Author: Alex Billington

"Being on stage is my actual happy place." Lightbulb Film Distribution in the UK has revealed an official trailer for a rock doc film from the UK called Welcome to The Darkness, directed by the photographer / filmmaker Simon Emmett. No US date is set for this yet, but it's available to watch this fall on VOD in the UK. In 2003, British glam rockers The Darkness took the world by storm with their hit single "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" (remember this one?). Then at the height of their fame, the band split up and fell into obscurity. 20 years on, they tell their story and bare all in this intimate doc. With unprecedented access, unseen archive footage, and intimate interviews filmed over 8 years leading up to their return, Welcome to The Darkness is a tongue-in-cheek reflection on fame, failure, friendship and forgiveness. At its heart, this is a unique account of a band of brothers who are still haunted by the demons that ripped them apart. A band who can defiantly laugh in the face ...

"My process is purely logistical. If I am effective it's because of one simple fact - I don't give a f–" Netflix has unveiled the full official trailer for David Fincher's latest film The Killer, which is opening in theaters this weekend before playing on Netflix in a few weeks. It already premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival last month (here's my review). This is Fincher's second film with Netflix, after making and releasing Mank with the streamer in 2020. Based on a French graphic novel series, it's about an hitman called "The Killer", played by Michael Fassbender. "After a fateful near-miss, an assassin battles his employers and himself on an international manhunt he insists isn't personal." Also starring Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, Sophie Charlotte, and Tilda Swinton. The story follows this meticulous hitman as he goes on the run to clean up a job gone wrong, chasing down all those who are trying to come after him. This is a slick trailer that shows more than enough footage to make you want to watch this. Fire it up ...

"To me, genius is – you have the idea, and then the courage to execute it." The funniest man in the world? HBO has revealed the official trailer for the biopic documentary called Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, directed by filmmaker Rob Reiner. This is premiering at AFI Fest in Los Angeles this week, hence the trailer arriving for its unveiling. A documentary about the comedian, actor, and filmmaker Albert Brooks including interviews from Sharon Stone, Larry David, James L. Brooks, Conan O'Brien, Sarah Silverman and Jonah Hill. Reiner combines expertly curated archival footage of Brooks' amazing early TV appearances and film roles alongside interviews with an impressive roster of collaborators & fellow comedians testifying to Brooks' greatness. It's amusing to see his Finding Nemo character Marlin on the poster, along with most of his other iconic big screen roles. After showing at AFI Fest first, it'll be streaming on Max starting this November. This looks quite heartfelt & uplifting, a story about good comedy but also about a life well lived. Official trailer (+ poster) for Rob Reiner's doc film ...

"Your life's on the line, got to rhyme to survive! Who will choke, who will make it out alive?" Don't skip this clever short film! Rhyme or Die is a horror comedy short created by filmmaker Max Lincoln, with writer Alex Moran. It was made early on during the pandemic, filmed in a shut down nightclub, first premiering in 2021 at Screamfest. Now it's finally online to watch after playing the festival circuit for a few years picking up awards all over. Five kidnapped strangers are forced to rhyme to their captor's funky beats - or die. It's a rap battle horror short! Who's ready to rhyme?? 🎤 This stars Bethan Cullinane, Victor Alli, Racheal Ofori, Olumide Olorunfemi, Samuel Blenkin, & Mohammad Amiri. It's the simple concept and the minimalistic style that makes this work so well. The killer collars that control them are also legit. Rhyme on. Thanks to Short of the Week for the tip on this one. Intro from YouTube: "In this horror satire about the cutthroat creative industry, five kidnapped strangers are forced to rhyme to their ...

"You belong to the generation that will manage high level nuclear waste." Oscilloscope Labs released the trailer for a fascinating documentary film titled This Much We Know, made by filmmaker L. Frances Henderson. This initially premiere at the Camden Film Festival + DOC NYC last year, finally opening in the US this fall. Starting in NYC at Firehouse: DCTV's Cinema for Documentary Film, on Friday, November 10th, then in Los Angeles at Laemmle Monica Film Center on Wednesday, November 15th, with additional cities later. Grieving the suicide of a close friend, a filmmaker travels to Las Vegas at the peak of a suicide epidemic in an attempt to study the issue & find answers. There, she comes across the story of Levi Presley, a happy & accomplished young man, who suddenly jumped off the city's tallest casino. Adapted from the book "About a Mountain", this free-wielding doc explores the hidden waste of the American dream. Through interviews with survivors, suicide experts, Yucca Mountain geologists, politicians, statisticians, and even a psychic medium, this film explores the struggle to find answers to ...

"She's lonely. He's perfect... give or take a few pieces." Focus Features has revealed the first official trailer for a dark new horror comedy titled Lisa Frankenstein, set to arrive in theaters nationwide in February 2024 for Valentine's Day next year. This comes from a new script written by Diablo Cody, with newcomer Zelda Williams directing. In 1989, an unpopular high school girl named Lisa accidentally re-animates a handsome Victorian corpse during a lightning storm and starts to rebuild him into the man of her dreams by using the broken tanning bed in her garage. Another reinvention of Frankenstein, following Birth/Rebirth and The Angry Black Girl & Her Monster also from this year. Kathryn Newton co-stars as Lisa, with Cole Sprouse as her monster, plus Carla Gugino, Liza Soberano, Joe Chrest, and Henry Eikenberry. It seems quite clever and funny, though I'm not sure it is going to be a new horror cult classic like Jennifer's Body. This is a snappy trailer that gets a few fun jokes in; I hope the story goes to extra wild & crazy places. Here's ...

"You live. You die. It's the inbetween that counts." Paramount+ has unveiled the official trailer for a fishing industry crime thriller called Finestkind, the latest from writer / filmmaker Brian Helgeland (of Payback, A Knight's Tale, The Order, 42, Legend). This premiered at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival last month, and is being released directly on streaming on Paramount+ in December this year. Ben Foster, Toby Wallace, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jenna Ortega star in this film about a crew of fishermen who tread dangerous waters after their debts start piling up. Set against the backdrop of commercial fishing, the story takes on primal stakes when desperate circumstances force the brothers to strike a deal with a violent Boston crime gang. With another brilliantly imposing performance by Jones, the film also reveals itself to be a story about fathers who can’t always be the best examples for their sons. The full cast includes Ismael Cruz Cordova, Aaron Stanford, Scotty Tovar, Tim Daly, Lolita Davidovich, and Clayne Crawford. What a weird trailer for this movie, overplaying that off-putting "New Sensation" song ...

"Do you think it's possible for the things we do in our dreams to change our lives while we're awake?" I'd say no, but that's just my guess? Gravitas has revealed an official US trailer for an indie horror thriller from Canada titled Wintertide, directed by John Barnard. This premiered at various festivals throughout 2023, including at the Brussels, Cinequest, Sci-Fi London, Palm Beach, and Dances With Films Festivals. Set in an isolated northern city battling a plague of depression that mutates it's victims into zombie-like automatons, a woman discovers the key to immunity lies within her dreams. Beth is a volunteer watchperson in this city fighting a plague of depression that transforms the few remaining residents. Will her own dreams be enough to sustain her? Niamh Carolan stars as Beth, along with Solange Sookram, Jeremy Walmsley, Jesse Nobess, Colleen Furlan, Darcy Fehr, John B. Lowe, and Onalee Ames. I dig the dark, cold, snowy setting of this film, but the rest of it seems pretty dull and repetitive. Horror fans should take a look anyway. Here's the official trailer (+ ...

"Why would I send a letter when I can just say it?" Studiocanal UK has revealed a hilarious new red band trailer for Wicked Little Letters, a "scandalously sweary" film from filmmaker Thea Sharrock (Me Before You and The One & Only Ivan). This recently premiered at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival, with a February 2024 release date for the UK, though still no US date confirmed yet. Which is a shame - someone release this soon! Small town. Big mystery. Bad language. When people in Littlehampton - including conservative local Edith - begin to receive letters full of hilariously harsh profanities, rowdy Irish migrant Rose is charged with the crime. Suspecting something is amiss, the town's women investigate. Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley star as Edith and Rose, respectively, with Timothy Spall, Gemma Jones, Lolly Adefope, and Anjana Vasan. I've heard plenty of great things about this foul-mouth comedy, full of funny moments of cursing and bickering and everything else. Yep this looks hilarious! What a great trailer - I'm already looking forward to watching it with a crowd ...

"Who do you work for?" "Every married man will understand this – I work for Mrs. Claus!" Disney has revealed an official trailer for a holiday fantasy comedy titled Dashing Through The Snow, directed by Tim Story (who last made The Blackening). Arriving for streaming in November on Disney+, meaning this movie is skipping theaters entirely. A divorced social worker for the Atlanta police despises Christmas due to a painful childhood memory. When sent on a call while spending Christmas Eve with his daughter, he inadvertently evokes the wrath of a local politician but meets a strange man (named "Nick" wink, wink) who helps him understand the joy and magic of Christmas. Another Black Santa movie out this year (along with The Naughty Nine). Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges stars with Teyonah Parris, Madison Skye Validum, Lil Rel Howery as "Saint Nick", Oscar Nuñez, Ravi V. Patel, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Gina Brillon, Sebastian Sozzi, Kevin Connolly, and Zulay Henao. This doesn't seem half bad, although obviously it does look extra cheesy, which is what all Christmas movies are like these days. Should be ...