Author: Alex Billington

"Give my boy back!" Well Go USA has set a VOD / DVD release date for this Chinese survival thriller. Polar Rescue is finally getting a US release this March after originally debuting in China back in late 2022. It also goes under the title Come Back Home, which is a bit more emotional and less direct than the bland "Polar Rescue" that it is now. After a young boy gets lost during a bitter snowstorm, his frantic parents (starring both Donnie Yen and Cecilia Han) seek help from the local police, who are soon faced with a desperate race against the clock as hours tick by with no sign of the child anywhere. Donnie Yen stars as the father, De, who decides to go out in this dangerous cold and snow his own to find him. The cast also includes Jia Bing as Qian Jun and Xu Tang as Xiao Jiang. This looks like some seriously entertaining snowy survival chaos, with avalanches and bears and rivers and broken ice and so much more. Not just a simple story, this ...

"You ever seen anyhing that wasn't there?" Apple TV has unveiled a new "Inside Look" featurette for their sci-fi thriller series titled Constellation, described as an "action-packed space adventure [about] the dark edges of human psychology, and one woman's desperate quest to expose the truth about the hidden history of space travel." This promo video delves into the psychological side of this story, what it's digging into with this particular astronaut character and her story. Created and written by Peter Harness, Constellation stars Noomi Rapace as Jo – an astronaut who returns to Earth after a disaster in space – only to discover that key pieces of her life seem to be missing. The series also stars Jonathan Banks, James D'Arcy, Julian Looman, William Catlett, Barbara Sukowa; introducing Rosie & Davina Coleman as Alice. I quite like what D'Arcy says at the end of this video: "The show plays with that gray area of what exactly is reality and who's telling the truth." Interesting, very interesting. So perhaps there is something more going on here and it's not all "just ...

"The Earthlings must be stopped, we must make contact." Did you catch this commercial during the Super Bowl over the weekend? If not, watch it below - including the extended 90-second version of the TV ad. The website Squarespace commissioned the master filmmaker Martin Scorsese (who is nominated for Best Director this year) and his TikTok sensation daughter Francesca Scorsese to create this very special New York City-based commercial for them to use as marketing. It features an alien invasion though the humans don't notice it, so the aliens decide to make a website (and beam it right to our devices) to get everyone's attention. "What does a highly advanced civilization have to do to get noticed around here?" View the full extended cut of Hello Down There, a tale of intergalactic outreach, directed by Martin Scorsese, below. It's wild they got Marty to make this! Most impressive. The spot also features some footage from the classic 1956 Japanse sci-fi film Warning from Space, the one with the aliens in the star outfits with an eye in the middle. Yeah ...

"I'm gonna get your kids!" Yellow Veil Pictures has launched the full official trailer for an indie gem titled Riddle of Fire, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Weston Razooli. This first premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival, with stops at tons of other festivals. Now set for a US theatrical release this March. It's about a trio of kids on an adventure. Here's the Fantastic Fest one-liner intro: "Three children go on an epic quest to uncover the password for their TV, finding themselves in their own video game-like adventure in the real world." A neo-fairytale thriller shot in Wyoming, following three mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand to to get the TV password. On the hunt to obtain her favorite blueberry pie, the children are kidnapped by poachers, battle a witch, outwit a huntsman, befriend a fairy, and bond together to become best friends forever. Shot on 16mm film. Starring Lio Tipton, Skyler Peters, Charles Halford, Phoebe Ferro, Charlie Stover, and Lorelei Olivia Mote. This ...

"Listen to me... ghosts don't exist, okay?" Game Theory Films has revealed an official trailer for an unique indie drama titled Seagrass, from filmmaker Meredith Hama-Brown making her feature directorial debut. This Canadian production originally premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year, and will open in both Canadian and US art house cinemas later this month. The film was the TIFF FIPRESCI prize winner, and a TIFF Top Ten pick. Set a decade or so in the past, Seagrass follows a Japanese-Canadian woman grappling with the death of her mother as she brings her family to a retreat. When her relationship with her husband begins to affect the children's emotional security, the family is forever changed. The film stars Ally Maki as Judith, Luke Roberts, Chris Pang, Sarah Gadon, Nyha Huang Breitkreuz, and Remy Marthaller. This film has some really strong, grainy cinematography in it - with some shots better than others. Art film fans should keep an eye out for this at their local cinema - looks like a very moody, evocative slice of cinema. Here's the official trailer ...

"Having a disco in the middle of a war is the only thing that kept us going." AMC Theatres has revealed an official trailer for an outstanding documentary film titled Kiss the Future, from filmmaker Nenad Cicin-Sain. This premiered at the Berlinale 2023 but didn't make much of an impact there (I was one of the only ones to see it). Thankfully AMC has stepped up and is giving it a proper nationwide release in AMC cinemas later in February. Kiss the Future celebrates the underground art & music scene that thrived during the siege of Sarajevo. The biggest band in the world, U2, lead by Bono, paid attention and shined a light on the crisis in an effort to support the besieged Sarajevans. The film culminates in a post-war unification concert. A cautionary tale about the rise of nationalism, and an uplifting celebration of the power of the human spirit and art as a tool of survival & inspiration. I am a BIG fan of this doc - I still think about it all the time a year later. ...

"To get an interview this big, you have to be bold." Netflix has revealed the first look teaser trailer for a film titled Scoop, a behind-the-scenes account of Prince Andrew's infamous Newsnight interview. This is set to premiere on Netflix worldwide in early April for everyone to watch. The film is a tribute to the tenacity and bravery of journalists, showing how far they're willing to go to get a major scoop. It tells the story of how the BBC obtained the bombshell interview with Prince Andrew about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The interview aired in 2019 just a few years ago - you can watch a BBC video about it here. Gillian Anderson (as Emily Maitlis), Keeley Hawes (as Amanda Thirsk), Billie Piper (as McAlister), and Rufus Sewell (as Prince Andrew) star in Scoop, which is directed by Philip Martin, who has been directing episodes of "The Crown", "Catherine the Great", & "Night Sky" most recently. Stay tuned for more. Here's the first look teaser trailer for Philip Martin's Scoop, direct from Netflix's YouTube: Inspired by real ...

"One small ember can burn down everything..." Universal Pictures also debuted this 30-second Super Bowl TV spot during the Big Game this weekend for Monkey Man, an action thriller revenge movie from Dev Patel. Patel is directing, and Jordan Peele is producing with his outfit Monkeypaw. The first trailer dropped in a few weeks back - and this spot adds some more kick ass footage to the mix. Oscar nominee Dev Patel achieves an astonishing, tour-de-force feature directing debut with an action thriller about one man's quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor & powerless. Packed with thrilling & spectacular fight and chase scenes, Monkey Man is directed by Patel, and is directly inspired by the legend of Hanuman. The cast includes Sharlto Copley, Sobhita Dhulipala, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Makarand Deshpande, Adithi Kalkunte, Sikandar Kher. Yeah, I'm in! That kitchen fight looks like it's going to rule. Can't wait to see the rest of it. Here's the official Super Bowl TV spot (+ artwork) for Dev Patel's Monkey ...

"Sometimes those who let you go love you more... than those who hold you back." Netflix has revealed a quick teaser trailer for The Children's Train, an upcoming adaptation set in Italy right after World War II about kids being sent away. Based on Viola Ardone's bestselling novel "Il Treno dei Bambini" turned into a grand feature film. Set in the the city of Naples just after WWII, The Children's Train follows the life of Amerigo Speranza, a seven-year-old boy who sets off on an extraordinary journey. It explore themes such as poverty, resilience, and humanity, offering an insight exciting and profound of an Italy marked by war but full of hope. With a star-studded cast featuring Serena Rossi, Barbara Ronchi, Stefano Accorsi, and Christian Cervone, and directed by the celebrated filmmaker Cristina Comencini, the film promises a poignant & emotional journey. The story is about a group of children sent away from their families in post-WWII Italy to live with families in the North. Not much footage to see yet, so keep an eye out for more soon. Here's ...

"We must protect Japan against treachery." FX & Hulu have revealed one final official trailer for Shōgun, created by writers Justin Marks & Rachel Kondo. This looks like it's going to be amazingly good! A saga of war, passion, and power set in Feudal Japan. Launching for streaming at the end of this month. From James Clavell's novel, FX’s Shōgun series is set at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found in a nearby fishing village. The series follows the main character of John Blackthorne, a sailor who rises from outsider to samurai, while being used as a pawn in Japanese leader Toranaga's struggle to reach the top. Hiroyuki Sanada stars as Yoshii Toranaga, co-starring with Cosmo Jarvis as Blackthorne, along with a massive ensemble: Tadanobu Asano, Anna Sawai, Yûki Kedôin, Eushin Lee, Tommy Bastow, Hiroto Kanai, Emi Kamito, Hiromoto Ida, Kengo Hashimoto, Sen Mars, Toshi Toda, Mako Fujimoto. The more footage they release ...