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Prey hits Homes and Theaters Sept. 27

Prey hits Homes and Theaters Sept. 27

LOS ANGELES, CA – [August 28, 2019] – Cinedigm Corp (NASDAQ: CIDM) has officially announced that it will release PREY, directed by Franck Khalfoun (Amityville: The Awakening), theatrically and on VOD September 27, 2019. From Hyde Park Entertainment, ImageNation and Blumhouse Productions, the terrifying thriller stars Logan Miller (Escape Room, “The Walking Dead”) and Kristine Froseth (Apostle) as two young strangers forced to run and fight for their lives against a mysterious and deadly force lurking deep in the jungle of a secluded island retreat.

Other members of the PREY ensemble include Jolene Anderson (Harrow), Jerrica Lai (Crazy Rich Asians), Phodisdo Dintwe (The Cul De Sac), Anthony Jensen (Nazi Overlord, The Gallows Act II) and Jody Mortara (Blood Relatives). PREY is written by David Coggeshall and Franck Khalfoun, and produced by Ashok Amritraj, Jason Blum, Chris Lofing and Travis Cluff. Executive Producers include Couper Samuelson, Jeanette Volturno, Alix Taylor, and Priya Amritraj.

For Blumhouse Productions, PREY marks the latest in a lengthy run of chilling films tailor-made to get under the skin of horror fans everywhere. With Blumhouse and Franck Khalfoun reuniting following the debut of 2017’s Amityville: The Awakening, Khalfoun has taken his signature, spine-tingling style and moved it from the iconic and creepy Long Island, New York locale to PREY’s perilous jungle island.

PREY will open in several major theatrical markets including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Orlando, Dallas and Houston.

Insight Editions offers up 2 GOT Books for the Holidays

Insight Editions offers up 2 GOT Books for the Holidays

The Photography of Game of Thrones®
Photography by Helen Sloan | Written by Michael Kogge

Enter the world of HBO’s global television phenomenon Game of Thrones with The Photography of Game of Thrones (Insight Editions | November 12, 2019 | $75.00)—the definitive photographic collection of the hit series.

This deluxe compendium features sumptuous photography from the making of HBO’s unparalleled hit show Game of Thrones. Offering a rare peek behind the scenes of one of the most popular and revered television shows of all time, The Photography of Game of Thrones gives fans an exclusive look at some of their favorite characters and moments in gorgeous detail.

The official principal Game of Thrones unit photographer, Helen Sloan, has compiled the most iconic shots from the acclaimed show. The best of her collection, along with the work of the unit photography team, is featured here. Bold and gorgeously crafted, The Photography of Game of Thrones captures in striking detail the scope and nuance of the show, celebrating a world of iconic characters, shocking moments, breathtaking locations, and much more.

The Photography of Game of Thrones
Written by Michael Koggee | Photography by Helen Sloan
Insight Editions | November 2019 | 9.75 in. × 13 in. | 320 pages
Art & Making
Hardcover | $75.00
ISBN: 978-1-68383-529-5

The Art of Game of Thrones®
Written by Jody Revenson and Deborah Riley

Filled with gorgeous illustrations and artwork from the HBO hit series, The Art of Game of Thrones (Insight Editions | November 2019 | $75.00) is the definitive Game of Thrones art collection.

Game of Thrones has been one of the most popular and successful television shows ever created. Beautifully crafted and presented in a deluxe, large format, these pages present a visual chronicle of the meticulous work done by artists to bring the world of Westeros to life on-screen.

Fans will recognize thrilling moments and stunning locations from the show. Showcasing a multitude of fascinating and beautifully rendered images and previously unpublished works of art, this collectible book contains the visual legacy of Game of Thrones and is a must-have for fans of the show.

The Art of Game of Thrones
Written by Jody Revenson and Deborah Riley
Insight Editions | November 2019 | 9.25 in. × 13 in. | 320 pages
Art & Making
Hardcover | $75.00
ISBN: 978-1-68383-533-2

Tone-Deaf Headed for Homes Oct. 22

Tone-Deaf Headed for Homes Oct. 22

It won’t be a quiet death when Tone-Deaf arrives on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital), DVD, and Digital October 22 from Lionsgate. This film is currently available On Demand. An entertaining, over-the-top genre bender, the home invasion thriller has been called “pure insanity” by Film Threat and was an official selection of SXSW 2019. The “unflinchingly brutal” (Boston Hassle) film stars Robert Patrick and Amanda Crew. Written and directed by Richard Bates, Jr., the Tone-Deaf Blu-ray and DVD will include a making-of featurette, and will be available for the suggested retail price of $21.99 and $19.98, respectively.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
After being dumped by both her boss and her boyfriend, Olive (Amanda Crew) flees the city for the weekend and rents an ornate country house from an old-fashioned widower named Harvey (Robert Patrick). She’s hoping for a few days of peace. What she gets is a weekend of sheer terror, as Olive awakens Harvey’s darkest urges—and is plunged into a blood-soaked fight for her life.

BLU-RAY / DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
• “The Struggle Is Real: Making Tone-Deaf” Featurette

CAST
Robert Patrick Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The X-Files, True Blood
Amanda Crew Silicon Valley

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2018
Title Copyright: Tone-Deaf © 2019 Yodo Film, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Artwork & Supplementary Materials © 2019 Saban Films LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Type: Theatrical Release
Rating: R for violence, language throughout, sexual content and some drug use
Genre: Thriller
Closed-Captioned: N/A
Subtitles: Spanish, English SDH
Feature Run Time: 88 minutes
Blu-ray Format: 1080p High Definition 16×9 2.39:1 Presentation
DVD Format: 16×9 2.39:1 Presentation
Blu-ray Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio™
DVD Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio

UK Fans can Aim for Dead Center Oct. 11

UK Fans can Aim for Dead Center Oct. 11

ARROW FILMS is pleased to make available the International trailer for THE DEAD CENTER, the brand-new thriller from “a masterful new voice in terror” (Nerdist), Billy Senese, director of the acclaimed A Frankenstein Story. Helmed by genre stalwart Shane Carruth, the creator of Primer and Upstream Color, THE DEAD CENTER is a unique tale of existential terror that explores the demons that live inside of all of us. The film features exceptional supporting performances from Jeremy Childs (Preacher) and Poorna Jagannathan (Big Little Lies).

In further news, ARROW FILMS is also delighted to announce that they have acquired world-wide rights to the film. Fran Simeoni, Arrow’s Director of Content and Distribution, had this to say:

“We have had a fantastic experience working on THE DEAD CENTER with Billy, from the trade and critical response to fans and our own enjoyment of building the campaign and assets. It’s always a gift to be able to work on films you enjoy and that offer so many opportunities and this has been a pleasure to do so in collaboration with Billy. To extend our investment on the film to a global level was the next logical step and we look forward to bringing the film to more audiences.”

Director / Producer Billy Senese adds:

“My relationship with Arrow began with them acquiring the rights to my film, THE DEAD CENTER, in a few of the larger territories. But as we worked closely together on the release, I knew I was in the right place. It was a natural transition to lock in a worldwide deal with them. They’ve shown a true investment in my film. Not only with the money side of things, but with their time and care. They are curators. As a filmmaker, this is very important to me. Being with Arrow has been a great partnership, and I look forward to our upcoming release.”

The Dead Center will be released in UK and US Cinemas, and on 4k Digital HD, on October 11, 2019 and available to buy on DVD & Blu-ray from October 14. Pre-order the Blu-ray here: http://bit.ly/DEADCENTER.

SYNOPSIS
WHEN JOHN DOE ROSE FROM THE DEAD, HE BROUGHT SOMETHING BACK.

When a very dead suicide victim (Jeremy Childs, Preacher, Nashville) disappears from the morgue, it sets in motion a chain of events that has the power to immolate everything, and everyone, it touches.

Troubled psychiatrist Daniel Forrester (Shane Carruth, Primer, Upstream Color) is drawn to help a mysterious patient who is brought to the emergency psych ward in a catatonic state with no memory of how he reached the hospital. As if to exorcise his own demons, the doctor feverishly tries to break through to his mysterious patient. But as a spate of mysterious deaths shake the ward to its core, Forrester comes to suspect that there is more to his new ward than meets the eye. As he comes to realize what he’s unleashed, a desperate race against the forces of evil threatens to swallow him whole.

The Dead Center is a smart supernatural thriller that explores the demons that live inside all of us from writer-director Billy Senese, recently hailed as a “masterful new voice in terror” (Nerdist).

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Runtime: 93 mins approx. (DVD and BD)

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation
• 5.1 DTS-HD master audio and lossless stereo audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Commentary with writer-director Billy Senese, producer-actor Shane Carruth and co-star Jeremy Childs
• Commentary with writer-director Billy Senese, producers Denis Deck and Jonathan Rogers, and cinematographer Andy Duensing
• A Walk Through The Dead Center, an in-depth making-of documentary featuring new interviews with writer-director Billy Senese, producer-actor Shane Carruth, cinematographer Andy Duensing, and many others revisiting the locations and discussing the production
• Nine deleted scenes, including an alternate ending
• On-set interviews with actors Shane Carruth and Poorna Jagannathan
• Head-Casting with Jeremy Childs, a brief look at the creation of the make-up effects seen in the climax of the film
• Intruder, a short film from 2011 directed by Billy Senese and starring Jeremy Childs
• The Suicide Tapes, the original short film from 2010 directed by Senese and starring Childs that later inspired The Dead Center
• Midnight Radio Theater, six chilling radio plays (“Insomnia”, “The Long Weekend”, “Disposable Life”, “The Suicide Tapes”, “The Woman In The Basement”, “Blood Oath”, “Flu”) written, produced and directed by Billy Senese
• Theatrical trailer and teasers
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring new and original artwork
• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by Jamie Graham

Vikings Season 5 Part 2 Storms Homes Oct. 8

Vikings Season 5 Part 2 Storms Homes Oct. 8

From Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment comes VIKINGS: SEASON 5 VOLUME 2, which will debut on Blu-rayTM and DVD October 8. Catch up on the latest of the popular franchise before the new season premieres later this year and enjoy special features including extended and unrated episodes, deleted scenes, audio commentary with series creator Michael Hirst and Vikings star Gustaf Skarsgard.
 
As the explosive second half of Vikings Season Five begins, Ivar the Boneless’ tyrannical reign as king of Kattegat ushers in a new Dark Age for Scandinavia. And while Bjorn and Lagertha flee Ivar’s murderous forces with Bishop Heahmund, Duke Rollo’s return brings even more upheaval. Meanwhile, Floki battles the elements-as well as his settlers’ thirst for revenge-in beautiful, desolate Iceland. Ultimately, the sons of Ragnar and old sworn enemies must become allies to challenge the despot Ivar, who has declared himself a god. The gut-wrenching action and dramatic plot twists reach a fever pitch as the season unfolds.
 
Vikings is an international Irish/Canadian co-production by World 2000 and Take 5 Productions. HISTORY broadcasts the series domestically in the U.S. MGM Television brought the series to the network and brings the series to the global audience, serving as the worldwide distributor outside of Ireland and Canada. Vikings is produced in association with Corus Entertainment.
 
Vikings: Season 5 Volume 2 Blu-ray™ Bonus Features:

  • Extended Versions of All 10 Episodes
  • The Creator’s Audio Commentary with Michael Hirst and Actor Gustaf Skarsgard 
  • The Epic War of Ragnar’s Sons 
  • The King and the Warrior Bishop
  • Deleted Scenes

Vikings: Season 5 Volume 2 DVD Bonus Features:

  • Extended Versions Only of All 10 Episodes (does not contain broadcast episodes)
  • The Creator’s Audio Commentary with Michael Hirst and Actor Gustaf Skarsgard 
  • The Epic War of Ragnar’s Sons 
  • The King and the Warrior Bishop
  • Deleted Scenes

 
Vikings: Season 5 Volume 2 Blu-ray™ Specifications
Street Date:         October 8, 2019
Run Time:           444 minutes
Audio:                 English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French DTS 5.1
Subtitles:             English SDH, Spanish, French
Aspect Ratio:      Widescreen 1.78:1
 
Vikings: Season 5 Volume 2 DVD Specifications
Street Date:         October 8, 2019
Run Time:           444 minutes
Audio:                 English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:             English SDH, Spanish, French
Aspect Ratio:      Widescreen 1.78:1

I, Rene Tardi, Prisoner of War in Stalag IIB, Vol. 1 by Tardi

I probably should say this first: this book is titled I, Rene Tardi, Prisoner of War in Stalag IIB, Vol. 1 . And it’s credited to “Tardi.”

One might easily assume “Tardi” means “Rene Tardi,” the chap who was a POW. But one would be wrong.

Rene died in 1986, and never drew comics. (There are some of his sketches in the frontmatter here, so I don’t want to say he didn’t draw anything. He could draw better than me, for one thing.)

This “Tardi” is his son Jacques, who originally used both of those names for his bandes dessinees until the weight of all of those other French cartoonists who only use one name got to be too much for him, and he succumbed to the lure of the single moniker.

Even in a case, like this one, where that creates confusion. Style is more important than anything else, eh mes amis?

Rene POW is a 2012 comic — translated into English for a 2018 publication in the US — based on a series of notebooks that Jacques made during conversations with his father in the early ’80s. One may presume that he had the idea for this book even then; Jacques Tardi had been a working cartoonist for over a decade at that point. But it took a few more decades for him to get around to it, during years when he told stories about The Great War and Paris detectives and Adele Blanc-Sec and American crime and steampunky super-science and many more.

For a book that claims to be a memoir of WWII, Rene POW has some very odd elements. It starts off with an introduction by Dominique Grange, which is mostly about her father and only secondarily about Rene Tardi. Somewhat later in the book, the reader realizes that Grange is Jacques Tardi’s wife, but the book does not explain this explicitly anywhere. In honor of that connection, Rene meets Grange’s father in that POW camp later in the book — they didn’t actually meet then in real life, or at least didn’t remember it.

And then the book itself is framed as Rene telling the story to Jacques. Rene looks like he did at the time of the war, a strong, angry young man in his uniform, and he narrates the book — sometimes as a voice coming out of nowhere, sometimes as his young self in the scene. And then Jacques appears as a schoolboy, maybe ten or thirteen, who wanders through the scenes without being part of them, questioning his father in words that mostly seem to be post-Rene’s death but sometimes do turn into a conversation between the two men.

So this is neither exactly what Rene wrote nor a true collaboration between the two. It is instead based on notes made while Rene was alive, but full of questions and second thoughts that Jacques only had after his father was dead. But that’s the only way to collaborate with the dead: to take everything they did and said, and present it as honestly as possible, while also pointing out the things they didn’t do or say.

POW life in WWII was horrible, and the French had it nearly the worst. (The Russians probably had it the absolute worst, and the Americans probably the “best.”) Rene Tardi was in Stalag IIB for basically the entire war; he was captured just as France fell. So he has a long time of horrible events to cover here, and they are horrible and unpleasant and full of hideous details.

This is not quite as searing as Tardi’s books about World War One; this book is about his own father, who survived the war. But it’s still a war story, and it’s a reminder of how much war destroys — not just the people who are killed and the cities that are flattened, but also what’s broken in even the people who survive.

[1] Completely unconnected footnote: I realized, when putting together this post, that I don’t have a snarky tag for France. (England has There Will Always Be An England , for example, but I tend to use the vaguer Foreigners Sure Are Foreign  for the whole rest of the world, which may not be the best plan.) My first thought, since my tags tend to be super-sarcastic and borderline obnoxious, was Wogs Begin at Calais, but that’s vastly too offensive.

So, instead, I’m creating the slightly less offensive new tag 246 Kinds of Cheese, in honor of De Gaulle. I trust you will treat this with exactly as much seriousness as it deserves.

Reposted from The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gent.

REVIEW: Lego Batman: Family Matters

REVIEW: Lego Batman: Family Matters

There seems to be no end to Lego films featuring pop culture’s greatest heroes and villains. Out now from Warner Home Entertainment is Lego Batman: Family Matters, featuring the Caped Crusader (Troy Baker), Robin (Scott Menville), Nightwing (Will Friedle), Batgirl (Alyson Stoner), and Batwoman (Tara Strong) facing off against the Red Hood (Jason Spisak), Scarecrow (Steve Blum), Wizard ((Ralph Garman), Penguin (Tom Kenny), Killer Croc (Nolan North), Riddler (André Sogliuzzo), Solomon Grundy (Fred Tatasclore) and Two-Face (Christian Lanz). What more could a kid want?

The movie is released in numerous packages but the target viewer will want the Blu-ray, DVD, Digital HD combo pack with the bonus Mini Ultimate Batmobiel (84 pieces).

Writer Jeremy Adams takes Under the Red Hood and modifies it for the younger audience. Given the title, you know there will be a lot of focus on the Batman Family, and these are the best moments in the 79-minute production. The action is fine, but overall, it’s a so-so production compared with the fresh, cheeky previous productions.

There are quips, asides, breaking the fourth wall, but it all feels too familiar. The story, directed by Matt Peters, moves along fine enough, but just doesn’t excite the viewer.

The movie looks fine in Blu-ray, at the 16×9 aspect ratio, with good colors and crisp images. The Dolby Digital soundtrack is up to the match, capturing the colorful biffs and pows. There are no special features given the target audience’s obvious lack of interest in such content.

Mix Picks: Mountainhead #1

Up in the corner of every IDW cover, the corporate brand image has been temporarily modified to help celebrate the company’s (impressive) 20 years in business. The iconic IDW lightbulb icon implies a level of creativity and fresh ideas. And their new comic Mountainhead lives up to that – it’s fresh, different and gripping.

This series starts out telling the story of the Stubbs family – a father and son team who are always on the run and living off the grid. They break into houses and burglarize them.  It’s not quite as straightforward as all that, though. One key tenet of their modus operandi is to not get sucked into the never-ending messaging of our consumer-focused society.  The father reminds the son, Abraham, during a break-in, that “it’s all just stuff”.   Additionally, the father reinforces the concept of not defining oneself by one’s possessions.   That’s a great message, but when Abraham comes a across an electric guitar, the reader can see it gets more difficult to hang onto these highfalutin ideals.

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Mix Picks: Doctor Mirage #1

Mix Picks: Doctor Mirage #1

Nick Robles Variant Cover

Finally, the return of the Death-Defying Doctor Mirage! It’s been over three years since Shan Fong has starred in her own mini-series. Sure, she’s appeared in the Valiant Universe in recent mini-series like Incursion, but she deserves a starring role. Previously in Doctor Mirage, the stories revolved around her deceased husband that Shan can see as a ghost, Hwen. Now not only can she not find Hwen, but her house is in shambles as a new character enters the scene by the name of Grace Lugo who seems to know more about what’s going on than Shan does.

Before you open up this new #1, you’ll notice at the bottom right hand corner the names Magdalene Visaggio (writer), Nick Robles (artist), Jordie Bellaire (colorist), and Dave Sharpe (letterer). This is a uniquely stellar creative team that any publisher right now should be proud to have put together, and is a testament to editor Lysa Hawkins’ insights into the industry. Magdalene is a rising star in the industry with two Eisner nominations under her belt already for Kim & Kim and Eternity Girl, Nick Robles’ career has been skyrocketing as he’s gone from Alien Bounty Hunter at Vault Comics to Euthanauts at IDW to this Valiant Entertainment mini-series in short time, Jordie Bellaire is an Eisner Award winning colorist and firmly established as one of the best in comics, with Dave Sharpe as the most seasoned member of the team having literally lettered thousands of comics. All of this comes together masterfully creating a one of the best visual experiences in comics on the stands right now.

This latest installment in Doctor Mirage feels more like the spiritual successor to Vertigo than anything else coming out now. Between the creators, the subject matter, the tone, everything. If you miss Vertigo, pick up Doctor Mirage.

Not familiar with Doctor Mirage? Don’t worry about it! This is a great introduction to the character. Not familiar with Valiant? Don’t worry about that either! This comic is laser focused on Shan Fong so you don’t have to worry about a lot of Valiant continuity. It’s a very welcoming read.

We don’t want to spoil too much for you, so if we haven’t convinced you yet you can check out the preview pages below. The first page alone is so expertly crafted that we could write an essay just breaking that down alone. You can go buy it today at your local comic shop or on ComiXology!

Oh, one last thing before you check out those preview pages. We’re going to predict right here right now that this will get Jordie Bellaire another Eisner nomination for Best Coloring.

REVIEW: John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

REVIEW: John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

John Wick 3 Disc Details Revealed

There’s little original about John Wick the character or the film series, so the reason he is a smash success action hero is all due to Keanu Reeves’ performance. Derek Kolstad created the man in the black suit and his dog, overseeing the direction of the three films although the latest installment, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, required four screenwriters: Kolstad, Shay Hatten, Chris Collins, and Marc Abrams. That’s never a good sign.

We pick up exactly ten minutes after John Wick Chapter 2, with our hero on the outs with the High Table. He’s on the run with a $14 million bounty on his head and few willing to associate with the “excommunicado” man. Wick is not without resources and manages to get out of New York, using his sole “Get out of Jail” free card.

As he leaves the Big Apple, the Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) arrives to admonish Winston (Ian McShane) and Bowery King (Laurence Fishburn) for their own culpability in Santino’s (Riccardo Scamarcio) death. They have a week to resign their posts or face the consequences.

Wick, meanwhile, winds up in Casablanca seeking guidance from an old friend, Sofia (Halle Berry), presents his marker, and is guided toward the Elder (Saïd Taghmaoui). There, promises are made, sacrifices made, and the tables are set for the action and mayhem to begin in earnest. Before long, we’re back in New York and the tension increases.

While there are shifting alliances throughout, you gain a greater sense of the loyalties Wick has earned through his career, finally allowing us some greater insight into his background. It’s always great to see Reeves and McShane together, such a cool vibe set against the New York City Continental.

By the film’s end, the status quo has shifted and the table is et for chapter four, which the current box office suggests is inevitable.

With Berry and Anjelica Houston (as the Director), the female quota has increased, just not sufficiently. This is an old school male dominated world of violence, with a dollop of spiritualism, that makes it feel antiquated. Things move briskly and the action set pieces are high-octane – and plenty of fun to watch. As we learn more about this world and the rules of engagement, we’re nicely drawn in deeper, making us want to learn more, a testament to Kolstad and director Chad Stahelski, who has now helmed all three films for a consistent look and feel.

John Wick: Chapter 3 is out now from Lionsgate Home Entertainment in a variety of formats including the Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD combo pack. The AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1 is marvelous to watch, from the dim interiors to the brilliant desert. It has nicely captured the color palette, surpassed only by the superior Dolby Atmos audio track.

Given how cool Wick has become and the following he has earned, the Special Features could have been better. We have quite a collection, with some better than others. We start with Parabellum: Legacy of The High Table (10:57)  as cast and crew talk the production, Excommunicado (9:44); Check Your Sights (9:55), all about the action; Saddle Up Wick (5:10); Bikes, Blades, Bridges, and Bits (6:35); Continental in the Desert (10:15); Dog Fu (8:04); House of Transparency (7:10); Shot by Shot (8:57) looks at the editing process. Theatrical Trailers, and Behind the Scenes of John Wick Hex (6:54