"Condemned" Set to Scare Your Home DVD & Blu-Ray

RLJ Entertainment recently send us over information for the upcoming DVD & Blu-Ray release of "Condemned". The film stars Dylan Penn, Ronen Rubinstein, Lydia Hearse and Jon Abrahams.

No special features were announced.

"Condemned" hits DVD & Blu-Ray on Janauary 5th.

Plot Synopsis:

Fed up with her parents’ bickering, poor-little-rich-girl Maya (Dylan Penn) moves in with her boyfriend who is squatting in an old, condemned building on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. With neighbors that are meth heads, junkies and degenerates, this depraved hell hole is even more toxic than it appears: After a virus born from their combined noxious waste and garbage infects the building’s residents, one by one, they succumb to a terrifying pathogen that turns them into bloodthirsty, rampaging killers and transforms their building into a savage slaughterhouse.

Sci-Fi Thriller "Painkillers" Makes its Way to DVD

Image Entertainment recently released information for the upcoming DVD release of "Painkillers". The film stars Tahmoh Penikett (“Battlestar Galactica”), Lesley-Ann Brandt (“The Librarians”), Erica Durance (“Smallville”), Julia Voth (“Package Deal”) and Colm Feore (“Gotham”).

No special features were announced at this time.

"Painkillers" hits retail on January 12th.

Plot Synopsis:

PAINKILLERS tells the story of a squad of marines sent on a classified mission deep in the war-torn mountains of Afghanistan, but when they find the mysterious item they were sent for… it’s not what they were expecting. The next thing they know, Major Cafferty (Penikett) and the surviving squad members wake-up in a military medical facility with no memory of what happened or even who they are. Using an experimental drug, doctors try to “reboot” the soldiers’ memories, but one by one they fall prey to bizarre hallucinations and homicidal fits of rage. Only through snatches of resurfacing memories does Cafferty begin to question the true motives of the hospital staff and discover the shocking, deadly reality behind the otherworldly artifact they found.

Family Faith Drama "Catching Faith" Hits DVD

RLJ Entertainment recently send us over information for their upcoming release of the family faith drama "Catching Fire". The film stars Lorena Segura York, Garrett Weston and Bill Engvall.

No special features were announced.

"Catching Fire" hits retail on August 18th.

This August, RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE), under the Image Entertainment brand, presents a moving story about a woman who seems to have it all; a perfect marriage, a daughter at the top of her class, and an athletic son at the top of his game. But things are not always as they appear. On the very night her father dies, things begin to unravel when her son is caught drinking at a party violating the school’s behaviour policy for athletics. The police and the community turn the other way, willing to allow the young athlete to bring them victory regardless of the bad lesson it teaches him. His sister’s pressure to perform is no less severe. At the top of her class, she is expected to be valedictorian, but High School Latin has proven to be much harder than she expected. She finds the perfect opportunity to cheat, and wavers on the decision to be honest, or to be victorious.

Inspired by the real life experiences of his co-writer, Christian Counsellor, Andrea M. Polnaszek, John K.D. Graham directs a powerful film about one family’s journey toward a true relationship with God and each other, despite the pressures of the community to keep on with the façade. It will be available on DVD, Digital HD, and On Demand this August. For more information or to see the trailer, go to www.CatchingFaith.com.

Synopsis: John and Alexa Taylor appear to have the perfect life – they’re the envy of all the parents in town. Their son Beau is the high school football star and their daughter Ravyn is a straight-A student. But when Beau is caught drinking alcohol, his place on the team and his bright future are on the line. With the football season at stake and the judgmental community turning their backs on them, every member of the Taylor family is at a crossroads. Now, they must find the strength from one another, and the spiritual courage from within, to prove that faith and family is the only score that really matters.

"Burying the Ex" Review - Written by Tim Hellman

'BURYING THE EX': Three Stars (Out of Five)

Indie horror-comedy flick, about a guy who's tormented by his dead ex-girlfriend; she was a bitch when she was alive and now she's even bitchier, as a zombie girlfriend from Hell (who just won't leave)! The film was directed by Joe Dante (the acclaimed cult filmmaker responsible for such sci-fi and horror-comedy classics as 'GREMLINS', 'THE HOWLING', 'EXPLORERS', 'INNERSPACE' and 'THE 'BURBS'). It was written by first-time feature film writer Alan Trezza (and based on the 2008 short, of the same name, that he wrote and directed). The film stars Anton Yelchin, Ashley Greene, Alexandra Daddario and Oliver Cooper. It had so much potential; but Dante has definitely lost his touch, in recent years.

Yelchin plays Max and Greene plays his domineering girlfriend, Evelyn. Max really wants to break up with Evelyn, but has been lacking the courage to do so. When Evelyn is hit by a car, and killed, it seems like Max's problems are solved. They get even worse though, when Evelyn comes back to life and is even more controlling.

The film is funny, the acting is decent and the soundtrack is awesome. It's kind of a fun movie, but not that fun. I just expect a lot more from Dante; who like I said, has made a lot of classic horror-comedy films ('GREMLINS' and 'THE BURBS' are two of my all-time favorites). This movie has a great premise, and it had a lot of potential, which makes it all the more disappointing. I really wanted to like it, but I'm sad to say it's only mildly amusing.

Image Entertainment Acquires Sci-Fi Thriller "June"

Image Entertainment recently released information that they've acquired the U.S. rights to the sci-fi thriller "June". The film stars Kennedy Brice (Fox’s “Red Band Society,” AMC’s “The Walking Dead”), Casper Van Dien (Sleepy Hollow, Starship Troopers) and Victoria Pratt (Hush Little Baby, Mutant X).

No release date was announced at this time.

Press Release: 

Image Entertainment, an RLJE Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, has acquired all U.S. rights to the sci-fi, thriller, JUNE. The film is directed by L. Gustavo Cooper (The Devil Incarnate), which he also co-wrote with Sharon Y. Cobb (On Hostile Ground). JUNE stars Kennedy Brice (Fox’s “Red Band Society,” AMC’s “The Walking Dead”), Casper Van Dien (Sleepy Hollow, Starship Troopers) and Victoria Pratt (Hush Little Baby, Mutant X). Mark Ward, RLJ Entertainment’s Senior Vice President of Acquisitions for the Image brands, made the announcement today.

“L Gustavo Cooper brings a new twist in this coming-of-age films,” said Ward. With a great cast and a unique story, JUNE will give fans a new perspective to the genre.”

June is an innocent nine-year-old orphan girl who shares her body with Aer, an ancient supernatural being whose mission is to destroy mankind. When June is adopted by a loving family, she must battle with Aer to save her new parents and herself.

JUNE is produced L. Gustavo Cooper, James Fler, Jacquelyn Frisco, Gregor Habsburg, Andrew Thomas Hunt, Michael Paszt and Duane A. Sikes and executive produced by Michelle Czernin von Chudenitz and Jessica Kill. The deal was negotiated by Ward on behalf of RLJE/Image Entertainment and Raven Banner’s Michael Paszt on behalf of the filmmakers.

"Roadside" Review - Written by Anthony T

When I first heard about “Roadside”, I was interested considering that it looked like one of those thrillers that I would enjoy. It has a mysterious killer plus the trailer and story looked interesting enough to check this film out and review it.

The film follows Dan and Mindy Summers, a couple who on the road along a mountain highway that is desolate and quiet. They are forced to stop in the middle of the road when a tree falls on the road and blocks their way. Before Dan can get back inside his car, he finds out that a mysterious man hiding in the woods is threatens him and wife with a rifle that is aimed at them. This forces both Dan and Mindy to play his sadistic game in the freezing cold. They must find a way out of his dangerous game, before becoming his latest victims.

I was hoping that I would’ve liked “Roadside” considering that Eric England’s last film got a lot of praise. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. I couldn’t get into this film at all. This film was a flat out boring thriller from start to finish. It’s also possibly the reason why this film too so long in being released than his last film “Contacted”.

This was one of those films, where it was hard to sit through. The main reason for that was England’s direction. This felt very flat in all aspects. He doesn’t do a good job making sure the scenes stand out. The problem of that was the fact that his film takes place in one area for most of the film. Still, that is something that should’ve been corrected with the way he directs his cast. Instead, I was waiting for this film to end. Speaking of the performances, they weren’t good at all. England doesn’t make sure the performances had a certain level of intensity to them. This is supposed to be a suspense thriller, instead this felt like a drama. The reason for that was that I didn’t buy into the performances. He doesn’t make sure that they are different from each other. Instead, you have main performances that feel flat and going on one note. When that happens you’re not feeling intensity, you’re feeling bored.

The screenplay written by England was also bad as the direction. One of the things that makes this screenplay bad was the fact that the characters weren’t interesting. They weren’t giving much personality, as they felt flat. It made me not care about anything in this film. The villain felt like it was something out of the “Scream” films with his voice. The other thing that made me not like this screenplay was the fact that scenes had no tension. Most of the reason for that was that it stays at one place for a good chunk of the film. It didn’t do anything to make me feel frightening enough to be engaged with the story. This and the fact that the villain didn’t make things scary, it made this film very boring film to watch. It also didn’t help that the mysterious villain and the deaths were predictable. When that happens, you lose all suspense like this screenplay did.

I was really hoping that “Roadside” was going to be one of thrillers that keeps you interested and entertained, but I was wrong. Instead, this film is one of those films that you pass on bye when seeing it stranded on the side of the road.

Review Rating: One Star

"The Rewrite" Blu-Ray Review - Written by Anthony T

“The Rewrite” marks the first time that Hugh Grant has done a comedy film since the 2009 box office bomb “Did You Hear about the Morgans?”, a film that I had no interested in seeing. Fast forward to 2015, where he’s back doing what he does best in the comedy “The Rewrite”.

The film is about an award winning screenwriter Keith Michaels (Grant) who has had a string of unsuccessful films. When he can’t find work, his agent lines him with a job teaching as a screenwriting professor at an Upstate New York college. There, he hopes to focus more on his new screenplay instead of teaching his students on the essences of screenplay writing. But somehow, Michaels starts to take an interest in his job and the students that he teaches. Marisa Tomei, Bella Heathcote, J.K. Simmons, Chris Elliot and Allison Janney costars in this film.

Going into this film, I was hoping this would not be like the two Hugh Grant films that I saw. Thankfully that wasn’t the case, as I really liked this film. “The Rewrite” is an entertaining film that is return to form for Hugh Grant.

Most of that had to do with the direction from Marc Lawrence, who ironically enough directed Grant in “Two Week’s Notice” and “Music and Lyrics”. One of things that makes his direction good was the fact that he manages keep the flow of the film at a witty and entertaining pace. Whether it’s the way that he approaches the scenes to how gets everything that he needs to make everything work, there was never a point where I was bored with the film. The other thing that Lawrence does well is to make sure that the performances keep you interested in the story. He makes sure that his cast makes their characters are interesting through their character’s personality and having chemistry with each other to make the scenes entertaining. This made the film entertaining especially with Hugh Grant’s and Marisa Tomei’s characters.

Speaking of those two, both Hugh Grant and Marisa Tomei were very good here. It was a return to form for each of them as I’ve always liked Grant in films like “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Love Actually” and Tomei in “My Cousin Vinny” and “The Paper”. They both did a great job with the way that they handled their scenes together, as chemistry was very good and made their scenes together stand out.

The film also has a very solid screenplay from director Marc Lawrence, whose screenplays for Hugh Grant’s last two collaborations weren’t that impressive as it hurt those films. One of things that makes his screenplay good was the fact that it develops the main character during the course of the film. Lawrence does a good job making sure that the character goes through changes and how it affects him. It helped made the main character interesting and made the story entertaining. The other thing that I liked about it was the film’s humor. He does a very job in making the humor work so well without getting carried away. It’s very witty and a change of pace from the comedies that are currently are being made today.

Sadly, there isn’t many extras on the disc. The extras start over with a seven minute featurette with some of the cast and crew talking about their characters and story of the film. It’s an okay featurette that felt basic for the most part. After that, the disc warps up with deleted scenes and trailer.

This was a surprising return to form for Hugh Grant, as he’s very good in this film. “The Rewrite” is an entertaining and funny comedy that doesn’t need a rewrite.

Review Rating: Four Stars

Extras: One Star

"Digging Up the Marrow" Review - Written by Anthony T

When I first heard that Adam Green was having a new film, I was excited as I thought it was going to be like the “Hatchet” films or “Holliston” because he also stars in this. But when I started to read the synopsis, I could tell it wasn’t going to be a fun time like those two are. Instead, “Digging up the Marrow” looked more like his more serious films like “Frozen” and “Spiral”. Still I wanted to check this because his serious films tend to be his best ones.

The faux documentary follows Green as he is contacted by a mysterious man who believes that monsters are real and hide in the woods. Along with his Cinematographer Will Barrett, the two set to interview him and discover that they might be some truth to this. As they get closer to the truth, they don’t know what to believe as things about the mysterious man start coming to light and something or someone might be haunting them during their search for the truth.

“Digging up the Marrow” was for the most part a departure from Adam Green’s previous films. The film had a different feel compared to most of his films. Still, this is one of Adam Green’s best films, as I would put that up there with his best film “Frozen”.

One of thing that I enjoyed about this film was Green’s direction was that he takes a different approach in the way he has this film filmed with its faux documentary style. It helped make the film have its realistic tone to it that is needed if you’re trying to have it feel like a documentary with interviews with real people and realistic action. It made some of the scenes work well with the style it was going for.

The other thing that Green does very well was the way that he directs the acting. The acting was good, as it kept things interesting especially when it’s just Green and Will Barratt talking. You had the typical Adam Green performance that see on “Holliston”, but it works very well here as you needed a character to have a personality to keep you interested. It helped keep me interested as he tries to find proof of monsters. But the main star of the film is Ray Wise. He was great in this film. What I liked about the performance was the way he makes his character very dark. This didn’t feel like the typical Ray Wise performance that you would see from him. From the way that he talks to how he approach the character, everything had a dark feel to it. It made his character standout and very interesting to watch.

The screenplay also written by Green was very good. This screenplay does a very good job keeping your interest. Whether it was the way that he approaches each of the characters to how some of scares are built up, it manages to deliver to the point it kept my interest throughout. I was very interest in the film’s end result because of it. The other thing that I liked about the screenplay was the way that he makes the William Decker character very interesting. Whether it’s the way that the character’s dialogue was written to how Green makes the character very mysterious, everything helped make this character very fascinating to see on screen. This is makes this film very good from start to finish.

This is one of those VOD releases that you should find a way to check out, as this is the first film this year that’s very good. “Digging up the Marrow” is a very fascinating film that is both entertaining and scary. This will make you believe that monsters can be truly scary.

Review Rating: Five Stars.

"RPG: Real Playing Game" Review by Jim Herling

I always enjoy a sci-fi movie with an interesting premise. Or, I should say I start out enjoying it; they don't always end the same way. Real Playing Game (RPG for short) is one that I enjoyed from start to finish. Directed by Tino Navarro and David Rebordão from a script Navarro wrote based on a story he wrote with Artur Ribeiro, RPG has an interesting premise: in the near future, the wealthy and elderly can pay to have their mind transplanted into a young body so they can once again be young and beautiful... but because the technology is so expensive, there's a catch.

Once transplanted virtually into those younger bodies, ten of these individuals must basically fight to the death (when they die, only the young person dies, the old person controlling them wakes up in their original body), with only the winner being able to keep his or her new body.

Rutger Hauer opens the film as Steve Battier, one of the elderly about to play the game. If this movie has flaws, one of them is that, by the nature of the plot, we don't get enough Hauer; after only a few minutes. he is transferred into a young body (played by Cian Barry, who must have studied Rutger very closely because he channels him perfectly) and the game is on. He meets the other nine competitors (Alix Wilton Regan, Nik Xhelilaj, Pedro Granger, Christopher Goh, Genevieve Capovilla, Dafne Fernández, Reuben-Henry Biggs, Cloudia Swann, and Débora Monteiro), none of whom remember anything about their past lives... either of them. This is by design, as it's explained to them by the gamemaster Mr. Chan (Chris Tashima); they are shown holograms of the ten old people they used to be. The challenge isn't just to survive killing each other, but to be able to correctly identify the past life of the person you killed.

If it sounds convoluted, well, it is, and the plot probably could have used some streamlining, but what follows is a terse, thrilling tale of murder and betrayal. I've already singled Cian Barry out for his Rutger Hauer impression, but he's solid in his own right as well. Likewise, the rest of the cast is capable, if not particularly outstanding. In terms of story, the writing is good and the direction is decent. It's possible that, because of the limited star power involved, the ending might not be in doubt, but there's an out-of-left-field twist at the end that is rather delicious. All in all, Real Playing Games is a fun, serviceable movie that earns a 3.5 out of 5 stars from me.

French Comedy "Queen of the Ring" Enters the DVD Ring

Image Entertainment and WWE Studios recently released information for the upcoming DVD release of the French comedy "Queen of the Ring. The film stars Marilou Berry, Nathalie Baye, André Dussollier, Audrey Fleurot and features cameos by Mike ‘The Miz’ Mizanin© and Eve Torres™.

No special features were announced at the time. "Queen of the Ring" hits stores on November 11th.


Press Release:

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, announces the DVD and digital download release of the hilarious comedy from WWE Studios, Queens of the Ring. Directed by Jean-Marc Rudnicki, the film stars Marilou Berry, Nathalie Baye, André Dussollier, Audrey Fleurot and features cameos by Mike ‘The Miz’ Mizanin© and Eve Torres™. Queens of the Ring will be available on DVD for an SRP of $27.97 on November 11, 2014.

In a desperate attempt to reconnect with her estranged son who is a passionate WWE fan, Rose (Berry) grabs his attention by joining a rigorous training program to learn to wrestle like a legitimate WWE Diva. She convinces her bored fellow cashiers at the local supermarket to join her challenging new adventure and together they become the “Queens of the Ring.”

Horrorpalooza 2014: "Werewolf Rising" Rises on DVD and VOD

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand recently send us over information their upcoming release of "Werewolf Rising". The upcoming film stars Bill Oberst Jr. (Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies), Melissa Carnell (Boggy Creek), Matt Copko (Dirty Laundry), Brian Berry (Hellspawn), and Irena Murphy (Bitter is Better).

No special features were announced. "Werewolf Rising" hits stores on October 14th.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/werewolfrising

Press Release

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, announces the DVD release of the horror thriller film WEREWOLF RISING. Directed by BC Furtney and starring Bill Oberst Jr. (Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies), Melissa Carnell (Boggy Creek), Matt Copko (Dirty Laundry), Brian Berry (Hellspawn), and Irena Murphy (Bitter is Better), WEREWOLF RISING will be available on DVD for an SRP of $27.97 on October 14, 2014.

Desperate for a break from big city life, Emma heads to her family’s cabin deep in the Arkansas hills. As she settles in for some much-needed R&R, she learns that something unspeakable lurks in the surrounding darkness. As the full moon rises, a bloodthirsty werewolf emerges from the shadows, slaughtering everyone in its path and revealing a sinister underworld Emma never knew existed. Thrown into a fight for her life, and her very soul, Emma will need to escape these big bad woods before it’s too late.

"Varsity Blood" Review - Written by Jim Herling

Varsity Blood is what I like to call "a harmless little movie." It's not good enough to be called a great film or anything, but it isn't bad enough for you to leave your popcorn in a pile on the floor in disgust either. Written and directed by Jake Helgren, Varsity Blood is a slasher very much in the vein of Friday the 13th: sexy teenagers (cheerleaders and football players, natch, given the title is a take-off of Varsity Blues) carousing with drugs, alcohol, and sex get picked off one by one in various gruesome ways by a masked killer, in this case their mascot. And of course there's a twist a-coming as to who is under that mask and, gasp, it's not who you expect!

If it sounds like Varsity Blood is pretty generic, well, it is. As I said, it's very much like Friday the 13th and all those other eighties slasher flicks. It's very clearly a homage, right down to having scream queen Debbie Rochon play one of the characters' mothers. But there's one thing Varsity Blood does that a lot of modern slasher flicks seem to forget about, and it sets it apart quite a bit: it has characterization!

Varsity Blood opens, as slasher flicks do, with a kill in the first few minutes to whet our appetites, but then, there is no blood or death to be found for at least another half hour, if not longer. We get to know the characters, from the cheerleader smothered by her mother to the girl who is screwing the guy her sister wishes she was screwing to the town sheriff to the step-father with a son in a mental asylum. We get to know these characters and many more, so we have reasons to either want them to die in some cases or be sad to see them go in others. I honestly think the last time I saw a movie excel at characterization like this was the first Scream, and that was eighteen years ago now.

But while the writing might excel at characterization, it's back to generic city for the rest of the script, and everything else about the movie, for that matter. From the dialogue to the acting, directing, and kills, it's all average. The killer's identity is a nice touch, as well as the twist attached, but other than that, there's nothing else special to speak of. The name of this game is characterization, and it's there that Varsity Blood scores a touchdown. I give it three out of five stars.

"Cabin Fever: Patient Zero" Review - Written by Tim Hellman

'CABIN FEVER: PATIENT ZERO': Three Stars (Out of Five)


Prequel to the first two 'CABIN FEVER' films, revolving around how the gruesome virus originally broke out. It was directed by Kaare Andrews (who previously helmed the 2010 horror flick 'ALTITUDE'and a segment of the 2012 anthology thriller 'THE ABCS OF DEATH') and written by Jake Wade Wall. The movie stars Sean Astin, Mitch Ryan, Jillian Murray, Brando Eaton, Ryan Donowho, Claudette Lali and Currie Graham. It delivers the same over-the-top gore and claustrophobic suspense, as the first two films, but not nearly as much of the dark and witty humor; that made the original movie such a cult classic.

Astin plays Porter; the sole survivor of a deadly flesh eating virus, which kills all the other residents on a remote island. A scientist named Dr. Edwards (Graham) captures Porter and keeps him in a lab, while his research team tries to create a vaccine. After months of being held captive Porter becomes obsessed with breaking out. He causes a lockdown, by spreading the virus to others in the lab. At the same time four friends, celebrating a bachelor party, arrive at the island on a boat.

Eli Roth's original film is a horror movie classic! Ti West's sequel did a pretty good job of continuing the franchise in possibly an even grosser and more disgusting way. This prequel has plenty of grotesque gore, and is somewhat scary, but it lacks the clever wit and nasty thrills that made the first two movies much more memorable (especially Roth's original). Astin is good in this installment and the directing is decent but it's definitely no cult classic.

"Aftermath" Review - Written by Abraham Phillips

Aftermath (2012)

Starring: Edward Furlong, Monica Keena, Andre Royo, C.J. Thomason

Plot: The devastating horror of a nuclear apocalypse is now reality and nine desperate strangers find themselves clinging to life in a farmhouse cellar, while radioactive fallout descends on the darkened world above. These would-be survivors face the nightmare of dwindling supplies, poisonous air and the greatest threat of all – the hordes of zombie-like refugees who want in.

My Review and Thoughts:

I enjoyed the film. I think it has great special effects makeup. I love the whole persona of the end of the world zombielike creatures and radiation.

I went into this not knowing anything about it and I have to say I was entertained in the end. Lately all the craze has been the end of the world or zombie type pictures and here is another one but this one's a little different. Not in subject because it’s been done a 1000 times before but I think this one has a little bit more substance than the countless direct to video horror ones that have been flooding the shelves of cinema lately.

Don't get me wrong that does not mean that it's a spectacular film or anything worthy of praise. Like I say the plot is the same thing, a group of survivors are held up in a basement and now they must survive the post-apocalyptic zombie like creatures blah blah blah but with all that said even with its tedious unoriginal plot it still was simple we'll done horror fun. I'm happy to have anything that's not a handheld camera horror film. I'm sick and tired of those shaking Cameras.

I think what makes this one standout is its darkened atmosphere. You know there's no good outcome coming and there's no real happy ending and I think that the film is very thick in that concept. I think that's one thing the director was able to capture, making you feel the tight scenario, claustrophobic feel. The different attitudes and growing emotions from all those that have survived and are now held up together. I think that mentality of survival and coming dread and getting on others nerves plays well in this film.

This does star some really good actors including the wonderful C.J. Thomason who I think is a brilliant actor. Loved him on the underrated awesome TV show Harpers Island. Also starring the wonderful Andre Royo. Always a treat to watch. Many will know him for his character on the long running masterpiece series The Wire. Royo is great in Aftermath. Also starring the very beautiful Monica Keena who has been in countless performances.

I think really the major problem I had with this film is there's no real character development. It doesn't give you enough story to feel for these individuals when something happens. You still as the viewer become a part of that atmosphere of coming dread.

The movie is not spectacular but I was still entertained from beginning to end and that's all I really ask for. It got me through this picture. I think the direction was ultimately right on and was able to capture everything that needed to be done and also held onto you throughout the picture. The acting was good for the most part.

Loved the gore and the makeup and special effects. I think what I like most about this film is it reminded me of that original black-and-white classic Night of the Living Dead. It gave a little bit of that undercurrent of emotions and it gave pieces of what made that film so brilliant even though like I say it's been done a 1000 times before, this one was able to do it the 1001 time and It worked.

Peter Engert directed a gory simple fun low budget horror of a Drive-In Double Bill late night fashion. Written by relative new comer writer and director Christian McDonald. I think McDonald had a relatively simple yet entertaining plot that captured all the other zombie, end of the world classics and played a somewhat homage to those classics in this film.

It’s a dark, gory ride of horror.

Written by: Abraham Phillips Review Rating: 3 out of 5

Apocalyptic Thriller "Aftermath" Lands on DVD and Blu-Ray

Image Entertainment recently released information for the upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray release of "Aftermath". The film stars Edward Furlong (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Green Hornet), Monica Keena (Freddy vs. Jason, HBO’s “Entourage”), Andre Royo (HBO’s “The Wire”), C.J. Thomason (The Monkey’s Paw), and Christine Kelly (Loving the Bad Man).

No special features were announced at this time. "Aftermath" hits stores on August 26th.  

Press Release:

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, brings you the thriller Aftermath, available on Blu-Ray and DVD on August 26, 2014. Directed by Peter Engert (The Valley of Tears, Loving the Bad Man) and written by Christian McDonald (Optimism), the film stars Edward Furlong (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Green Hornet), Monica Keena (Freddy vs. Jason, HBO’s “Entourage”), Andre Royo (HBO’s “The Wire”), C.J. Thomason (The Monkey’s Paw), and Christine Kelly (Loving the Bad Man). Aftermath is available on Blu-ray for an SRP of $29.97 and DVD for an SRP of $27.97.

The devastating horror of a nuclear apocalypse is now reality and nine desperate strangers find themselves clinging to life in a farmhouse cellar, while radioactive fallout descends on the darkened world above. These would-be survivors face the nightmare of dwindling supplies, poisonous air and the greatest threat of all – the hordes of zombie-like refugees who want in. With each dying day, their choice becomes clearer – stay and let the makeshift shelter become their tomb or face the unknown terrors of the world outside. Aftermath takes a hard look at how far humans will go to survive. And it isn’t pretty.

Get Ready for Some Bloodshed with "Varsity Blood"

Image Entertainment recently send us over information for the upcoming release of "Varsity Blood. The upcoming film stars Lexi Giovagnoli (1 Chance 2 Dance, 3 Times a Charm), Wesley Scott (Deep in the Heart), Debbie Rochon (Tromeo and Juliet), Natalie Peyton, Blair Jackson, and Elyse Bigler .

No special features were announced at this time. "Varsity Blood" hits DVD on 8/19.

Press Release:

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, brings you the slasher film Varsity Blood, available on DVD on August 19, 2014. Directed and written by Jake Helgren (Finding Mr. Wright, Bloody Homecoming), the film stars Lexi Giovagnoli (1 Chance 2 Dance, 3 Times a Charm), Wesley Scott (Deep in the Heart), Debbie Rochon (Tromeo and Juliet), Natalie Peyton, Blair Jackson, and Elyse Bigler . Varsity Blood will be available on DVD for an SRP of $27.97.

This football season, Hogeye High’s Warriors and cheerleaders are out for blood. Unfortunately, someone is out for theirs, and they’ll be forced to take one for the team. After the big Halloween football match, the students are joined by an uninvited guest dressed as their high school mascot armed with a bow and arrow, a battle-axe, and an insatiable appetite for butchery. Soon, they find themselves fighting for more than the winning score as terror becomes the name of the game. Featuring “enough inventive kills to keep even the most rabid gorehound happy,” Varsity Blood is “a supremely entertaining slasher rollercoaster” (Hysteria Lives!).

"Camp Dread" Set to Terrorize Your Home on DVD

Image Entertainment recently released information for their upcoming release of "Camp Dread". The upcoming film stars Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight, The Expendables), Danielle Harris (Halloween), and Felissa Rose (Under Surveillance). "Camp Dread" hits DVD and 4/15.

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, announces the DVD and digital download release of Camp Dread.  The horror thriller is written and directed by Harrison Smith (6 Degrees of Hell) and stars Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight, The Expendables), Danielle Harris (Halloween), and Felissa Rose (Under Surveillance).  Camp Dread will be available on DVD for a SRP of $27.97.

The "Summer Camp" horror trilogy was one of the most popular franchises of the 1980s. However, the decade ended and so did director Julian Barrett's career. Now Barrett plans to resurrect his gory series via a modern reboot patterned after reality filmmaking. With his former leading lady and an eclectic group of 10 young “contestants,” Barrett returns to the same locale where his old splatter-fests were filmed. When one of the campers is found savagely murdered, they realize there’s more at stake than just fame and fortune. Each of them is in a fight for their lives as they realize summer is over – forever.

With ample twists and turns, Dread Central calls the film “fun, funny, and at times unpredictable good time that goes for broke."

Image Entertainment's "The Invoking" Set to Scare Your Living Room

Image Entertainment recently send us information about their upcoming DVD release "The Invoking". The film has been receving postive reviews on such sites as Fear Net and Fangoria.

Special features on the DVD include Commentary with Writer/Director Jeremy Berg, Producer Matt Medisch and Writer/Producer John Portanova, Commentary with actors Trin Miller, D’Angelo Midili and Andi Norris and Behind the Scenes Documentary. "The Invoking" haunts DVD retailers on 2/18.

Press Release:

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, brings you The Invoking available on DVD, digital download and VOD February 18, 2014. Being hailed as a “must-see” by Fangoria, the film is directed by Jeremy Berg and stars Trin Miller, Brandon Anthony, Josh Truax, and D'Angelo Midili, The Invoking will be available on DVD for an SRP $27.97.

After inheriting a house from the family she never knew, Samantha Harris (Trin Miller) and three friends head to rural Sader Ridge to inspect the property. Soon after arriving, Sam begins to experience horrific visions of savage brutality and unspeakable evil. Plagued by the sinister forces closing in around her, Sam descends into a waking nightmare when the demons from her past refuse to stay buried any longer.
Special Features Include:

· Commentary with Writer/Director Jeremy Berg, Producer Matt Medisch and Writer/Producer John Portanova,

· Commentary with actors Trin Miller, D’Angelo Midili and Andi Norris.

· Behind the Scenes Documentary.

"Nightmare on Elm Street" Documentary "Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy" Makes Blu-Ray Debut

Image Entertainment recently announced the upcoming Blu-Ray release of "Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy". The film features exclusive interviews with over 100 key cast and crew from every Nightmare, including creator Wes Craven and Robert Englund (“Freddy Krueger”).

Special Features on the Blu-Ray includes, Extended Interviews, First Look: Heather Langenkamp's "I Am Nancy", For the Love of the Glove, Fred Heads: The Ultimate Freddy Fans, Horror's Hallowed Grounds: Return to Elm Street, Freddy vs. The Angry Video Game Nerd, Expanding the Video Game Universe: Freddy in Comic Books and Novels, The Music of the Nightmare: Conversations with Composers and Songwriters, Elm Street's Poster Boy: The Art of Matthew Joseph Peak, A Nightmare on Elm Street in 10 Minutes and Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy Teaser Trailer. "Nightmare on Elm Street" "Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy" hits blu-ray on 1/21/2014.

Press Release:

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, announces Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy,a “shockumentary” highlighting the horrifying history of Freddy Krueger, on Blu-ray for the very first time.

Featuring exclusive interviews with over 100 key cast and crew from every Nightmare, including creator Wes Craven and Robert Englund (“Freddy Krueger”), Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy will be available as a 2-Disc Collector’s Edition Blu-ray January 21, 2014 for an SRP of $29.98.

Murderer. Dream Demon. The bastard son of a hundred maniacs. Any way you slice it, there can only be one man – one monster – who epitomizes those words: Freddy Krueger. For decades, he has slashed his way through the dreams of countless youngsters and shows no signs of ever resting in peace. A Nightmare on Elm Street star Heather Langenkamp is your dream guide in this thrilling “shockumentary” that takes you deeper into Freddy’s realm than ever before, featuring exciting clips, never-before-seen photos, behind-the-scenes footage, conceptual art, publicity materials and exclusive interviews with over 100 key cast and crew from every Nightmare, including Wes Craven, Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Jack Sholder, Mark Patton, Kim Myers, Chuck Russell, Jennifer Rubin, Renny Harlin, Lisa Wilcox, Tuesday Knight, Stephen Hopkins, Kelly Jo Minter, Rachel Talalay, Lisa Zane, Alice Cooper, Patrick Lussier, Miko Hughes, Monica Keena, Brendan Fletcher, Ronny Yu and many more. So get ready for Freddy in the definitive account of modern cinema’s eternal bogeyman and what has been called the most frightening and imaginative horror franchise in motion picture history!

Numerous Special Features Also Included

· Extended Interviews

· First Look: Heather Langenkamp's "I Am Nancy"

· For the Love of the Glove

· Fred Heads: The Ultimate Freddy Fans

· Horror's Hallowed Grounds: Return to Elm Street

· Freddy vs. The Angry Video Game Nerd

· Expanding the Video Game Universe: Freddy in Comic Books and Novels

· The Music of the Nightmare: Conversations with Composers and Songwriters

· Elm Street's Poster Boy: The Art of Matthew Joseph Peak

· A Nightmare on Elm Street in 10 Minutes

· Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy Teaser Trailer

Chilling Horror Anthology "Sanitarium" Makes its Way to DVD

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, has send us over information about their upcoming DVD release "Sanitarium". The anthology horror film stars Malcolm McDowell (Halloween, “Franklin & Bash”) horror legend Robert Englund (Freddy vs. Jason, A Nightmare on Elm Street), John Glover (“Smallville”), Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls) and Lou Diamond Phillips in three horrifying stories. No special features were announced. "Sanitarium" hits stores on 12/31.  

Press Release:

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, proudly announces the release of the horror/thriller Sanitarium. Directed by Bryan Ortiz, Bryan Ramirez, and Kerry Valderrama, the film stars Malcolm McDowell (Halloween, “Franklin & Bash”) as the sinister Dr. Stenson. Sanitarium will be available on DVD and digital download on Dec. 31, 2013 for an SRP of $27.97.

Abandon everything you’ve ever believed about that brittle concept we call “reality” and prepare to enter a macabre netherworld of shadows, fiends and phantoms - a twisted realm of waking nightmares and warped minds, locked away in unrelenting torment. Welcome to the Sanitarium. Behind the walls of the Sanitarium, Dr. Stenson holds dominion over the inmates of a most unusual asylum.

Horror Legend Robert Englund (Freddy vs. Jason, A Nightmare on Elm Street) also stars with John Glover (“Smallville”), Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls) and Lou Diamond Phillips in three chilling tales of unspeakable terror that will drive you over the edge of reason – and beyond!