"Whisky Galore" Review by Tim Hellman"

'WHISKY GALORE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A British World War II comedy, that's based on the 1949 film of the same name. The movie tells the story of a group of Scottish islanders, on the Isle of Todday, that attempt to steal 50,000 cases of whiskey from a ship stranded offshore. It's set during the 1940s, when whiskey rationing was in effect. The film stars Gregor Fisher, Eddie Izzard, Sean Biggerstaff and Naomi Battrick. It was directed by Gillies MacKinnon and it was written by Peter McDougall (a veteran TV writer). The film has received mostly positive reviews from the critics that have reviewed it. I enjoyed it as well.

The story is set in 1941, and it's loosely based on true events. The Scottish islanders living on the Isle of Todday were suffering from severe whisky shortage (due to the rationing that was in effect during World War II). When they hear about a ship stranded on the rocks just offshore, called the SS Cabinet, that was carrying 50,000 cases of Scotch whiskey to America, they decide the opportunity to steal the whiskey is just too good to pass up. They're only problem is a Home Guard officer, named Captain Wagget (Izzard), who is determined to maintain law and order on the island.

The movie is funny and extremely upbeat; even given the subject matter of theft on a grand scale (and in reality a large amount of money was stolen from the ship as well). It reminds me of a lot of other Scottish and Irish islander comedies I've seen (like 'WAKING NED DEVINE'). If you enjoy that type of film, you'll probably get a good kick out of this. I think it's a well made and enjoyable movie, but it's also nothing too memorable though.

"Whisky Galore!" Makes its U.S. Debut in Los Angeles and New York

Arrow Films recently released information that they're releasing the comedy "Whisky Galore". The film stars Eddie Izzard, Gregor Fisher ("Rab C. Nesbitt"), James Cosmo and Ellie Kendrick ("Game of Thrones"), Kevin Guthrie (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Naomi Battrick ("Waterloo Road"), and Sean Biggerstaff (the Harry Potter series).

"Whisky Galore" hits Los Angeles and New York on May 12th.

Press Release:

Arrow Films has announced the May 12th US theatrical release of Whisky Galore!, a star-studded remake of Alexander Mackendrick's 1949 classic comedy. Led by Emmy-winning comedian Eddie Izzard as Captain Wagget, Whisky Galore! also stars BAFTA winner Gregor Fisher ("Rab C. Nesbitt"), James Cosmo and Ellie Kendrick ("Game of Thrones"), Kevin Guthrie (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Naomi Battrick ("Waterloo Road"), and Sean Biggerstaff (the Harry Potter series).

Gillies Mackinnon directed from a script by award-winning writer Peter McDougall. Whisky Galore! will open in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Music Hall and in New York at Cinema Village on May 12th for weeklong runs.

In 1943, the people of the isolated Scottish island of Todday are largely unaffected by wartime rationing, until their supply of whisky runs out. In the midst of this catastrophe, Sergeant Odd (Biggerstaff) returns on leave to court Peggy Macroon (Battrick), the daughter of the local shopkeeper (Fisher). Meanwhile, her sister Catriona (Kendrick) has just become engaged to meek schoolteacher George Campbell (Guthrie), although his stern, domineering mother refuses to give her approval. During a storm, the freighter S.S. Cabinet Minister runs aground near Todday and begins to sink. Two local inhabitants investigate and learn from its departing crew that the cargo consists of 50,000 cases of whisky. A battle of wits ensues between the stuffy English commander Wagget (Izzard), who wants to confiscate the salvaged cargo, and the islanders.

"We Are the Flesh" Review by Anthony T

“We are the Flesh” is the first theatrical release from Arrow Video’s theatrical division Arrow Films here in the U.S. It got my interest because of that and the fact that it was part of last year’s Fantasia International Film Festival where many of the new independent genre film first get noticed.

The film is about a brother and sister (Diego Gamaliel, María Evoli) who stumble upon an abandoned building looking for food and shelter as society is going to hell. They find a deranged man (Noe Hernandez) who befriend them and send them down a spiral that they may never get out of. Stuck in this madman’s world, the two find themselves trapped in a depravity world which makes them do shocking things under his sadistic influence as they slowly lose their humanity.

I’ve seen many films that left me feeling shocked at what I’ve previously seen. Films like “Pieces”, the original “Vampyres” and most of Jess Franco’s work has given me that feeling. You can add “We Are the Flesh” to the list as it might be early in 2017 to make this claim but this was a very shocking film that I’ve seen so far. I couldn’t take my eyes off and there might not be another film that will do that this year.

The reason it’s shocking was its direction from writer/director Emiliano Rocha Minter. One of the things that he does very well is make sure it has a shocking sense a dread throughout. Whether it was the camerawork to some of the film’s very bizarre imagery, everything helped make every scene have a sense of hopelessness and despair. It made me feel very uncomfortable and horrified with watching the images that were on screen. The other thing that makes Minter’s direction work so well was the acting. Minter does a very good job making sure the performances have a demented tone to them. It helped kept my interest the film especially where it was a little slow in the middle. This also has a very good performance from Noe Hernandez as the depraved man behind all of the madness that takes place. The performance helped add to this depraved and shocking film.

Minter’s screenplay is very depraved and has some very shocking moments. Amidst all that, he does a very job focusing each of the main characters decent into madness. He achieves that by creating scenes that are shocking enough that it made me feel uneasy watching this watch. Even though I feel this way, it serves a purpose to the story and the dark imagery that Minter is going for. That’s what makes this film very horrifying and uneasy.

The screenplay was one of those screenplay that had one of those WTF endings. I won’t go into detail about the ending as I don’t like to spoil those films. I’ll just say that the ending caught me off guard but it works. It added more to the shock value of this film as it was something that I didn’t expect.

It’s one of those films that makes you feel so uncomfortable that it makes you want to take a shower after watching. This is not for everyone. Even thinking that, this film achieves in creating a horrific atmosphere that leaves you in shock. It’s early but I have a feeling that “We are the Flesh” will be the most shocking and depraved film that I’ll see all year.

“We are the Flesh” is currently in limited release and hits DVD & Blu-Ray and Feburary 14th.

Review Rating: Five Stars

Arrow Films Unleashes It's First U.S. Theatrical Release with "We Are the Flesh"

Arrow Films recently send us information for their first U.S. theatrical release of the Spanish horror film"We Are the Flesh". The film stars Noé Hernández, María Evoli and Diego Gamaliel.

"We Are the Flesh" opens in LA, Laredo and San Antonio on January 13th, NY, Denver and New Orleans  on January 20th and limited roll-out through January and February.

Press Release:

Arrow Films has announced the January 2017 theatrical rollout of Emiliano Rocha Minter's We Are the Flesh. After a thought-provoking and acclaimed year on the festival circuit, the film will screen in over ten cities across the United States. Visionary, unrelenting, and not for the faint-hearted, Rocha Minter's provocative and explicit creation is an erotic inferno of the senses that manages to pack all manner of delirium into its short running time. On the heels of the January 13 Los Angeles debut, We Are the Flesh will open in New York City on January 20, 2017 for a week's run at Cinema Village.

We Are the Flesh will also open for weeklong runs in Laredo and San Antonio on January 13, Denver and New Orleans on January 20, and San Francisco and Columbus and January 27. Special screenings include El Paso, Houston, Phoenix, Cleveland, Portland and Albuquerque throughout January and February.

Hailed by Oscar-winning Mexican directors Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity) and Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu (The Revenant), We Are the Flesh stars Noé Hernández as a post-apocalyptic hermit eager to transform the ashes of the world and María Evoli and Diego Gamaliel as the starving siblings under his thrall.

Rocha Minter's debut feature stunned audiences following the world premiere at the Locarno International Film Festival. We Are the Flesh has since screened at festivals around the world, including Sitges, Fantastic Fest, Telluride, the Vancouver International Film Festival and more, picking up the Séquences Award for Best Film at Fantasia and nominations for Best First Film and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Rotterdam International Film Festival.

After the end of the world, a young brother and sister roam an apocalyptic city looking for food and shelter. They take refuge in the dilapidated lair of a strange hermit who makes them a dangerous offer to survive. He puts them to work building a bizarre cavernous structure, where he acts out his insane and depraved fantasies. Trapped in a maddening womb-like world under his malign influence, they find themselves sinking into the realms of dark and forbidden behavior.