Happy Election Day From ComingSoon! PLEASE GO VOTE!

Hello from ComingSoon.net! Today is Tuesday, November 3 and that means it’s election day in the USA! Barring any major breaking stories we will not be publishing much movie/TV/video game news today while our staff takes the day off to vote. We encourage our readers in the States to do the same, if you have not already. If you’re voting absentee it is too late to place your ballot in the mail, so please be sure to drop it off at your local polling place!

This has been a tense and divisive election, and while we don’t officially endorse any particular candidate we want to underline the idea that voting is an important power all Americans have and to exercise it accordingly. Please do not be discouraged by apathy, misinformation, long lines, voter intimidation or any idea that “your vote doesn’t matter.” It absolutely does, so please GET OUT AND VOTE!

If you’re in the mood for some good political movies, here’s a few we highly recommend (click Amazon links to purchase)…

All the President’s Men
Reporters Woodward and Bernstein uncover the details of the Watergate scandal that leads to President Nixon’s resignation.

The American President
An environmental lobbyist (Annette Bening) becomes romantically involved with the widowed president of the United States (Michael Douglas) but their relationship jeopardizes his political agenda.

Bob Roberts
A corrupt folksinger (Tim Robbins) runs a crooked election campaign while only one independent muck-raking reporter is trying to stop him.

Bulworth
A veteran US Senator (Warren Beatty) decides to end his life by hiring an assassin – then, on no sleep and with nothing to lose, he becomes a hip-hop rapper, bluntly speaking truth to power! With Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Oliver Platt.

Lee Daniels’ The Butler
As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man’s life, family, and American society.

The Candidate
Robert Redford plays an idealistic attorney running for officein this marvellous, biting, satire on media-age political campaigns. Peter Boyleand Melvyn Douglas co-star.

The Contender
Sexy secrets from a womans past come to light as she runs for Vice President.

Citizen Kane
A story of idealism corrupted by wealth, Orson Welles’ movie is considered the greatest film of all time and is credited with inspiring more directorial careers than any other film in history.

Dave
Just who runs this country anyway? Uncanny Presidential look-like Dave,is recruited by the Secret Service to become a momentary stand-in forthe President of the United States.

Election
Reese Witherspoon is Tracy Flick, a straight “A” go-getter who’s determined to be president of Carver High’s student body. But when popular teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) observes the zealous political locomotive that is Tracy, he decides to derail her obsessive overachieving by recruiting an opposition candidate (Chris Klein) – with disastrous results!

A Face in the Crowd
An Arkansas drifter (Andy Griffith) becomes an overnight media sensation. As he becomes drunk with fame and power, will he ever be exposed as the fraud he has become?

The Front Runner
In 1987, U.S. Senator Gary Hart’s presidential campaign is derailed when he’s caught in a scandalous love affair.

Primary Colors
John Travolta leads an all-star cast–including Oscar winners Emma Thompson, Kathy Bates and Billy Bob Thornton–on a wild race to the White House in this savagely funny comedy.

Wag the Dog
A tale of politics, power and Hollywood so outrageous it could be true! The President of the United States is involved in a sex scandal. His advisors call in a political consultant.

The post Happy Election Day From ComingSoon! PLEASE GO VOTE! appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

CS Never-Seen-It-Before Reviews!

Over Halloween, the ComingSoon.net staff decided it was the perfect time to dive into a few horror and cult classics that have been terrifying fans for decades that some of us have been missing out on all this time. In our CS never-seen-it-before reviews, we tackle the devil, zombies, witches, demons, and chainsaw-wielding serial killers and let you know which ones are worth watching or revisiting. You can check out our reviews below!

RELATED: ComingSoon’s 2020 Halloween Gift Guide Video!

MAX EVRY: The Omen (1976)

Click here to purchase The Omen!

Religious horror has always been an issue with me. I was raised secular, and have no real spiritual beliefs to speak of, so concepts like The Devil or The Antichrist have zero effect on me in terms of scares. Not that I haven’t enjoyed a few in my time (I’m looking at you, Conjuring movies) but films like The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby have not had close to the impact on me as they have on the culture at large.

Enter the Omen franchise, which had been on my radar for years due to its classic status and my appreciation for director Richard Donner, but I had never had the inclination to actually view it. Scream Factory had sent me a boxed set of all five Omen films not long ago, and it had been my wish to dig into it someday. With no time like the present, I finally sat down and watched the original Omen this Halloween and was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

Of course, being a horror and pop culture fan I wasn’t wholly unfamiliar with the film. Some of its classic moments like the nanny suicide, Lee Remick’s fall from the upstairs railing, or David Warner’s Final Destination-esque beheading had been featured in clip shows or parodied in other films. Edgar Wright has made a virtual career of paying homage to this film, right down to casting Billie Whitelaw in Hot Fuzz.

That said, I found the story of a US Ambassador whose son turns out to be one wicked little sunuvabitch to be well-structured and expertly directed by Donner. Perhaps the biggest surprise is how much it had the feel of an Italian Giallo film, with much of the complex structure and elaborate kills not too dissimilar to the movies Dario Argento was making at the time. Maybe that is partly due to so much of the runtime taking place in and around Rome, but I think that feeling is definitely there.

The cast is great too. Gregory Peck is onboard 100% for the supernatural silliness, grounding the material. Warner is also groovy as the somewhat sleazy paparazzi who gets roped into the intrigue, and former Doctor Who Patrick Troughton is fabulously unhinged. All the set pieces like the baboon attack at the zoo or the insane death of the priest are so well executed that it really doesn’t matter if you buy into all the biblical stuff. Donner is and remains a wildly underrated journeyman in the best sense, and one of our best living directors.

KYLIE HEMMERT: Suspiria (1977) & Suspiria (2018)

Click here to watch Suspiria (1977)!

Click here to purchase Suspiria (2018)!

I have been meaning to check out the original Suspiria and its 2018 remake for a long time now, and after watching both I can admit I was missing out on a couple of really fascinating horror tales. Starting with the 1977 film from Dario Argento, the mood from the very beginning is foreboding enough to the point where even the environment feels unwelcome, between the storm, the unhelpful cab driver, to the poor girl named Pat Hingle that Suzy witnesses fleeing from the ballet academy. The atmospheric tension is consistent throughout the movie, leaving the audience and our main characters feeling properly unsure and uncomfortable as the narrative unfolds.

Suspiria’s vibrant color palette intentionally sticks out, giving a distinct touch to its visually stylistic flair that serves as one of the elements that gives the original an edge over the remake. The story is relatively fast-paced, eager to traverse the mystery of what exactly is happening at Tanz Dance Akademie. I will say, the movie is highly predictable, from witches being revealed as the main villains in the opening scene thanks to the movie’s perfect fever dream soundtrack and the main theme’s use of the aggressive lyric “WITCH”, to picking out who will meet a gruesome end before the credits roll. However, I appreciate that for its time the highly original feature was likely far less predictable as it is structured to be a grand mystery revolving around the odd people who run the school and why bodies are gruesomely dropping left and right.

My favorite moment from the movie takes place at the very end when terrifying coven leader Helena Markos uses the reanimated, mutilated corpse of Suzy’s slain friend Sarah to try to kill our leading lady. Suspiria is full of effective, gory, and disturbing sequences that feel appropriate for the specific tone established immediately in the movie, but this scene really stuck out and is followed-up by a satisfying conclusion when Suzy is able to prevail over evil and escapes the dying coven as she flees the burning dance academy and maniacally laughs in the rain — which serves as a great circling back moment to when Pat ran away from the school on a different rainy night in terror only to later meet a deadly fate at the beginning of the movie. Unlike Pat, Suzy survives and ultimately brings an end to the nightmare.

Described as a “nightmarish fairy tale” by some, the movie was honestly not that scary to me. But what I greatly enjoyed about the original Suspiria was its effort to create a never-before-seen type of horror mystery that attempts to assault the senses and it kept me engaged throughout as I was eager to see how they intended to handle big reveal moments or its own brutality and Suzy’s role in all of it. A very memorable opening murder sequence tells the audience from the get-go exactly what type of nightmare they have just stepped into, forcing us to become invested with Suzy’s safety as we wonder what horrors await her. Dario Argento’s surreal film may not have truly frightened me, but its handling of the genre drew me in and never let go, making its case for why the movie has earned its spot among the best horror classics.

Diving into 2018’s Suspiria, I have to say, I was really intrigued by the wildly different paths the two versions of this story took. Releasing just over 40 years later, Luca Guadagnino and David Kajganich’s take on Dario Argento’s horror classic essentially heightens the surreal and the bizarre (and the disturbing) that maintains a fascinating and expectedly horrifying first few acts, but ultimately fails to deliver a satisfying final act as the original did.

Something that caught my attention initially was how the running time of the remake had tacked on an extra hour of screentime compared to the first Suspiria, which left me curious to see how the newer film was going to flesh out its story with that extra 60 minutes. While I do love that some of the time is spent incorporating more dancing and training considering the setting of the story — not to mention the horrifying realization that the act of dance is sometimes used to cast a spell that might include manifesting extreme and brutal torture — the last couple of acts of the film take a turn with a build-up that didn’t quite land for me the way the original’s succinct narrative did.

That’s not to say the movie, including its blood-soaked ritualistic ending, is not memorable or should be skipped over. I appreciated the authenticity of the setting, between the use of language and wanting to incorporate the environmental horrors and political violence in 1977 Berlin, and was mesmerized by the cast, especially in every single scene that incorporated dance. Tilda Swinton is always a commanding presence and Dakota Fanning did a great job playing opposite Swinton’s Madame Blanc (Swinton actually plays three roles in the movie) who becomes more and more obsessed with Fanning’s Susie.

One of the biggest things I struggled with in Guadagnino’s homage, though, was the lack of mystery. That may sound strange as there is certainly an ongoing puzzle in the plot, namely building up to the twisty final reveal and the unexpected truth about Fanning’s character, how Susie is not just some random American woman who enrolls at a prestigious dance academy in Germany run by a coven of witches. But instead of shrouding the coven in mystery, we are able to witness the inner workings of the coven’s dynamic which I both loved and hated as it gave interesting insight but also directly removed what made the coven more sinister in the first film.

At the end of the day, though, both versions of Suspiria are worth being experienced. They are original, fascinating, disturbing, and ultimately engaging horror movies that tantalize and terrify in different ways that will stick with you as they demand more of an open mind, which I can always appreciate.

GRANT HERMANNS: Dawn of the Dead (1978) & Day of the Dead (1985)

Click here to purchase Dawn of the Dead!

Or click to watch here!

Click here to purchase Day of the Dead!

Where would the zombie genre be without the brilliant mind of George A. Romero? Admittedly, it wasn’t until late into my high school years that I finally sat down and watched his 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead and now, a decade later, I finally took the time to go back and watch the second and third installments in his long-running franchise, Dawn and Day of the Dead, and while the former certainly hold up to its classic status, the latter not quite as much.

The thriller centered on a small group of people taking shelter from a zombie apocalypse in a large shopping mall is chock-full of sharp satirical jabs at consumerism and race, much like its predecessor, though in expanding its scope and runtime, it also loses a step in its tension-building and pace and occasionally drags. Even if the characters prove thoroughly likable and enjoyable to watch, there’s many a moment after the halfway point in which the story seems to be going nowhere and struggling to find a path forward, as well as trying to find a proper balance between dark and slapstick humor and its more serious elements. Admittedly, the remake does correct some of these flaws while simultaneously suffering from others, but Romero nonetheless crafted an entertaining and still-effective zombie chiller.

The same can not be said, however, for his 1985 follow-up Day of the Dead, centered on a group of military officers and scientists living in an underground bunker in Florida as the world above is overrun by the undead. Described by Romero as more of “a tragedy about how a lack of human communication causes chaos and collapse even in this small little pie slice of society” than an outright zombie flick like the predecessors, the writer/director certainly taps into this theme throughout the story, although struggles to do so in any entertaining or compelling fashion. With a cast of wholly unlikable characters, a more deliberate pacing and overtly bleak tone, it’s hard to truly connect to the story and characters and while there’s still plenty of efficient gore, making for a mostly dull and only mildly entertaining affair.

MAGGIE DELA PAZ: The Evil Dead (1981) & Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)

Click here to purchase Evil Dead!

Click here to purchase Evil Dead 2!

Before Sam Raimi went on to direct high-profile films such as Sony Pictures’ Tobey Maguire-led Spider-Man Trilogy and Marvel Studios’ upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, he first gained recognition for his 1981 independent horror film The Evil Dead and was then followed by its comedy horror sequel Evil Dead 2 in 1987. Both received acclaim for Raimi’s original story, direction, cinematography, and use of practical effects, which definitely cemented Raimi’s status as an influential horror filmmaker. The first two films have also amassed quite a big cult following, making them two of the best horror films to date.

Admittedly, the reason why I’ve never seen the original Evil Dead films before this year was because I’ve never really got the chance to see them when I was younger, where the only time I get to watch old films was through HBO reruns. My first introduction to Evil Dead was actually in 2013 in the form of a trailer for Fede Álvarez’s reboot film which I regretfully also didn’t watch because at that time, I wasn’t really a fan or open to seeing full-on gory horror films like the Saw films. Thankfully, I recently had the opportunity to finally see it after so many times of putting it off.

For people who still haven’t watched the Evil Dead films, the first one begins with five friends led by Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams, who decided to go on a vacation at an isolated cabin in the woods where they’ve unintentionally woke up an evil supernatural force. From then on, madness ensues as one by one they became possessed by the entity, leaving only Ash to fight for his survival. Even though I’m still not into gory stuff, I have to admit that I’ve come to like this film a lot. I totally get how it was a very important piece in horror history as it became one of the pioneers to the rise of low-budget horror filmmaking. I actually appreciated it more after learning about the difficult behind-the-scenes process of making this film possible. From its creative shots, practical effects, and original storytelling, it’s no wonder that the franchise went on to build a legacy that inspired other filmmakers and movies since its debut. That’s why, when I’ve decided to re-watch it, I wasn’t terrified anymore but was just full of admiration for Raimi and his team’s passion and incredible talent for being able to create such a significant low-budget film.

Although the first one was great, Evil Dead 2 has become my favorite one because I’m more in favor of the comedy-horror genre. Even though it also featured the same great qualities as the original one, the 1987 sequel’s heightened humor and extra context to its backstory made it more appealing to me. I know that it’s quite a rare feat for any filmmakers to be able to replicate the success of their original film. But due to Raimi’s unique vision and talent, he was able to create another groundbreaking film that became one of the strong foundations of its long-running franchise. I also personally preferred Campbell’s leading performance in the second one because his character became more reliable and heroic. I think Evil Dead 2 was where Campbell’s status as a horror icon really solidified as he had become a symbol of tenacity in the face of pure evil.

Overall, I highly encourage everyone, who’s still having second thoughts about checking out these films, to stop missing out on Raimi’s early masterpieces because I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed. Watching the first two Evil Dead films honestly feels like a lesson in filmmaking. That’s why I think it’s really important for every movie enthusiast or budding filmmaker to check them out because you’ll be impressed by the heavy influence it had on the horror genre.

JEFF AMES: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Click here to purchase The Texas Chain Saw Massacre!

When asked to watch Tobe Hooper’s 1974 “classic” The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, my reaction was less than enthusiastic as I’ve never been enamored by Leatherface or his chainsaw-wielding antics. Now that I’ve seen the film… I still don’t get it.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is obviously not meant to be an enjoyable experience. What begins as a peculiar road trip flick — shot in a manner not unlike an adult film replete with young, scantily clad women, silly dialogue, and terrible acting — quickly turns into an extended series of chase sequences and grisly murders all of which culminate in one of the most headache-inducing finales I’ve ever experienced. Indeed, Texas Chain Saw feels more like a lucid fever dream than anything resembling a motion picture. The characters don’t much matter and are disposed of rather quickly; and the ending in which a bound and gagged Marilyn Burns endures an endless barrage of over-the-top mockery by the Sawyer family is simply too wacky to generate anything resembling pure terror.

Even so, the film successfully provokes a feeling of unease thanks to its solid production design, dizzying editing, and reliance on raw filmmaking that is as far removed from the hyper-stylized nature of the countless sequels and remakes that followed as Leatherface is to Ghandi.

Speaking of which, I was surprised at this depiction of Leatherface, who barely resembles the monstrous pop-culture icon he has since become. Here, he is a pathetic creature who cowers before his tyrannical father and lumbers about like Frankenstein on acid. That spinning dance at the climax felt more wretched than threatening; and his efforts to scare Marilyn’s character during the dinner sequence brought to mind that scene in Ron Howard’s The Grinch where Jim Carrey attempts to frighten a young girl by repeatedly jumping at her. I laughed in both instances.

Ultimately, Texas Chain Saw simply has nothing going for it aside from a willingness to ascend to levels of deranged violence typically reserved for snuff films. That’s it. That’s the point. It’s shock and awe. There are no lessons to be gleaned or characters to root for. Bad things happen and then the film ends. I suppose I understand why the film was successful — it’s quite shocking, even for a film made nearly 50 years ago. Though, I still don’t understand the need for such violent displays of human depravity. I’d rather watch Poltergeist.

The post CS Never-Seen-It-Before Reviews! appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Ti West sets new horror pic at A24 with ensemble cast

It’s been seven years since Ti West last stepped behind the camera for the feature world of horror and now he has set his return to the film genre with a film entitled X at A24 with an ensemble cast set to be led by Mia Goth (Suspiria, Emma.), according to Deadline.

RELATED: Donal Logue Joins Johannes Roberts’ Resident Evil Origin Story Reboot

Plot details are currently unknown at this time, but the film is said to be akin in tone and story to West’s past horror films and the 40-year-old filmmaker is set to write and direct the project, which is also in final negotiations to have Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi (Bill & Ted Face the Music) and Jenna Ortega (Scream 5) to join the cast.

The film, which is currently eyeing an early 2021 production start date, is set to be co-produced and co-financed by A24 and BRON Studios, with A24 producing alongside Jacob Jaffke, Kevin Turen, Sam Levinson and Ashley Levinson via their Little Lamb Productions banner, while Mescudi is set to executive produce the project.

West’s last feature project was the 2016 western pic In The Valley of Violence starring Ethan Hawke (The Good Lord Bird) and John Travolta (Die Hart), which received rave reviews from critics and audiences though was a financial disappointment. His previous horror efforts include The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers, segments of V/H/S and The ABCs of Death and The Sacrament, as well as episodes of MTV’s Scream, Cinemax’s Outcast and Fox’s The Exorcist and Wayward Pines.

RELATED: Neil Marshall Set to Direct & Produce Horror-Thriller The Lair

Ortega, who is currently filming the highly-anticipated Scream revival from Radio Silence (Ready or Not), was most recently seen in Netflix’s horror comedy sequel The Babysitter: Killer Queen, while Mescudi has graced both the big and small screen this year with HBO’s We Are Who We Are and the well-received threequel Bill & Ted Face the Music. Goth has made a name for herself in the horror genre with films such as A Cure for Wellness, Marrowbone and Suspiria, though was last seen in the period romantic comedy Emma.

(Photo Credits: Getty Images)

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Isabelle Fuhrman to Reprise Role of Esther in Orphan Prequel

Orphan star Isabelle Fuhrman (The Hunger Games, Masters of Sex) is reprising her role as Esther in the upcoming prequel Orphan: First Kill. Golden Globe nominee Julia Stiles (Dexter, Riviera) has reportedly also joined the project that is being directed by William Brent Bell (The Boy, Brahms: The Boy II, Stay Alive), according to Deadline.

RELATED: Bryan Edward Hill Set to Pen Power Rangers Film for eOne

The outlet adds that Bell is already shooting the prequel in Winnipeg and that the filmmakers will be utilizing a “combination of forced perspective shooting and a world-class makeup team” in order for Fuhrman to bring her Orphan character back to life in the prequel.

In Orphan: First Kill, written by David Coggeshall (Prey, Scream: The TV Series), Leena Klammer (Fuhrman) orchestrates a brilliant escape from an Estonian psychiatric facility and travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. But Leena’s new life as “Esther” comes with an unexpected wrinkle and pits her against a mother who will protect her family at any cost.

The movie comes from Entertainment One and Dark Castle Entertainment. Producers include Dark Castle’s Alex Mace, Hal Sadoff, and Ethan Erwin as well as James Tomlinson, with David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick serving as executive producer. Jen Gorton and Josie Liang will oversee for eOne.

RELATED: Neil Marshall Set to Direct & Produce Horror-Thriller The Lair

The first Orphan movie debuted in 2009 and also starred Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard as a wife and husband who adopt a nine-year-old girl after losing their baby, though she’s not nearly as innocent as she claims to be. The film was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick from a story by Alex Mace.

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Donal Logue Joins Johannes Roberts’ Resident Evil Origin Story Reboot

Donal Logue (Gotham, Terriers, Blade) is set to play Chief Irons in the upcoming Resident Evil origin story reboot directed by Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down) and produced by Constantin Film, according to Deadline.

RELATED: Resident Evil Reboot Builds Cast Including Scodelairo, Amell & More!

The film is set to be an official origin story to Capcom’s long-running survival horror video game franchise and will be set on an infamous night in Raccoon City in 1998 when the Umbrella Corporation unleashed hell upon the world and it was up to a select group of people to stop them.

Logue will join the previously announced cast that includes Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner) as Claire Redfield, Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and the Wasp) as Jill Valentine, Robbie Amell (Upload) as Chris Redfield, Tom Hopper (Black Sails) as Albert Wesker, Avan Jogia (Zombieland: Double Tap) as Leon S. Kennedy, and Neal McDonough (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) as William Birkin. Chad Rook (The Flash) and Lily Gao (The Handmaid’s Tale) have been cast in supporting roles.

The film will be produced by Robert Kulzer for Constantin Films, who were attached to the Milla Jovovich-starring franchise, alongside James Harris from Tea Shop Productions and Hartley Gorenstein, while Constantin’s CEO Martin Moskowicz and Davis Film’s Victor Hadida are set to executive produce. Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems, who distributed the original films, is set to release the film domestically while Constantin will debut it in German-speaking territories, Elevation in Canada, Metropolitan in France and Sony Pictures Releasing in all remaining territories.

In 2018, it was reported that Roberts had been tapped to helm and write the Resident Evil reboot. Though previously attached, James Wan’s Atomic Monster has dropped out of the project.

Production on the movie is currently underway. The new Resident Evil project is expected to release in 2021.

RELATED: Netflix Orders a Resident Evil TV Series From Supernatural EP

The last installment of the first series of Resident Evil movies, helmed by Paul W.S. Anderson and starring his wife Milla Jovovich, earned $26.8 million domestically. Internationally, however, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter grossed an impressive $285.4 million, with $160 million of that coming from China. The $40 million-budgeted sixth film, distributed by Sony‘s Screen Gems, has earned $312.2 million worldwide.

Based on Capcom’s hugely popular video games, the Resident Evil movies have earned $1.2 billion worldwide to date, making it the highest-grossing film series to be based on a video game.

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Neil Marshall set to direct & produce horror-thriller The Lair

After bringing his latest horror pic to US audiences at Beyond Fest earlier this month, Neil Marshall has lined up his next genre pic with the war horror action-thriller The Lair, which he will direct and produce, according to Variety.

RELATED: Hellraiser Series: Clive Barker to Executive Produce New HBO Adaptation

Written by Marshall, the film focuses on Royal Air Force pilot Lt. Kate Sinclair as her jet is shot down over one of the most dangerous rebel strongholds in Afghanistan on her final flight mission. As she finds shelter in an abandoned underground bunker, she discovers deadly man-made creatures known as Ravagers, which are half-human and half-alien and hunger for human flesh, and barely escapes, unknowingly leading them to a U.S. Army base where they must all fight back against them.

“If The Reckoning was a gothic drama in testament to the power and resilience of women, then The Lair is my true return to full-blooded horror and intense genre action in the style of Dog Soldiers, The Descent and Doomsday,” Marshall said in a statement. “I’m making something scary as hell, pulse-pounding and great fun. This is a crowd pleaser, an adrenaline pumping roller-coaster ride; spectacular and loud, inspired by classic genre movies like Aliens, Predator and The Thing and their incredible use of practical creature FX. Featuring a new breed of screen terror, The Lair will be a snarling, ravenous beast of a movie. I’m going to get my hands bloody making this one!”

News of the film’s development arrives just ahead of the launch of sales for the project at the forthcoming virtual American Film Market, which is set to begin on November 9 and be handled by Highland Film Group, with Marshall set to produce the film via his Scarlett Productions Ltd. banner and eyeing a production start early next year.

RELATED: Scott Derrickson Tapped to Helm Blumhouse & Universal’s Black Phone

Marshall is best-known for his breakout action horror hits Dog Soldiers and The Descent and most recently stepped behind the camera for the failed Hellboy reboot starring David Harbour (Stranger Things) and the adventure horror The Reckoning.

(Photo Credit: Robin Marchant/WireImage)

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The Painter and the Thief: NEON Partners with STUDIOCANAL & Blueprint Pictures on Narrative Remake

NEON has announced they are partnering with STUDIOCANAL and Blueprint Pictures to co-develop the narrative remake of their lauded documentary The Painter and the Thief from Benjamin Ree. You can rent or buy the documentary here!

RELATED: NEON Unveils Trailer & Release Date for Documentary Totally Under Control

Following the film’s word-of-mouth success and increasing awards momentum, NEON sparked a bidding war for the buzzed-about project, ultimately won by STUDIOCANAL and Blueprint Pictures. NEON had acquired remake rights along with the documentary following its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won for “Creative Storytelling”. It has gone on to earn multiple awards across the festival circuit, most recently taking the “Best Documentary Feature” award out of the BFI London Film Festival, and received two Critics’ Choice Awards Nominations for Best Documentary Feature and Best Director.

STUDIOCANAL and Blueprint Pictures will develop and package the feature, with Blueprint producing and NEON and STUDIOCANAL executive producing. NEON and STUDIOCANAL will finance the development and production. A writer, director, and cast are yet to be attached.

The Painter and the Thief follows a Czech artist who, desperate for answers about the theft of her two paintings, seeks out and befriends the career criminal who stole them.

The deal was negotiated by Jeff Deutchman for NEON, with Shana Eddy, Rachel Henochsberg, and Vanessa Saunoi on behalf of STUDIOCANAL and Diarmuid McKeown on behalf of Blueprint Pictures.

RELATED: Lily James, Emma Thompson & Shazad Latif to Star in Shekhar Kapur’s New Rom-Com

This is the latest foray for NEON into development and production on the heels of their Best Picture win for Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, a film they boarded at script stage, as well as Alex Gibney’s Totally Under Control which was recently released on Apple TV. NEON has several projects at various stages of development and production, including Pablo Larrain’s Spencer.

The post The Painter and the Thief: NEON Partners with STUDIOCANAL & Blueprint Pictures on Narrative Remake appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

New Mortal clip reveals one of Nat Wolff’s powers

Ahead of the film’s digital and select theatrical release, Saban Films has unveiled a new clip from André Øvredal’s (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark) forthcoming sci-fi fantasy thriller Mortal starring Nat Wolff (Death Note) that shows off one of his various powers in the film. The clip can be viewed in the player below!

RELATED: Saban Films Unveils New Trailer, Poster & Release for André Øvredal’s Mortal

Based on ancient Norse Mythology, Mortal is a fantasy adventure epic that is being described as a fusion of previous superhero films such as Chronicle, X-Men and Thor. It will follow the story of a young boy, who must discover the origins of his extraordinary powers before he is captured by authorities hell-bent on con-demning him for an accidental murder. A breath-taking and thrilling origins adventure story.

Joining Nat Wolff (Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars) are Norwegian actors Iben Akerlie, Priyanka Bose, Arthur Hakalahti, Anna Sedunova, and Per Egil Aske. Mortal is written and directed by Øvredal, who also serves as an executive producer along with Aage Aaberge, Aron Eli Coleite, Malene Ehlers, Joshua Horsfield, and Henrik Zein.

André Øvredal is best known for his feature directorial debut film Trollhunter and the 2016 supernatural horror film The Autopsy of Jane Doe. His most recent work was on Guillermo del Toro’s live-action adaptation of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. His upcoming projects are Amblin’s The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Stephen King’s The Long Walk film adaptation and a sequel to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

RELATED: Exclusive: André Øvredal Talks Scary Stories Sequel & The Long Walk

Mortal is set to hit select theaters, digital platforms and VOD on November 6, followed by a Blu-ray release on November 10.

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The Stand-In Trailer Starring Drew Barrymore in Jamie Babbit’s New Comedy

Saban Films has released the official trailer for The Stand-In, starring Golden Globe winner Drew Barrymore (Grey Gardens, Santa Clarita Diet) in dual roles in Emmy nominee Jamie Babbit’s (Silicon Valley) upcoming comedy. You can check out the trailer now in the player below!

RELATED: Wander Trailer Starring Aaron Eckhart & Tommy Lee Jones

The Stand-In is the story of a disaffected comedy actress busted for tax evasion and her adoring, ambitious stand-in who she hires to do community service in her place. A co-dependent relationship ensues as the actress begins to use the stand-in in all parts of her life to escape from the stressful demands of fame. Eventually, the stand-in starts to take the actress’s identity, career, and boyfriend and finally kicks her out of her own house.

The star-studded cast also includes Michael Zegen (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Emmy Award nominee Ellie Kemper (Bridesmaids, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), T.J. Miller (Deadpool, Silicon Valley), and Emmy Award-winner Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men, Legally Blonde). An official selection of The Tribeca Film Festival, the comedy was written by Sam Bain (Four Lions, Magicians) and produced by The Exchange’s Caddy Vanasirikul and Brian O’Shea, Flower Films’ Ember Truesdell and Chris Miller, and Tom McNulty.

RELATED: Saban Films Unveils New Trailer, Poster & Release for André Øvredal’s Mortal

Saban Films is executive producing alongside Flower Films’ Drew Barrymore, Nancy Juvonen; Ingenious Media’s Christelle Conan, Anders Erden, Simon Williams, The Exchange’s Nat McCormick, Giovanna Trischitta; Wrigley Media Group’s Misdee Wrigley-Miller, Jayne Hancock, Ross Babbit, Danny Tepper; J3’s John Jencks and Joe Simpson, Jay Taylor, and Sam Bain.

The Stand-In will release in select theaters, On Demand, and on Digital on December 11.

The post The Stand-In Trailer Starring Drew Barrymore in Jamie Babbit’s New Comedy appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Rating: 

8.5/10

Cast:

Gillian Jacobs as Sarah

John Gallagher Jr. as Marty

Azhy Robertson as Oliver

Winslow Fegley as Bryon

Written and Directed by Jacob Chase

Come Play Review:

“The American version of [insert title here]” can either be the biggest praise or the the harshest critique for a film in any genre, but especially in the horror genre, which has a fanbase that ranges from hungry solely for unique new stories to loving trips down nostalgia lane. With Amblin Partners joined in on the feature, Jacob Chase’s Come Play is certainly a mishmash of parts tapping into the feel of the latter, but thanks to some effective shocks and emotional storytelling, it still proves to be one of the better horror outings of recent years.

The story of Come Play, a feature length adaptation of Chase’s horror short Larry, focuses on Oliver, a lonely young boy who feels different from everyone else. Desperate for a friend, he seeks solace and refuge in his ever-present cell phone and tablet. When a mysterious creature uses Oliver’s devices against him to break into our world, Oliver’s parents (Gillian Jacobs and John Gallagher Jr.) must fight to save their son from the monster beyond the screen.

For those who it wasn’t apparent, the story is a clear borrowing of elements from Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook, although there are enough elements in Chase’s film to set itself apart from the 2014 masterpiece, including actually diagnosing its child protagonist with a specific disability instead of just an ambiguous placing on the spectrum and having the father alive and in the story. Granted with Kent’s film, the father’s absence is a key driving force for the story’s thematics, but the inclusion of the father feels much more resonant for the story of young Oliver.

As the story progresses and shows the various parts of Oliver’s life, including his visits to his therapist and troubles at school with other children, it becomes clear Chase has done a lot of research into how his character would move through the world and the struggles he’d face in connecting with both family and peers. This early establishment of a well-rounded and interesting portrayal of Oliver makes the emotional connection all that much easier for audiences as the terror slowly works its way into the story.

Much like Kent’s Babadook or even David F. Sandberg’s Lights Out, Chase does a nice job of taking his time to build the suspense surrounding the malevolent Larry before going a little heavy on the jump scares. Granted, many of the jump scares are very effective and expertly crafted, the writer/director clearly having a grasp on the nature of building the tension in a scene and offering fake-outs before suddenly pulling the rug out from audiences and sending their heart rates spiking.

One of the key ingredients that makes so many of the scares, both jump and atmospheric, so effective is the film’s incredible sound design throughout. While there is an emotional musical score from the always-great Roque Baños present in the film, Chase smartly chooses to keep it either low in the background or keep scenes quiet to keep audiences guessing as to whether something is about to happen or elevate much of the powerful dialogue scenes from the incredible performers Gillian Jacobs and John Gallagher Jr.’s Sarah and Marty. Like the best films full of jump scares from recent years, Chase’s decision to keep much of the film quieter allows for all of the air to be sucked out of viewers’ lungs as little hints and subtle appearances are on display in scenes of terror, followed by a horrific shock or a gotcha moment that allows the audience to chuckle at the fact they got got.

Come Play may feel like an assortment of pieces from other, better horror films, namely The Babadook, but thanks to some emotional storytelling, effective scares, wonderful performances from its cast and a downright shocker of an ending, it proves to be a plenty entertaining entry into the family horror genre.

The post Come Play Review: Emotional Depth & Good Shocks Offsets Familiar Parts appeared first on ComingSoon.net.