Enter the Slasher "Hell Fest" on DVD and Blu-Ray

Lionsgate Home Entertainment and CBS Films recently released DVD and Blu-Ray information on their latest release "Hell Fest". The film stars Amy Forsyth (TV’s “The Path,” “Rise,” “Defiance”), Reign Edwards (TV’s “Snowfall,” “MacGyver,” “The Bold and the Beautiful”), Bex Taylor-Klaus (TV’s “Scream: The TV Series,” “Arrow,” The Last Witch Hunter), and the legendary Tony Todd (Candyman, Night of the Living Dead, The Crow).

Special features on the DVD and Blu-Ray includes “Thrills and Kills: Making Hell Fest” Featurette and Theatrical Trailer.

"Hell Fest" hits VOD on December 28th and retail on January 8th.

Press Release:

Experience a terrifying celebration of the horror genre when Hell Fest arrives on Digital December 28 and on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital), Blu-ray™ Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On Demand January 8 from Lionsgate. From Gale Anne Hurd, an executive producer of TV’s “The Walking Dead,” executive producer Tucker Tooley (Limitless, Den of Thieves), and directed by Gregory Plotkin (editor of Get Out, Happy Death Day, and director of Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension), Hell Fest is one truly terrifying ride. The scary slasher film stars Amy Forsyth (TV’s “The Path,” “Rise,” “Defiance”), Reign Edwards (TV’s “Snowfall,” “MacGyver,” “The Bold and the Beautiful”), Bex Taylor-Klaus (TV’s “Scream: The TV Series,” “Arrow,” The Last Witch Hunter), and the legendary Tony Todd (Candyman, Night of the Living Dead, The Crow). Story by William Penick & Christopher Sey and Stephen Susco, Screenplay by Seth M. Sherwood and Blair Butler and Akela Cooper.

A group of friends are bound for a horror-themed Halloween event at a local amusement park — a sprawling labyrinth of rides, games, and mazes that travels the country and happens to be in town. But for one visitor, the ghoulish carnival of nightmares is not the attraction — it is a hunting ground. On the night the friends attend, a masked serial killer turns the amusement park into his own playground, terrorizing attendees while the rest of the patrons believe that it is all part of the show. As the body count and frenzied excitement of the crowd continues to rise, who will fight to survive the night?

Take home Hell Fest and go behind the scenes with an exclusive, never-before-seen featurette, “Thrills and Kills: Making Hell Fest.” Experience four times the resolution of Full HD with the 4K Ultra HD combo pack, which includes Dolby Vision™ HDR, bringing entertainment to life through ultravivid picture quality. When compared to a standard picture, Dolby Vision can deliver spectacular colors never before seen on a screen, highlights that are up to 40 times brighter, and blacks that are 10 times darker. The Hell Fest 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $42.99, $39.99, and $29.95, respectively.

"Winchester" Review by Tim Hellman

'WINCHESTER': Three Stars (Out of Five)

A supernatural horror film based on the true story of Sarah Winchester, the widow of the notorious gun manufacturer William Winchester. Mrs. Winchester famously had an enormous mansion built, known as the Winchester Mystery House, to imprison spirits that she felt wanted revenge for deaths caused by Winchester firearms. The movie stars Helen Mirren as Winchester, and it costars Jason Clarke and Sarah Snook. It was directed by Michael and Peter Spierig (the duo also helmed such other popular horror flicks as 'DAYBREAKERS', 'JIGSAW'and 'UNDEAD'), and it was scripted by the Spierig brothers and Tom Vaughn. I found it to be decently made, but not anything especially memorable.

50 miles outside of San Francisco, Sarah Winchester (Mirren) was having a seven story house built; 24-hours a day, seven days a week, for decades. She believed that the house was haunted by vengeful ghosts killed by Winchester firearms (manufactured by her late husband). The widow was having the mansion built to imprison them. A doctor, by the name of Eric Price (Clarke), is called to the house to evaluate her mental stability. Eric surprisingly sees the haunted spirits too.

I've enjoyed the Spierig brothers other films (especially 'DAYBREAKERS'). This one has a great true story premise to it, and you couldn't ask for a better cast (for a B horror flick like this). Still, ultimately the movie is kind of boring, and forgettable. It's interesting at times though, and it does have a cool old horror flick feel to it. It's not one I'll remember for long though (at least I don't think I will).

Chilling Stills for the Upcoming Gothic Thriller "Winchester"

CBS Films recently released stills for the upcoming Gothic thriller "Winchester". The film stars Helen Mirren (The Queen, Woman in Gold), Jason Clarke (Mudbound, Zero Dark Thirty), Sarah Snook (Steve Jobs, Jessabelle), Angus Sampson (Insidious, Mad Max: Fury Road) and Finn Scicluna-O’Prey (True Story with Hamish & Andy, The Secret River).

"Winchester" hits theaters on February 2nd.

Plot Synopsis:

Inspired by true events. On an isolated stretch of land 50 miles outside of San Francisco sits the most haunted house in the world. Built by Sarah Winchester, (Academy Award®-winner Helen Mirren) heiress to the Winchester fortune, it is a house that knows no end. Constructed in an incessant twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week mania for decades, it stands seven stories tall and contains hundreds of rooms. To the outsider it looks like a monstrous monument to a disturbed woman’s madness. But Sarah is not building for herself, for her niece (Sarah Snook) or for the brilliant Doctor Eric Price (Jason Clarke) whom she has summoned to the house. She is building a prison, an asylum for hundreds of vengeful ghosts, and the most terrifying among them have a score to settle with the Winchesters…

"Patriots Day" Review by Tim Hellman

'PATRIOTS DAY': Four Stars (Out of Five)

The new dramatic thriller, based on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing; and the efforts that law enforcement went through to catch the terrorists responsible. The movie was directed by Peter Berg, and it stars Mark Wahlberg; making it their third collaboration together (following 2013's 'LONE SURVIVOR', and 'DEEPWATER HORIZON' from earlier this year). Berg also co-wrote the screenplay; with Matt Cook, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson. It's based on the book 'Boston Strong', by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. The film also costars Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, Alex Wolff, Themo Melikidze and Michelle Monaghan. It's received mostly positive reviews from critics, but it's also disappointed at the Box Office (so far). I found it to be a mostly well made, and effective action-thriller; but it's also exploitative, and somewhat corny (at times).

The movie depicts the events of the Boston Marathon bombing, as well as the terrorist manhunt that followed (involving the police and the FBI). It revolves around a fictional Boston Police Department sergeant, named Tommy Saunders (Wahlberg), as well as multiple other law enforcement officers. It also briefly tells the story of several other (real life) people, that were greatly effected by that tragic day. The film spends the most time following the two terrorists, Dzhokhar (Wolff) and Tamerlan (Melikidze) Tsarnaev.

As an action movie, and suspenseful thriller, I think the film was really well made. Berg is a good action movie director; and Wahlberg, and most of the rest of the lead cast, always deliver in films like this. The movie does seem exploitative at times though, especially when it concludes with an emotionally forced tribute (to the real survivors involved in the terrorist attack). It just seems like the filmmakers are trying to justify the action movie that proceeded it; and I think their forced justification makes them look even worse. The film is also filled with corny caricatures (at times), and exaggerated sentimentality (at other times). It is an otherwise well made, and entertaining, action flick though.

"Hell or High Water" Review by Tim Hellman

'HELL OR HIGH WATER': Five Stars (Out of Five)

Critically acclaimed crime drama flick; about two bank robbing brothers, in West Texas, trying to raise money to save their family's ranch. The film stars Jeff Bridges, Chirs Pine and Ben Foster. It was written by Taylor Sheridan (who also wrote 2015's outstanding 'SICARIO'), and it was directed by David Mackenzie. The film received almost unanimously positive reviews from critics (98% positive on Rotten Tomatoes), and it's been a small hit at the Box Office (so far) as well. I loved it.

Toby Howard (Pine) is a divorced father, living in West Texas, that desperately wants to leave a better life for his two estranged sons (John-Paul Howard and Christopher W. Garcia). His brother Tanner (Foster) is an ex-con, that wants to help Toby achieve this dream. They're family ranch is about to be foreclosed on, and there's a great deal of oil that's just been discovered on the land. The brothers decide to rob several banks, in order to pay off the farm. Marcus Hamilton (Bridges) is the retiring Texas Ranger that wants to stop them.

The movie is a very well put together western/heist flick; that focuses a lot more on rich character development, than action. With that said, the climactic shootout/chase at the end is epic. The three leads are all great in the film, but Bridges is classic (it's probably one of his best performances ever). Pine is likable, as the movie's main character; and Foster is awesome at being crazy, once again (I don't think he can play anything else). Like I said, the movie is a little slow-paced/slow building at first; but it's worth it! Sheridan's script is brilliant.

Lionsgate and CBS Films Wants You To "Get A Job" at Home

Lionsgate and CBS Films recently released information for the upcoming DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD release of "Get A Job". The film stars Miles Teller (The Divergent Series Franchise), Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect 1 & 2), Brandon T. Jackson (Tropic Thunder), Nicholas Braun (How to Be Single), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad), Alison Brie (TV’s “Community”), Marcia Gay Harden (TV’s “Code Black”),and Academy Award® nominee Bryan Cranston (Best Actor, Trumbo, 2015).

Special features on the DVD & Blu-Ray includes behind-the-scenes featurette on the cast’s worst jobs, as well as “in-character” video résumé outtakes.

"Get A Job" hits retail on June 14th.

Press Release:

Miles Teller (The Divergent Series Franchise) and Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect 1 & 2) lead an all-star cast in the laugh-out-loud comedy Get a Job, available on June 14 on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD), DVD (plus Digital), and Digital HD from Lionsgate. The fresh and wickedly funny film is currently available On Demand. Following the struggles facing a group of college graduates as they navigate through a tough economy, Get a Job also stars Brandon T. Jackson (Tropic Thunder), Nicholas Braun (How to Be Single), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad), Alison Brie (TV’s “Community”), Marcia Gay Harden (TV’s “Code Black”),and Academy Award® nominee Bryan Cranston (Best Actor, Trumbo, 2015).

How far would you go to get a job? Recent college grads Will (Teller) and Jillian (Kendrick) desperately want to become a power couple — but first they have to get jobs! When work prospects threaten to strand Will and Jillian in entry-level hell, Will starts thinking out of the box — and hatches a hilarious assault on the job market.

Featuring an entertaining behind-the-scenes featurette on the cast’s worst jobs, as well as “in-character” video résumé outtakes, Get a Job will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for the suggested retail price of $19.99 and $19.98 respectively.