Thriller

Jose Nestor Marquez’s sci-fi thriller, REVERSION, Follow-up to ISA, Gets a Fall 2015 Release

Filmmaker Jose Nestor Marquez’s sci-fi thriller, REVERSION will be released on October 9, 2015 in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, with a wider national release to follow. Filmmaker Jose Nestor Marquez created REVERSION intertwining technology and identity, a continuation of the theme from his 2014 feature film ISA, which premiered on the Syfy channel. REVERSION centers on Sophie Clé (Aja Naomi King), a delighted user of the Oubli, a wisp of high-tech jewelry that wraps behind the ear and uses neuroscience to help its users experience their most joyful memories as if they were happening for the first time. In addition to being the head of marketing for the company that makes this revolutionary memory-enhancing wearable device, she is also the daughter of its inventor, Jack Clé (Colm Feore). Sophie’s most joyful memory is the last day she saw her mother alive, fifteen years earlier. But on the eve of the Oubli’s worldwide launch, a stranger named Isa (Jeanette Samano) kidnaps Sophie, setting off a chain of events that remind us all, you can’t escape what you can’t forget. REVERSION is directed and Co-written by Jose Nestor Marquez (pictured above) (Ana Maria in Novela Land) and stars Aja Naomi King (How to Get Away With Murder), Colm Feore (Gotham, The Chronicles of Riddick), Gary Dourdan (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Being Mary Jane) and Jeanette Samano (ISA, Speechless).
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Action, Horror, Shock and Fantasy Films on Midnight Madness Lineup for 2015 Toronto Film Festival

Midnight Madness returns to the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival to satiate late night audiences’ appetites for wild sensory stimulation. The program will present the best in action, horror, shock and fantasy films from the rabble-rousers of cinema, opening with Jeremy Saulnier’s tense siege shocker Green Room. “Midnight Madness winds up Festival audiences as the days are winding down and they are hungry for more,” says Colin Geddes, International Programmer for the Festival. “From adrenaline-filled action and untamed horror to twisted comedy and darkly blurred lines of reality, this year’s lineup welcomes back celebrated masters and fresh visionaries of renegade genre cinema.” Among this year’s returning Midnight Madness directors are Joe Begos and Sean Byrne, who both debuted in the program and are back with their much anticipated follow-up features, and Japanese bad boy auteur Takashi Miike with his high-octane Yakuza Apocalypse. Closing out the selection is the raucously reverent homage to classic slasher movies The Final Girls. Films screening as part of the Midnight Madness program include: Baskin Can Evrenol, Turkey World Premiere A squad of unsuspecting cops goes through a trapdoor to Hell when they stumble upon a Black Mass in an abandoned building. The nightmarish feature debut Baskin is the first-ever Midnight Madness film from Turkey. The Devil’s Candy Sean Byrne, USA World Premiere The director of the 2009 Midnight Madness People’s Choice Award winner The Loved Ones is back with an equally fresh twist on the supernatural genre. A struggling artist (Ethan Embry) and his family buy the house of their dreams only to discover the property’s mysterious dark past and a former tenant who wants more than to simply come back home. From the producers of Midnight Madness hits You’re Next and The Guest. Midnight Madness Closing Night Film. The Final Girls Todd Strauss-Schulson, USA International Premiere Max (American Horror Story’s Taissa Farmiga) is a high school senior whose mom (Malin Akerman) was a celebrated ’80s scream queen. At a screening, Max and her friends are mysteriously transported inside her mom’s most infamous movie, where they must fend off the camp counselors’ raging hormones, battle a deranged machete-wielding killer and find a way to escape the movie and get back home. The Girl in the Photographs Nick Simon, USA World Premiere Big-city glamour clashes with small-town values and a killer’s knife, in this bloody cocktail of terror from director Nick Simon and executive producer Wes Craven. Colleen’s life in the sleepy town of Spearfish is disrupted when she starts receiving photographs of brutally murdered women. Things get even crazier for Colleen when L.A. based celeb-photographer Peter Hemmings (Kal Penn) returns to his hometown of Spearfish to investigate. Midnight Madness Opening Night Film. Green Room (pictured above) Jeremy Saulnier, USA North American Premiere Broke, tired and at each other’s throats after a cancelled gig, a young punk rock band accepts a sketchy matinee show to get themselves home. When they stumble upon something they weren’t supposed to witness, the quartet is trapped in a terrifying siege. Directed by Jeremy Saulnier (of 2013 Cannes Film Festival FIPRESCI Prize winner Blue Ruin), the film stars Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, and Patrick Stewart. Green Room is preceded by the previously announced short film The Chickening from directors Nick DenBoer and Davy Force. Hardcore Ilya Naishuller, Russia/USA World Premiere Resurrected with no recollection of his past, a cyborg named Henry (the audience’s POV) and his ally, Jimmy (Sharlto Copley, District 9) must fight through the streets of Moscow in pursuit of Henry’s kidnapped wife in the world’s first action-adventure film to be entirely shot from the first person perspective. The Mind’s Eye Joe Begos, USA World Premiere Joe Begos returns with a psychokinetic thriller about Zack Connors (Graham Skipper), whose abilities have kept him off the grid for years until he’s recruited by the mysterious Dr. Slovak. The snowy New England landscape turns into a whirlwind of psychic rage, flying axes, and brutal revenge as Zack does everything in his power to stop Dr. Slovak’s deadly descent into synthetically engineered telekinetic madness. Southbound Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, Patrick Horvath and Radio Silence, USA World Premiere Five intertwining tales of terror unfold along an endless desert highway. On a desolate stretch of road, weary travelers — two men on the run from their past, a band on their way to the next gig, a man struggling to get home, a brother in search of his long-lost sister and a family on vacation — are forced to confront their worst fears and darkest secrets in these interwoven tales of terror and remorse on the open road. SPL 2 – A Time For Consequences Soi Cheang, Hong Kong International Premiere The anticipated follow-up to the bone-cracking martial arts brawler SPL (also known as Sha Po Lung and Kill Zone) that debuted in the program in 2005 stars Midnight Madness discovery Tony Jaa (Ong Bak). When an undercover cop (Wu Jing) has his cover blown and is thrown into a prison in Thailand run by a crime syndicate, he must team up with a prison guard (Jaa) to bust out and get revenge on those who wronged him. Filled with gun battles, prison riots and frenetic fight choreography, SPL 2 might knock the wind out of you — and possibly a few teeth. Yakuza Apocalypse (Gokudo Daisenso) Takashi Miike, Japan North American Premiere Japanese cinematic extremist Takashi Miike returns to his gonzo roots with this mind-melter that finds room for vampires, gangsters, monsters, martial arts and even a yakuza knitting circle. A true master and MVP of the program, Miike wowed previous Midnight Madness audiences with such hits as Fudoh: The New Generation, Audition, The City of Lost Souls, Ichi the Killer, Zebraman, The Great Yokai War and Sukiyaki Western Django. He returns with a film too wild to be described and too fun to be missed! The 40th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 10 to 20, 2015.
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Throwback Texas Thriller TWO STEP Movie Review

The crime thriller TWO STEP debuted at the 2014 South by Southwest Festival and made the festival rounds throughout 2014. James (Skyy Moore) is a college dropout who lives with his grandmother. When his grandmother passes away, James is on his own in a town where he doesn’t know anyone else. He meets his grandmother’s neighbor Dot (Beth Broderick), an attractive middle-aged dance instructor, and soon develops an attachment to her. Meanwhile, jailhouse lowlife Webb (James Landry Hébert) spends his time in prison calling random numbers from to scam old people out of money. Webb is released from prison into a desperate situation, and he proves how cerebral and destructive he can be when he and James inadvertently cross paths. TWO STEP is a thriller that has some very unique elements – for one, much of the violence – and there is plenty – happens off-screen. This isn’t a movie about physical violence, it is about the mental toll that desperation causes. First time feature writer/director Alex R. Johnson structures the film to hide the violence, particularly in the dangerous, slow-spoken way that Webb carries himself. While Webb is obviously distressed, both James and Dot have their own issues within their lives. Both are somewhat lost causes, and it’s fascinating how the film hints at the nature of their friendship. The final third of TWO STEP almost entirely focuses on Webb, shifting him from the film’s antagonist role to the protagonist’s role. Much of it involves him driving around talking to people and tying up the loose ends in his life, which meanders too much. This pushes both James and Dot’s characters to the fringe of the narrative, and if you are more interested in their predicaments than Webb’s (as I was), you will be disappointed. Because of that, as engaged I was in the setup of the conflict of TWO STEP, I was disappointed in not seeing more of these characters because their personal conflicts remain largely unresolved. TWO STEP is worth a watch, but the ending holds it back from being a unique crime thriller that would set it apart from the dozens of above average crime films that appear at festivals every year. Johnson definitely shows a talented eye for directing – and Hébert plays a great villain – so I’m looking forward to see if Johnson can grow as a filmmaker with his next feature. Film Review Rating 3 out of 5 : See it … It’s Good https://vimeo.com/93220155 TWO STEP Opens July 31st in NY at the Village East Cinema, and August 7th in LA, will be available across major iVOD/cVOD platforms starting on September 1st. Written and Directed by Alex R Johnson Starring Beth Broderick, James Landry Hébert, Skyy Moore, Jason Douglas, Ashley Rae Spillers Written by Christopher McKittrick
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Sony Pictures to Release Branden Kramer’s Cyber-Suspense Thriller RATTER | VIDEO

Sony Pictures has picked up first-time feature filmmaker Branden Kramer’s cyber-suspense thriller RATTER, starring Ashley Benson (“Pretty Little Liars”). RATTER debuted in competition at the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival and will have its Los Angeles Premiere on Sunday, June 14, at 9:40pm PST in the Nightfall section of this year’s Los Angeles Film Festival. Written and directed by Kramer, RATTER is based on the short film Webcam, which has been viewed more than six million times on Vimeo. Benson stars as Emma, a graduate student living alone in New York City. She is being watched by a “Ratter” who stalks her by hacking into all of her personal technology–laptop, cell phone, and other web connected devices–to record her most intimate moments. Eventually the video feeds aren’t enough and the stalker moves from the virtual to the physical – with disturbing consequences. The film also stars Matt McGorry (“Orange Is the New Black”) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (The Switch). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si4dNU6AQJU
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Award-Winning Thriller TWO STEP Sets Release Date, Opens July 31st | TRAILER

Director Alex R. Johnson’s award-winning thriller TWO STEP begins its limited theatrical release in New York City and Los Angeles, premiering on July 31st at the Village East Cinema, and opening in LA the following week. TWO STEP will be available across major iVOD/cVOD platforms starting on September 1st. TWO STEP is a throwback Texas thriller in which the lives of James, a directionless college dropout, and Webb, a career criminal with his back against the wall, violently collide. Kicked out of college, James visits Grams, his only remaining family, who dies shortly after his arrival. He finds consolation in the company of Grams’ neighbor, Dot, a dance teacher, as he figures out his next move. While settling Grams’ affairs, James learns she’s been the victim of the ‘Grandparent Scam’, in which someone posing as James has been slowly bilking her out of thousands. But before James can go looking for the culprit, he shows up at the front door, desperate for money. The culprit, Webb, has his own problems in the form of Duane, who has ordered Webb to pay an old debt or else. And if Webb can’t get it from Grams, James will have to do – no matter who stands in his way. Jason Tyrrell, Director of Acquisitions and Distribution for Traverse Media said, ‘TWO STEP is one of the most riveting films to come out of the festival circuit in 2014, and every moment of the fantastic imagery and powerful performances stick with you long after the credits roll. We are thrilled to be bringing Alex’s vision to a wider audience this summer’. After premiering at the 2014 SXSW film festival, TWO STEP went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the New Hampshire International Film Festival and the Best Narrative Feature award at the Flyaway Film Festival. It has also played at the International Film Festival of India, Cucalorus Film Festival, Vancouver International, Reykjavik International and many more. https://vimeo.com/93220155
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Grindhouse-Style Feminist Thriller THE LADIES OF THE HOUSE on VOD May 1st

Gravitas Ventures will release John Stuart Wildman’s THE LADIES OF THE HOUSE on VOD, May 1st. The grindhouse-style feminist thriller will wrap up a successful year-long film festival run with an appearance at the Nashville Film Festival on Friday, April 16 as part of the fest’s Graveyard Shift lineup prior to the VOD date. The film is currently available for pre-order on iTunes. Featuring a screenplay by Justina Walford and Wildman, the film stars Farah White, Melodie Sisk, Brina Palencia, Samrat Chakrabarti, and Michelle “Belladonna” Sinclair and was produced by White, Wildman, Walford and Adam Dietrich. THE LADIES OF THE HOUSE made its world premiere at last year’s Dallas International Film Festival. THE LADIES OF THE HOUSE follows the fate of two brothers, Jacob and Kai, who, along with their friend Derek, go to a dance club to celebrate Kai’s birthday. After Derek convinces the other two to follow one of the dancers home, things take a tragic turn resulting in the young woman’s death. However, that is simply the beginning of the nightmare for the young men, because her roommates (Getty, Lin and Crystal) aren’t just fellow dancers, they are also cannibals with a fierce sense of home and family – and a taste for men. After Kai quickly falls victim to Getty and Lin and is on his way to becoming the centerpiece of that evening’s meal, Derek tries to figure out how to escape while Jacob discovers his survival may hinge on the twisted desire and whims of Crystal, the beautiful and sociopathic “baby” of the family. THE LADIES OF THE HOUSE marks the feature film directorial debut for Wildman, who is the Senior Publicist for the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The former Head of Press & Public Relations for the American Film Institute, as well as the PR Director for AFI FEST and the DALLAS International Film Festival, Wildman has headed the PR efforts for film festivals across the country and written for numerous film sites (Film Threat.com, Film Comment.com, etc.). THE LADIES OF THE HOUSE was executive produced by Ruth Mutch (INFINITELY POLAR BEAR, LITTLE ACCIDENTS), and co-executive produced by Debbi Berlin. The film was shot and produced in Dallas, Texas.
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