Author: Alex Billington

"You're just another guest on a retreat. So as long as you play the part." FX Networks / Hulu have debuted a second trailer for the mystery thriller series A Murder at the End of the World, arriving for streaming soon. It's the latest creation of filmmakers Brit Marling & Zal Batmanglij, creators of "The OA" series and collaborators on Sound of My Voice & The East previously. Emma Corrin stars as Darby Hart, a Gen Z amateur sleuth, who attempts to solve a murder at a secluded retreat. In this Hulu series, which puts a new spin on the classic whodunit, Darby and 11 other guests are invited by a reclusive billionaire to participate in a retreat at a remote and dazzling location. When one of the other guests is found dead, Darby must fight to prove it was murder against a tide of competing interests. This was shot in Iceland (and in Utah) if you're wondering where all these gorgeous locations are. The series also stars Brit Marling, Harris Dickinson, Alice Braga, Joan Chen, Raúl Esparza, Jermaine Fowler, ...

"You come watch me do my job for one night, and you'll finally see that I'm nothing to be afraid of!" 😨 Netflix has revealed the first official trailer for the animated film Orion and the Dark, which is one of the most fascinating animation creations coming in 2024. The screenplay is written by none other than Charlie Kaufman, yes Eternal Sunshine Kaufman, trying his hand at a story for kids (based on the book) about being scared of the dark. It's produced by DreamWorks Animation, directed by a longtime storyboard artist for "SpongeBob", and animated by Mikros Animation (Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie). Join Orion and his new best friend on the adventure of a nighttime! Orion is afraid of heights, pets, and the worst of all perils: the dark. One day, The Dark takes Orion on a nighttime trip to prove to the youngster that the only thing to fear is fear itself. Starring the voices of Jacob Tremblay as Orion, Paul Walter Hauser as The Dark, and yes even Werner Herzog. Yeah this looks fantastic, as ...

"Pick your fights, Harry!" "I will." Saban Films has revealed an official trailer for Ruthless, another action crime thriller from the direct-to-video trash pile getting a release this year. Ruthless is the latest film from director Art Camacho, and it's yet another of these "one man will fight to stop a trafficking ring" stories that are being used over-and-over these days. Not at all original, and not really an interesting premise anymore beyond making people endlessly fearful and worried. Also similar to the original Taken. In Ruthless, a high school coach, whose teenage daughter was murdered, takes matters into his own hands and going after the men who kidnap his student as part of a human trafficking operation. Dermot Mulroney stars as Harry, along with Jeff Fahey, Melissa Diaz, Mauricio Mendoza, Tonantzin Esparza, and Niko Foster. I will admit, Mulroney does look badass in this being so burn-it-all-down ruthless in here. Check it out below. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Art Camacho's Ruthless, direct from Saban's YouTube: Harry (Dermot Mulroney) is a high school wrestling coach recovering from the loss ...

"Here they tell you to do something, and you do it." Utopia has unveiled the first trailer for an atmospheric thriller from Africa titled Omen, the feature directorial debut of the artist / filmmaker known as "Baloji". This premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival earlier this year as one of the most unique discoveries from the fest. It's also now Belgium's submission to the 2024 Academy Awards. "Zabolo. It means the mark of the Devil." After years in Belgium, a young Congolese man comes back to his hometown of Kinshasa to face the complexities of his family and his culture. Omen is an ensemble film about people accused of being witches & sorcerers. Despite their misfortune they find the way to guide each other away from their destinies and into the phantasmagoria of Africa. Starring Marc Zinga, Lucie Debay, Eliane Umuhire, Yves-Marina Gnahoua, and Marcel Otete Kabeya. This trailer plays like a full-on horror movie, which really might be the right away to get audiences interested. It's a fully captivating film, unsettling in many unexpected ways. Here's the official US ...

"He's proving to be quite the distraction." Goldwyn Films debuts this indie romance on VOD in December, after its initial small theatrical debut in September in both the UK and US. Surprised by Oxford marks the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Ryan Whitaker, who's adapting the story found in the memoir by Carolyn Weber. Brilliant but emotionally-guarded Caro arrives in Oxford with the singular goal of attaining her PhD, but through a turbulent friendship with a charming young man she begins to open herself up to mystery, vulnerability, and love. Headlined by Rose Reid, the film takes viewers on a transformative and tumultuous journey. The cast includes Ruairi O'Connor as her lover, Phyllis Logan, Mark Williams, Simon Callow, with Emma Naomi, Michael Culkin, and Annabelle Holloway. This doesn't seem all that bad for a romance, featuring a bit less camp than usual, plus strong performances and intense passion. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Ryan Whitaker's Surprised by Oxford, direct from YouTube: A brilliant but emotionally guarded American student named Caro Drake (Rose Reid) arrives in Oxford, focused solely on attaining ...

"Ken – she thinks you are her mother." Netflix has released the teaser trailer during Netflix Geeked Week 2023 for the upcoming re-imagining of the Ultraman series. From director Shannon Tindle (Kubo, "Lost Ollie") comes Ultraman: Rising, a 3D animated movie arriving for streaming on Netflix in 2024. This has been in development for years at ILM, with the VFX house handling most of the key animation, along side Netflix Animation & Tsuburaya Productions. Based on the classic Japanese mecha superhero of the same name, this Ultraman movie is a fresh update made for American audiences (there's already the Ultraman anime series on Netflix to watch as well). Ken Sato is a superstar baseball player who returns to Japan to become the latest hero to carry the mantle of Ultraman. His plans go awry, however, when he is compelled to raise a newborn kaiju monster as his own kid. Voice cast features Christopher Sean, Tamlyn Tomita, Gedde Watanabe, Keone Young, and Julia Harriman. This looks super fun! And super adorable! I dig the kaiju baby twist in the story. Sure ...

"Always remember who you are..." And here we go! Netflix has unveiled the first look teaser trailer for their highly anticipated live-action adaptation of the beloved animation series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Netflix has been adapting all of the world's most popular anime series, including One Piece and Cowboy Bebop, and next up is Avatar. A live-action reimagining of the beloved animated series following Aang, the young Avatar, as he learns to master the four elements (Water, Earth, Fire, Air) to restore balance to a world threatened by the terrifying Fire Nation. The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. The Last Airbender follows a young boy named Aang, as he reawakens to a world ravaged by war. Together with his friends Sokka & Katara, he embarks on an action-packed quest to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. The original creators Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko are only back as writers. The cast features: Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, Dallas ...

"Now is now." Neon rated has unveiled their official US trailer for an indie gem titled Perfect Days, the latest narrative film by prolific German filmmaker Wim Wenders. This won Best Actor at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival this summer - where it first premiered. It also played at TIFF, NYFF, Telluride, London, and many other fests; and Japan has submitted it as their Academy Awards pick for this year. Perfect Days is set in Tokyo, Japan and the film follows a toilet cleaner who reminiscences about the simple beauty of life. The film is a deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us. It follows Hirayama, who seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. Starring Koji Yakusho, with Arisa Nakano, Tokio Emoto, Arisa Nakano, Aoi Yamada, and Yumi Aso. I adore this film! I saw it Cannes and wrote a glowing review, ...

"We both see survival as a creative act." So create and create again. Netflix has revealed the official trailer for an acclaimed documentary film titled American Symphony, which premiered at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival recently. It will be available for streaming at the end of November. In the intimate American Symphony, Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning director Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land, The First Wave, Retrograde, Tiger) delivers a portrait of two inimitable artists at a crossroads and a profound meditation on art, love, and the creative process. The film follows a year year in the life of iconic musician Jon Batiste, chronicling his career in music and struggles with his wife's diagnosis, as his partner Suleika Jaouad must battle leukemia. The doc film is exec produced by Barack Obama & Michelle Obama through their Higher Ground Productions label. Reviews from the festival state that American Symphony is "sometimes joyful, sometimes somber celebration of spirit." A heartfelt story about tenacity, perseverance, and staying passionate in life no matter what comes next. This looks wonderful - I'll definitely be watching. Here's the ...

"We're getting through this. Even if the odds are stacked against us." ✈️ Apple TV+ has unveiled the first teaser trailer for the new series Masters of the Air, the long-awaited follow-up to Band of Brothers and The Pacific. Once again produced by Steven Spielberg and Amblin, this series tells the story of the airmen of World War II. Focusing specifically on the air men of the 100th Bomb Group (the "Bloody Hundredth") as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen, and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air. From Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman - the producers of Band of Brothers and The Pacific. During World War II, airmen risk their lives – a brotherhood forged by courage, loss, and triumph. The series features a stellar cast led by Academy Award nominee Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, and Nate Mann, who are joined by Raff Law, Barry Keoghan, Josiah Cross, Branden Cook, and Ncuti Gatwa. We've been waiting so long for this! Glad ...