Thrills, Chills, and Heart-Stopping Moments: Experience Never Have I Ever

The thriller Never Have I Ever is now available for streaming. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

When it comes to movies, thrillers captivate moviegoers by blending suspense, mystery, and intense emotional conflict. These films often explore the complexities of the human mind, where perception and reality blur, leaving audiences on edge. The tension stems from characters’ internal struggles, psychological manipulation, and unexpected twists, which keep viewers guessing and engaged. Rather than relying on gore or action, these thrillers build fear through atmosphere, ambiguity, and mind games, tapping into universal anxieties. The appeal lies in the challenge they present, including trying to outwit the story, questioning what’s real, and experiencing a sense of unease long after the credits roll.

Now available for streaming on Fandango at Home is Never Have I Ever.

Directed by Damon Rickard, it stars Andrew Lee Potts, Beatrice Fletcher, and Amber Doig-Thorne. (One Tree Entertainment, 2025)

Never Have I Ever – Sam is already having a bad day but an incident from Sam’s youth resurfaces in ways he couldn’t imagine and starts a series of events that send his life spiraling out of control and embroiling him in an escalating game of cat and mouse.

He is having a terrible day. He is late delivering a screenplay and the threat of being forced to repay his advance looms ominously over him as he simply doesn’t have the money left. But his day goes from bad to worse when a variety of strange things start happening. From simply losing his wallet to seemingly having multiple break-ins to his home. Then a chance encounter whilst drowning his sorrows sends his day in directions he couldn’t possibly have anticipated.

Still from Never Have I Ever. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Decade of the Dead: A Blood-Soaked Retrospective on the Ultimate Zombie Horror

Decade of the Dead is available now on Digital and On Demand. Courtesy photo,used with permission.

Zombie horror movies captivate audiences with their unique blend of fear, survival, and societal commentary. The mindless, relentless nature of zombies taps into primal fears of death and the loss of individuality. These films often explore themes of isolation, survival instincts, and human nature under extreme pressure. As characters face an apocalyptic world, viewers are drawn to the tension between personal survival and moral choices. The unpredictable chaos of a zombie outbreak mirrors our anxieties about societal collapse, making these films both thrilling and thought-provoking. Ultimately, they offer an adrenaline rush while exploring the darker sides of humanity.

Dark Star Pictures is thrilled to announce the release of Decade of the Dead, a gripping and action-packed zombie horror film, now on Digital and On Demand. This chilling new chapter in the zombie apocalypse genre is a standalone follow-up to the 2012 cult hit Dead Season, which will be re-released in conjunction with Decade of the Dead.

 It is available on YouTube, Google Play, Fandango, and Apple TV. (Gold Dust PR, 2024)

Set against the eerie backdrop of a tropical island overrun by the undead, a group of survivors, ten years after a zombie outbreak, seeks refuge with an isolated community—only to uncover a sinister zombie-worshiping cult determined to dominate the post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Decade of the Dead stars Sean Patrick Thomas (Cruel Intentions, Save The Last Dance), Jenna Leigh Green (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch”),  Shane Johnson (“Power”), Branscombe Richmond (The Scorpion King, Mortal Kombat), Dean Geyer (Zoey 102, “Glee”).

Decade of the Dead – Ten years into the zombie apocalypse, Rachel, Tweeter, and Ben, live in a world without hope. While scavenging the Caribbean, they happen upon The Sworn, a zombie-worshiping cult of the worst remnants of humanity. The Sworn not only worship the dead but consume the living and enslave those they fail to convert. Rachel is captured and reunited with her long-lost sister, the high priestess of The Sworn, who leads the cult with Grinner, a blood-thirsty, fanatical brute, but the reunion is short-lived as they battle to make it off the island alive.

Filmed entirely on the island of O‘ahu with a talented local production crew, Decade of the Dead was co-directed by Adam Deyoe (Psycho Sleepover, Dead Season) and O‘ahu-based filmmaker Fairai Richmond. Flynn Forest Productions’ producer Loren Semmens, partnered with Bryan Spicer (Magnum P.I., Hawaii Five-0) and Sight & Sound Productions to execute the ambitious production.

Decade of the Dead offers an imaginative twist on beloved genre classics like The Walking Dead and Lost. The film creatively utilizes iconic O‘ahu locations, to craft a gripping and uniquely Hawaiian take on the zombie genre. The film made its world premiere at the 2023 Hawai‘i International Film Festival, where it was celebrated for its innovative approach to the zombie genre and its authentic representation of Hawai‘i’s filmmaking talent. 

Marc Guggenheim’s ‘In Any Lifetime’: A Captivating Journey Through Parallel Lives

‘In Any Lifetime” is Marc Guggenheim’s new novel. Photo: Amazon

One of the reasons I love time travel novels is because they seem so imaginative, especially the concept of parallel universes. They provide an interesting look at human destiny, different realities, and cause and effect. Through these stories, readers are given the opportunity to travel through several eras, questioning the idea that time moves in a linear fashion and revealing the complexities of both the past and the future. Besides the creativity involved, they are also intellectually stimulating because they frequently explore the ramifications of changing past events, the effects of knowing things that will happen in the future, and the complex dance between fate and free will.

I recently got a copy of Marc Guggenheim’s new novel “In Any Lifetime: A Novel” through Amazon First Reads. It’s a combination time travel/romance novel. I’m intrigued by the ‘I’ll find you in any lifetime’ aspect of romance, provided of course, the couple is truly in love and not a stalker situation. I haven’t read it yet, but I wanted to share it as a ‘new book’ feature. Stay tuned for the review.

Marc Guggenheim is an Emmy Award-winning writer and producer of television shows (Arrow, DC’S Legends of Tomorrow, Trollhunters, Carnival Row), movies (Green Lantern, Percy Jackson – Sea Of Monsters), comic books (X-Men Gold, Blade), video games (Call of Duty 3, Singularity, and novels (“Overwatch”). In his new book “In Any Lifetime: A Novel,” A devoted husband defies fate and risks everything to find the one universe where his beloved wife is still alive in this bold and thought-provoking novel. (Amazon, 2024)

“In Any Lifetime: A Novel” – Dr. Jonas Cullen has spent his career as a groundbreaking physicist defying the odds. But on the best night of his life—the night his wife, Amanda, tells him they’re finally having a baby—everything is taken away when a tragic car accident claims the lives of Amanda and their unborn child.

Gutted by pain, Jonas sets out to find a way to bring back Amanda—or rather, find a parallel universe in which she’s still alive. But that’s easier said than done. As Jonas comes to understand all too well, the universe favors certain outcomes…and Amanda’s death is one of them.

Guggenheim’s novel takes readers on a suspenseful journey, intercutting scenes of Jonas’s frantic, present-day search across multiple realities with glimpses from the past of his unfolding romance and eventual marriage. Will Jonas and Amanda reunite in some other world, or will fate succeed in taking her from him forever?