Author: Alex Billington

"There'll be no honey, but there will be blood." An early teaser trailer has debuted for a movie inspired by the classic Disney character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Director Lilton Stewart III is currently working on a movie called Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole, set for release sometime in 2024 (no date confirmed just yet). It seems to be animation meets real people mix, though details are sparse on whether it will jump into live-action (kind of like Mickey's Mouse Trap). The description only states it's "a horror/adventure film inspired by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit's Trolley Troubles." The teaser features a look at the setup - a magical TV that teleports viewers into a place lost in time, shrouded by dark Hollywood Magic. A group of friends discovers Oswald's come-to-life cartoon Rabbit, a dark entity that decides their souls are its for the taking. Scary! We'll have to wait to see even more footage eventually, as this is only an announcement. Take a peek. Here's the teaser trailer (+ poster) for Lilton Stewart III's Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole, on YouTube: "Don't ...

"If you just put your hands up, we won't hurt you." Netflix has debuted the main official trailer for a sci-fi super-powers thriller sequel titled Code 8: Part II - arriving for streaming at the end of February. This is a follow-up to the 2019 indie sci-fi film Code 8 (watch the trailer), which is actually about people with special powers living in the near future. It does have some pretty nifty looking robots in it, too. This next one picks up where that first movie left off. In a world where 4% of the population are born with abnormal powers & heavily policed by high-tech robotics, an ex-con teams up with the drug lord he despises to protect a young girl with powers. They must confront a highly regarded and well-protected corrupt police sergeant. Action star brothers Robbie Amell and Stephen Amell star in Code 8 Part II, along with Sirena Gulamgaus as Pav, Jean Yoon, Alex Mallari Jr., and Aaron Abrams. The first one wasn't even released by Netflix, but they must've liked it so much they made ...

"In this house, you can't hide from the past." Shudder has revealed an official trailer for History of Evil, an indie horror film marking the feature directorial debut of music video director Bo Mirhosseni. This will be available to watch on Shudder at the end of February, if anyone is in need of something spooky. A family on the run from corruption takes refuge in a safe house with an evil past - "a terrifying last stop on a near-future Underground Railroad." What unfolds next will shake you to your core. Starring Paul Wesley (from The Vampire Diaries), Jackie Cruz, Murphee Bloom, and Rhonda Johnsson Dents. Wesley explains that the film is "not only a genuinely terrifying thriller, but it's also a story that is deep in metaphor and very much a cautionary tale — and quite relevant to today. Personally, I feel that the best genre films are those that provoke thought and have deeper meaning, and our film History of Evil very much accomplishes that." It almost looks like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre combined with a near ...

"I don't think I was put on this Earth just to sing..." Studiocanal UK & Focus Features have unveiled the full official trailer for Back to Black, a dazzling Amy Winehouse biopic featuring English actress Marisa Abela as the famed singer-songwriter. Set to open in US theaters this May after debuting in the UK first in April. Discover Amy Winehouse's incredible story in this film directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, delving into the life and career of Winehouse, beginning with her early days in the early 2000's as a North London jazz musician and culminating in her rise to fame as a Grammy-winning singer with hit songs like "Rehab" and "Back to Black". She tragically died in 2011 at the age of 27. Winehouse was already profiled in the excellent doc Amy. Back to Black's main cast also includes Jack O'Connell, Eddie Marsan, Juliet Cowan, Ansu Kabia, Bronson Webb, and Lesley Manville. In 2018, Winehouse's estate signed a deal for this biopic film about her life & career, so it is an official project. This looks ravishing, though does seem a ...

"I'm from a different space and time." Vertical has debuted an official trailer for an indie sci-fi thriller film titled Parallel, yet another multiverse / parallel universe concept coming to the big screen. They also mash up this concept with a plot about grief, another movie trend these days. It's set to open later in February in select theaters and on VOD to watch. The film follows the journey of Vanessa, a grief-stricken woman who mysteriously finds herself navigating between parallel spaces. This is actually a remake of the 2019 Chinese film Parallel Forest, about a woman who takes refuge at her family's lake house to grieve after suffering the loss of her child. She must reckon with the multiverse concept as a way to overcome her grief. It's the first feature from the Hodge Brothers Productions company. Parallel stars brothers Edwin Hodge and Aldis Hodge, along with the vey talented Danielle Deadwyler as Vanessa. It has the vibes of a "Black Mirror" story, which is usually a good thing. The film looks like it might actually be engaging to ...

With the 2024 Sundance Film Festival wrapped up, it's time for a debrief and recap. Every year for the past few years, I hop on a podcast with my friend Aaron Neuwirth to discuss the festival and the films we watched – comparing notes and opinions. It's always refreshing to take some time to reflect on the festival, on all of the the films, on the filmmakers, and on the experience of Sundance in January every tear. After 10 intense days of watching, watching, watching, it's a relief to kick back & chat about what was superb, what was bad, and everything else good about this snow festival and its always intriguing selection of new films. My 2024 recap podcast with Aaron (recorded as a bonus episode of his podcast show "Out Now with Aaron & Abe") is out now and can be listened to online or via any podcast platform around. I've included a Spotify embed below for anyone who wants to listen. It runs a bit long because we have to talk about so many films. Thanks to Aaron ...

"Why is there no realism in action?" Well Go USA is releasing this movie on video in March coming up soon - take a look at the official trailer for Japanese action thriller One-Percent Warrior. This also goes under the title One-Percenter, though the US release title is slightly different. After his devastatingly fast, samurai-style combat approach sets filmmakers against him, a legendary action star makes his own movie—on turf claimed by feuding yakuza gangs, one including Japan's deadliest martial arts assassin. International action sensation Tak Sakaguchi stars as a legendary, aging action film star who is drawn into the real world of violence when feuding yakuza gangs infiltrate the set of his directorial feature debut. Caught in the middle of a chaotic battle with an increasing body count, he must face whether his martial arts training is enough to save him. With action choreography by Kensuke Sonomura (Hydra, BabyAssassins), it stars Sho Aoyagi, Itsuji Itao, Kenjiro Ishimaru, and Keisuke Horibe, along with Jeet Kune Do master Ishii Togo. This has a cool concept, exploring real action within movie action, ...

"This acting, this was always your dream?" Roadside Attractions has revealed an official trailer for an indie comedy titled Accidental Texan, made by storyboard artist / filmmaker Mark Lambert Bristol. Obviously enough, this originally premiered at the 2023 Dallas Film Festival last year, with a stop at the Heartland Film Festival in Indiana as well. The film is adapted from a novel called "Chocolate Lizards", which was the original title for this before they changed it to Accidental Texan. Fresh-faced actor Erwin finds himself stranded in Texas after a film shoot gone wrong, where he's taken under the wing of a nearly bankrupt oil driller. They set off on a wild Texas adventure to outwit a corrupt oil company to hit pay dirt before Merle's dreams are foreclosed, partnering with a kind waitress along the way. The ensemble cast features Rudy Pankow as Erwin, Carrie-Anne Moss as Faye, Thomas Haden Church as Merle, and Bruce Dern as Scheermeyer, with AnnaClare Hicks, David DeLao, Selase Botchway, Jake Ryan, Mark Nutter, Brad Leland, and Julio Cesar Cedillo. This looks more kooky and ...

"Let's have a good ol' fashioned crime spree!" DreamWorks Animation has unveiled a surprise new sequel and series with the title Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate. In Hollywood's lust for streaming content, they've bought back one of these most forgotten animated characters for a follow-up. Megamind originally opened in 2010, featuring the voice of Will Ferrell as the titular bad guy who turns into a good guy. None of the original voice cast is back this time. The story will follow Megamind as he traverses life as a hero, takes on a young crime-fighting apprentice, and fights the new evil: his former group, the Doom Syndicate. The new cast is lead by: Keith Ferguson as Megamind, Laura Post as Roxanne Ritchi, Josh Brener as Ol' Chum, Maya Aoki Tuttle as Keiko Morita, Emily Tunon as Lady Doppler, Talon Warburton as Lord Nighty-Knight, Scott Adsit as Pierre Pressure, Chris Sullivan, Tony Hale, & Adam Lambert. It should surprise no one that this footage looks bad - stale and unfunny and unexciting. Stay away from Megamind. Here's the first trailer for DreamWorks Animation's ...

"What could possibly stop us now?" Starz has debuted the official trailer for the British historical drama miniseries called Mary & George, set to arrive for streaming this April. Follow the story of the Countess of Buckingham who molded her son to seduce King James I and become his all-powerful lover, becoming richer, more titled and influential than England has ever seen... The story is based on Benjamin Woolley's non-fiction historical book The King's Assassin, about a treacherous mother and son who schemed, seduced and killed to conquer the Court of England and the bed of King James I. Based on a scandalous true story, the 7-part limited series stars Julianne Moore as Mary Villiers, Nicholas Galitzine as George Villiers, with Tony Curran, Laurie Davidson, Nicola Walker, Niamh Algar, Trine Dyrholm, Sean Gilder, Adrian Rawlins, and Mark O'Halloran as Sir Francis. Yeah this looks decadent and nasty and brutal and crazy - all the kind of things you'd expect with a wild story based on the Court of England. Take a look. Here's the second official trailer for D.C. Moore's series ...