CategoryForeign
International horror: J-horror, European extremity, Latin American shocks and the films Hollywood keeps remaking.
901 stories
ForeignTrailers
The trailer has just been released for Before We Vanish from acclaimed horror director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cure, Pulse). It has been said that the film “reinvents the alien movie as a unique and profoundly human tale of love and mystery.” In the film, “three aliens travel to Earth on a reconnaissance mission in preparation for a mass invasion. Having taken possession of human bodies, the visitors rob the hosts of their essence – good, evil, property, family, belonging – leaving only hollow shells, which are all but unrecognizable to their loved ones. Equally hilarious, thrilling, and profound, Before We Vanish reminds audiences of the continued strength of one of Japanese cinema’s most unique auteurs – and the value of the human spirit.” Masami Nagasawa (Godzilla: Final Wars), Ryuhei Matsuda (The Raid 2), Mahiro Takasugi, Yuri Tsunematsu, and Hiroki Hasegawa (Shin Godzilla) star. Before We Vanish opens in cinemas on February 2, 2018.
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ForeignMoviesNewsParanormal
Fans of the original 1973 or the flop 2006 remake of The Wicker Man can now scream as loud as they want at Alton Towers Resort’s upcoming roller coaster of the same name. On January 8th, Alton Towers announced the new ride and the opening date, as it’s now under construction. Alton Towers says the ride will be ready in time for the park’s season opening in the spring in Alton, Staffordshire, England. The roller coaster will be the first wooden roller coaster built in the UK in 21 years with the concept of fusing fire and wood, yes, fire. That aspect of the ride has raised some concerns for ride goers on social media saying that they don’t think it’s a good idea. Contrary to Alton Towers’ statement, this is not the first time a wooden roller coaster was fused with fire. The company building the ride, Great Coasters International, has made two roller coasters in the past that
Continue reading →
ForeignParanormalTrailersTrue Story
A new supernatural film is coming from across the ocean, Taiwan’s highest grossing horror film, The Tag-Along 2, will arrive in the U.S. this February. The follow-up to 2015’s hit horror film centers on a social worker who discovers a video of her missing, pregnant teenage daughter being led away by a “little girl in red”. As she digs into the mystery she discovers an abandoned hospital where she faces demons and ghosts and the little girl’s story comes to light. I should mention that the tale was inspired by a true story. From the Press Release: (Los Angeles, CA) – Unveil the legendary urban myth of the little girl in red. Bona fide Taiwanese star Rainie Yang (Spider Lilies) stars in the sequel to 2015’s The Tag-Along, THE TAG-ALONG 2. Following the film’s limited theatrical release this past September 22, 2017, THE TAG-ALONG 2 will arrive on Digital & On Demand February 6 from Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM), with a
Continue reading →
ForeignIndieMoviesReviews
When we think of Japanese Horror (J Horror) we think of movies like Ju-on (‘The Grudge’) Ringu (‘The Ring’) and classics like Kwaidan but those we’re dealing with the supernatural, things that some will feel they have a zero and donuts chance of encountering or telling themselves “It’s just a movie.” But an experimental film in 1926 took everything a step further by touching on the subconscious fear of the audience, reality itself. The film, A Page of Madness was directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa and released in Japan in 1926 and was feared lost after WWII till Kinugasa rediscovered the film in 1971 in a storehouse that he hid it in. The silent film has received a lot of mix reviews, a lot of the negative ones are based on the fact that they literally don’t know what’s going on. Unlike most western silent films movie buffs are used to, Japanese silent films did not have intertitles, we now call
Continue reading →
DocumentariesForeignMoviesReviews
Forget what you know or what you think you know of exorcism, based om what you’ve seen in the movies – specifically The Exorcist. Here you will find no heads spinning nor will you see satanic messages being scratched into the flesh of the possessed individual. You will also NOT bear witness to people being levitated or violently thrown around the room by demonic forces, and there will definitely not be a no holds barred showdown between a servant of god and the dark lord himself. Instead, Federica Di Giacomo’s film, Deliver Us (Liberami) is intent on showing the everyday, real world applications for which this sacred ritual is utilized. The central figure of the film is Father Cataldo Migliazzo of Palermo , Sicily. He is a well known exorcist, which is why many people seek him out for spiritual counsel and are often willing to travel great distances for it. He is seen throughout the film offering spiritual assistance
Continue reading →
ForeignTrailers
From writers-directors-producers Martin Sonntag and Bastain Brinch Pedersen comes, Escaping the Dead, a film inspired by a series of articles about the deathdrug “Krokodil” that was published about the same period of time when Ronald Poppo had his face eaten by a naked man hooked on bathsalt in Miami., Escaping the Dead begins on a typical day for the lead character, David. David is the local marihuana pusher, but he is the kind of dealer that smokes more than he sells. The country has been hit by a new death drug and when David and his partner in crime, Ahmir, is offered some exceptionally cheap cocaine they see it as an opportunity to earn big money at a big techno concert the following Friday. The cocaine turns out to have a terrible side effect that creates a giant zombie outbreak that spreads across the entire Copenhagen. Escaping the Dead stars Bastian Brinch Pedersen as David, Lloyd Kaufman, Lone Fleming (from
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesReviews
In an Alpine Valley town of Northern Italy there is a yearly festival held on December 5th. Many of the townsfolk take to the streets, disguised as a mythical (?) demonic creature known as Krampus. According to legend, the real Krampus walks hidden among them during this annual brouhaha, with the intent of stealing away with naughty and disobedient children. Throughout the years many children have vanished with no trace, and have never been seen or heard from again. On one such night a man named Manuel joins others from the town, who regale in this traditional celebration. After the festivities have died down, Manuel joins some of his fellow Krampus impersonators to imbibe and unwind. His very young son, Tommi, has just witnessed the frightening spectacle and pleads for his father’s attention. However, Manuel is having too good a time boozing it up to care. Tommi, having just been rebuffed by his father runs off on his own, finding
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesReviews
For some people making a real connection with others can be, at best, an arduous task. Even once said connection is made there are no guarantees on how deeply one person will feel it in relation to another. Such would be the case where Thomas and Teresa are concerned. Thomas is awkward, in appearance and demeanor and Teresa is beautiful, but at odds with her sense of personal identity. The pair have been longtime friends and able to confide in each other, but unbeknownst to Teresa, she has long been the object of Thomas’s unrequited affection. Part of Teresa’s inner struggle is her inability to form a romantic bond with anyone unless they can help her to make a truly profound discovery about who she is on an existential level. Obsessed as he is with Teresa, Thomas will take it upon himself to be the man who helps her plumb the depths of her soul – no matter how emotionally
Continue reading →
DocumentariesForeignIndieMoviesStreaming TVTrue Story
…with “other things being equal, simpler explanations are generally better than more complex ones.” — Occam’s Razor Read the above statement on Occam’s Razor. This post is about the “docuseries” Making a Murderer, the Netflix “docuseries” that has a second season coming. This post is not about whether Steven Avery is guilty or innocent. It is not about whether there are injustices in our legal system. We know there are. This piece is about the cynicism behind making a piece of entertainment disguised as social crusading. I was inspired to write this after trying to make my point in a series of online tweets. There was backlash from people who made it about a social cause, and that I was ignoring the issues in our criminal justice system. My point was simple: Making a Murderer is not about the correction of our legal system or justice for a man wrongly accused. The series is about entertainment. Manipulation Set aside your
Continue reading →
Comic Books/Graphic NovelsDocumentariesForeignIndieInterviewsProductReviews
To Clear A Few Things Up A few myths need to be dispelled about the 1980 Robin Williams film, Popeye. It was NOT a boxoffice failure. It was made for 20 million and grossed well over 60 million. While deemed a “disappointment” by Paramount Pictures, it hardly failed. 2. It is NOT Robin Williams’s worst film. I will argue it is his best, hands down. Like Williams and its director, the film paid a price for breaking away from formula. Popeye is fucking art, so there, I said it. Popeye fought Cynema and lost the first few battles, but I think it won the war. It was Robin Williams’s first film, and almost his last. It’s been called a mess, incomprehensible, a misfire, a disaster and a bomb. Bear with me as I show how this unique film stands up against Cynema. I’ll also lay out how this film reflects the present attitudes between industry and audience. Years after I
Continue reading →
More from Foreign
ForeignTrailers
The trailer has just been released for Before We Vanish from acclaimed horror director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cure, Pulse). It has been said that the film “reinvents the alien movie as a unique and profoundly human tale of love and mystery.” In the film, “three aliens travel to Earth on a reconnaissance mission in preparation for a mass invasion. Having taken possession of human bodies, the visitors rob the hosts of their essence – good, evil, property, family, belonging – leaving only hollow shells, which are all but unrecognizable to their loved ones. Equally hilarious, thrilling, and profound, Before We Vanish reminds audiences of the continued strength of one of Japanese cinema’s most unique auteurs – and the value of the human spirit.” Masami Nagasawa (Godzilla: Final Wars), Ryuhei Matsuda (The Raid 2), Mahiro Takasugi, Yuri Tsunematsu, and Hiroki Hasegawa (Shin Godzilla) star. Before We Vanish opens in cinemas on February 2, 2018.
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesNewsParanormal
Fans of the original 1973 or the flop 2006 remake of The Wicker Man can now scream as loud as they want at Alton Towers Resort’s upcoming roller coaster of the same name. On January 8th, Alton Towers announced the new ride and the opening date, as it’s now under construction. Alton Towers says the ride will be ready in time for the park’s season opening in the spring in Alton, Staffordshire, England. The roller coaster will be the first wooden roller coaster built in the UK in 21 years with the concept of fusing fire and wood, yes, fire. That aspect of the ride has raised some concerns for ride goers on social media saying that they don’t think it’s a good idea. Contrary to Alton Towers’ statement, this is not the first time a wooden roller coaster was fused with fire. The company building the ride, Great Coasters International, has made two roller coasters in the past that
Continue reading →
ForeignParanormalTrailersTrue Story
A new supernatural film is coming from across the ocean, Taiwan’s highest grossing horror film, The Tag-Along 2, will arrive in the U.S. this February. The follow-up to 2015’s hit horror film centers on a social worker who discovers a video of her missing, pregnant teenage daughter being led away by a “little girl in red”. As she digs into the mystery she discovers an abandoned hospital where she faces demons and ghosts and the little girl’s story comes to light. I should mention that the tale was inspired by a true story. From the Press Release: (Los Angeles, CA) – Unveil the legendary urban myth of the little girl in red. Bona fide Taiwanese star Rainie Yang (Spider Lilies) stars in the sequel to 2015’s The Tag-Along, THE TAG-ALONG 2. Following the film’s limited theatrical release this past September 22, 2017, THE TAG-ALONG 2 will arrive on Digital & On Demand February 6 from Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM), with a
Continue reading →
ForeignIndieMoviesReviews
When we think of Japanese Horror (J Horror) we think of movies like Ju-on (‘The Grudge’) Ringu (‘The Ring’) and classics like Kwaidan but those we’re dealing with the supernatural, things that some will feel they have a zero and donuts chance of encountering or telling themselves “It’s just a movie.” But an experimental film in 1926 took everything a step further by touching on the subconscious fear of the audience, reality itself. The film, A Page of Madness was directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa and released in Japan in 1926 and was feared lost after WWII till Kinugasa rediscovered the film in 1971 in a storehouse that he hid it in. The silent film has received a lot of mix reviews, a lot of the negative ones are based on the fact that they literally don’t know what’s going on. Unlike most western silent films movie buffs are used to, Japanese silent films did not have intertitles, we now call
Continue reading →
DocumentariesForeignMoviesReviews
Forget what you know or what you think you know of exorcism, based om what you’ve seen in the movies – specifically The Exorcist. Here you will find no heads spinning nor will you see satanic messages being scratched into the flesh of the possessed individual. You will also NOT bear witness to people being levitated or violently thrown around the room by demonic forces, and there will definitely not be a no holds barred showdown between a servant of god and the dark lord himself. Instead, Federica Di Giacomo’s film, Deliver Us (Liberami) is intent on showing the everyday, real world applications for which this sacred ritual is utilized. The central figure of the film is Father Cataldo Migliazzo of Palermo , Sicily. He is a well known exorcist, which is why many people seek him out for spiritual counsel and are often willing to travel great distances for it. He is seen throughout the film offering spiritual assistance
Continue reading →
ForeignTrailers
From writers-directors-producers Martin Sonntag and Bastain Brinch Pedersen comes, Escaping the Dead, a film inspired by a series of articles about the deathdrug “Krokodil” that was published about the same period of time when Ronald Poppo had his face eaten by a naked man hooked on bathsalt in Miami., Escaping the Dead begins on a typical day for the lead character, David. David is the local marihuana pusher, but he is the kind of dealer that smokes more than he sells. The country has been hit by a new death drug and when David and his partner in crime, Ahmir, is offered some exceptionally cheap cocaine they see it as an opportunity to earn big money at a big techno concert the following Friday. The cocaine turns out to have a terrible side effect that creates a giant zombie outbreak that spreads across the entire Copenhagen. Escaping the Dead stars Bastian Brinch Pedersen as David, Lloyd Kaufman, Lone Fleming (from
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesReviews
In an Alpine Valley town of Northern Italy there is a yearly festival held on December 5th. Many of the townsfolk take to the streets, disguised as a mythical (?) demonic creature known as Krampus. According to legend, the real Krampus walks hidden among them during this annual brouhaha, with the intent of stealing away with naughty and disobedient children. Throughout the years many children have vanished with no trace, and have never been seen or heard from again. On one such night a man named Manuel joins others from the town, who regale in this traditional celebration. After the festivities have died down, Manuel joins some of his fellow Krampus impersonators to imbibe and unwind. His very young son, Tommi, has just witnessed the frightening spectacle and pleads for his father’s attention. However, Manuel is having too good a time boozing it up to care. Tommi, having just been rebuffed by his father runs off on his own, finding
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesReviews
For some people making a real connection with others can be, at best, an arduous task. Even once said connection is made there are no guarantees on how deeply one person will feel it in relation to another. Such would be the case where Thomas and Teresa are concerned. Thomas is awkward, in appearance and demeanor and Teresa is beautiful, but at odds with her sense of personal identity. The pair have been longtime friends and able to confide in each other, but unbeknownst to Teresa, she has long been the object of Thomas’s unrequited affection. Part of Teresa’s inner struggle is her inability to form a romantic bond with anyone unless they can help her to make a truly profound discovery about who she is on an existential level. Obsessed as he is with Teresa, Thomas will take it upon himself to be the man who helps her plumb the depths of her soul – no matter how emotionally
Continue reading →
DocumentariesForeignIndieMoviesStreaming TVTrue Story
…with “other things being equal, simpler explanations are generally better than more complex ones.” — Occam’s Razor Read the above statement on Occam’s Razor. This post is about the “docuseries” Making a Murderer, the Netflix “docuseries” that has a second season coming. This post is not about whether Steven Avery is guilty or innocent. It is not about whether there are injustices in our legal system. We know there are. This piece is about the cynicism behind making a piece of entertainment disguised as social crusading. I was inspired to write this after trying to make my point in a series of online tweets. There was backlash from people who made it about a social cause, and that I was ignoring the issues in our criminal justice system. My point was simple: Making a Murderer is not about the correction of our legal system or justice for a man wrongly accused. The series is about entertainment. Manipulation Set aside your
Continue reading →
Comic Books/Graphic NovelsDocumentariesForeignIndieInterviewsProductReviews
To Clear A Few Things Up A few myths need to be dispelled about the 1980 Robin Williams film, Popeye. It was NOT a boxoffice failure. It was made for 20 million and grossed well over 60 million. While deemed a “disappointment” by Paramount Pictures, it hardly failed. 2. It is NOT Robin Williams’s worst film. I will argue it is his best, hands down. Like Williams and its director, the film paid a price for breaking away from formula. Popeye is fucking art, so there, I said it. Popeye fought Cynema and lost the first few battles, but I think it won the war. It was Robin Williams’s first film, and almost his last. It’s been called a mess, incomprehensible, a misfire, a disaster and a bomb. Bear with me as I show how this unique film stands up against Cynema. I’ll also lay out how this film reflects the present attitudes between industry and audience. Years after I
Continue reading →
