Author: Alex Billington

"Once the sound of the future, now awesomely retro..." Every month, the Criterion Channel streaming service (one of the best in cinema) debuts a series of programming collections. Each one features a batch of films with a particular theme or connection by actor / director / composer. This is one of the best sets that I need to feature! One of June's latest offerings is Synth Soundtracks - a collection of 20 films featuring synthesizer scores, ranging from classics like Forbidden Planet (1956) and Thief (1981) to more obscure titles like Space Is the Place (1974) and Cat People (1982). Everyone knows Vangelis' iconic synth score for Blade Runner, but this selection went with Vangelis' other film Missing (1982). I enjoy this kind of curation because there's such a range of unique movies, not only expected classics. This also includes: A Clockwork Orange (1971), Shogun Assassin (1980), The Legend of Hell House (1973), Liquid Sky (1982), Tenebrae (1982), For All Mankind (1989), Delta Space Mission (1984), Assault on Precinct 13 (1976). Enjoy them all. Here's the Criterion Channel teaser trailer for ...

"How much longer can you persevere?" Netflix has unveiled another legit teaser for the upcoming animated series called Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. Yep, it's a continuation of the video game series, not the movies. Picking up after the events of the highly successful Tomb Raider video game Survivor trilogy as told in 2013's Tomb Raider, 2015's Rise of the Tomb Raider, and 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the animated series follows Lara Croft as she takes on the role of the iconic tomb raider that she is destined to become. The series will star Hayley Atwell as the new voice of Croft, taking over from Camilla Luddington, who was the voice in Crystal Dynamics' recent games. Powerhouse Animation is working on the animation. Along with Hayley Atwell, the voice cast includes Allen Maldonado as Zip, and Earl Baylon reprising his role as Jonah from Tomb Raider video games. More cast to be revealed later. The first bit of footage debuted last fall, and this next teaser with another 30-seconds of footage, is primarily announcing the official ...

"This is a horrible, damned house." Whoa - what do we have here?! Deaf Crocodile, Belarusfilm, & Seagull Films, in partnership with DiabolikDVD, are releasing on disc a lost Belarusian folk horror film titled The Savage Hunt of King Stakh, which originally debuted in 1980. Described as an "ultra-rare" film that is a "major rediscovery for genre fans" who might want to take a look. A mystical drama set in an out-of-the-way castle in the Belarusian woodlands at the end of the 19th century. A young ethnographer, Andrej Bielarecki, arrives at the castle to research local folk legends including the story of King Stakh. "Part folk horror, part supernatural mystery, King Stakh is a melancholy, chilling mixture of Terry Gilliam, Italian Gothic Horror, 1960s Hammer Films, and The Wicker Man." Long unavailable, the film has recently been restored from the original film elements in its extended 126-minute Director's Cut. The film stars Elena Dimitrova, Boris Plotnikov, Albert Filozov, Roman Filippov, and Boris Khmelnitskiy. Even though this isn't getting a theatrical re-release, it's so kooky and strange and peculiar, I can't ...

"I think stand-up seems wrought with so much insecurity." Hartbeat has revealed the first official trailer for a documentary titled Group Therapy, a film about comedians and mental health. This is premiering in a few weeks at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, hence the trailer showing up now before its debut. Kevin Hart's Hartbeat is a global media company creating entertainment at the intersection of comedy & culture. Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, Group Therapy is a witty exploration of mental health challenges through relatable conversations, striking a balance between depth and levity. "Sharing is therapeutic." Anchored by Harris as a moderator, Group Therapy features humorous conversations with Mike Birbiglia, Nicole Byer, Gary Gulman, London Hughes, Tig Notaro, and Atsuko Okatsuka. Berkeley implements a clever framing of this ensemble narrative as we listen in on the comedians bravely revealing the connections between their professional comedy journeys and mental health struggles. Sounds good! Check out the first footage below. Here's the festival promo trailer (+ poster) for Neil Berkeley's doc Group Therapy, direct from YouTube: Hosted by the Tony and Emmy award-winning performer ...

"Is there something on your conscience you want to talk about?" MGM+ has revealed an official trailer for a new streaming series titled Emperor of Ocean Park, arriving to watch starting in July this summer. It's adapted from the bestselling novel "The Emperor of Ocean Park" written by Stephen L. Carter. It follows Talcott Garland, whose tranquil existence is upended by the death of his father. Mariah Denton, a former journalist and ardent conspiracy theorist, questions the manner of his death and thinks he might have been the victim of foul play. Created by Sherman Payne (Charm City Kings, Shameless), the series is based on the book of the same name, and is set in two privileged worlds: "the upper crust African American society of the Eastern seabord — families who summer at Martha's Vineyard — and the inner circle of an Ivy League law school." Starring Forest Whitaker, Grantham Coleman, Henry Simmons, and Tiffany Mack, along with Edwin EdVanzd, Bryan Greenberg, Paulina Lule, Raluca Lazarut, Chris Johnson, Maya Moravec, and Deanna Reed-Foster. This looks like an easy sell to ...

"Out there we are all lost." UK's Bulldog Film has revealed the trailer for a film titled The Moor, marking the feature directorial debut of genre filmmaker Chris Cronin (who we've featured before). This British folk horror film is based on true stories about murders in the countryside. Sophia La Porta stars as Claire, who is approached by the father of her murdered childhood friend to help investigate the haunted moor he believes is his son's final resting place. Cronin explains: "My aim with this story was to create an original horror film set in my home county of Yorkshire. Instead of delving into the fictional murders themselves, I focused on the aftermath and how something so terrible affects lives and relationships. What happens when so much grief and guilt are left unresolved?" The cast includes David Edward-Robertson, Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips, Mark Peachey, Vicki Hackett, and Bernard Hill (one of his very last roles before passing away). This looks creepy and mysterious, not sure if there's much here, but it's worth a look at least. Here's the official trailer (+ UK quad ...

What would you do to stay beautiful forever? This is a question that remains on the minds of many human beings on this planet. What will they do, how far will they go? What will they sacrifice? It's pretty much the Monkey's Paw concept mixed with an obsession with "beauty above all, always." The immensely talented French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat takes this concept for a totally bonkers ride in her exciting new body horror film The Substance, a vibrant spin on this trope about sacrificing oneself for endless beauty. The Substance in question is a mysterious medicinal creation from an unnamed company that allows anyone to stay beautiful - as long as they follow the rules. Much like in Gremlins, however, someone is going to break the rules and the rest of the film becomes "fuck around and find out" with the most grotesque, horrifying consequences anyone could imagine. And the crowd goes wild! The Cannes press screening audience nearly lost it - cheering and hollering and applauding ferociously at the end. This is what great horror is all about. Written ...

"He needs to be heard. He's a victim, too." VMI has revealed a new official US trailer for the thriller film What Remains, a Finish production featuring the Skarsgård family in many roles. This initially premiered in 2022 and played at the 2023 Locarno Film Festival but has never been given a release until now - opening in the US on VOD later in June. At a Scandinavian psychiatric hospital, an uneasy triumvirate of multiple murderer Mads, therapist Anna, and policeman Soren, all have a vested interest in unearthing the truth, and a deepening co-dependency threatens to consume them all. Who will uncover what's really going on? Based on a true story, making this yet again another true crime film to feed to the true crime-obsessed audiences these days. Starring Gustaf Skarsgård, Andrea Riseborough, Stellan Skarsgård, Jussi Kostamo, Éva Magyar, and Antti Luusuaniemi. This seems unsettling with a series of great performances at least. Here's the official US trailer (+ poster) for Ran Huang's What Remains, direct from VMI's YouTube: During the 90s, at a Scandinavian psychiatric hospital, a man known ...

"The world is coming to an end, and how does one best manage the emotional rollercoaster?" Paramount has debuted a first look featurette for the sci-fi prequel A Quiet Place: Day One, arriving in theaters very soon at the end of June this summer. This making of promo features the cast explaining this story being set in New York City at the start of the alien invasion when the creatures first arrive. Lupita Nyong'o stars as a woman named Sam in NYC caught up in all of the apocalyptic mayhem. As every street goes quiet, she is thrown together with a man named Eric. With some reluctance, the pair agree to navigate and survive the city together. And she has a cat. The cast also includes Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou, and Denis O'Hare. To top it off, this is directed by the same filmmaker who last made Nicolas Cage's Pig movie. There's not enough actual behind-the-scenes shots in this video, but I am glad to see they spared no expense pulling off a large-scale sci-fi creature feature flick. ...

"Your anger and anxiety rule your life." A festival trailer has launched for a surreal, experimental short film titled Catharsis, from a new filmmaker named Brian Logvinsky. For those curious, this will be premiering at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City this summer, hence why this trailer is dropping now to build some early buzz. A dancer savant named Alex with serious anger issues is about to sabotage his life until a strange psychotherapist brings him to face the shadows of his subconscious mind... The short film runs 17 minutes and it's described as an "avant-garde, neo-noir film." Weaving surrealism, performance art and horror, this psychological story is a lifelong passion project for Logvinsky, drawing from his own Soviet-American heritage. Within the void of hypnosis, Alex faces his worst fears and darkest truths. Featuring an ensemble cast w/ Deborah Harry, Harrison Ball, Marc Geller, Jemima Kirke, Sasha Pivovarova, Zumi Rosow, & Cole Alexander. This is a distinct trailer that should get the attention of some viewers. Here's the festival promo trailer for Brian Logvinsky's short film Catharsis, direct ...