"Absence of Malice" (1981) Megan Carter (played by Sally Field) is a journalist that writes a story about the murder of Joey Diaz, a local union official and includes the name of Michael Gallagher (played by Paul Newman) as one of the suspects. Gallagher directly confronts the story by going directly to the newspaper's offices to talk to Carter, saying that what they printed was false and they had no right to place his face on the case without clear evidence. Carter does not want to mention the source of her findings, and things turn ugly for Gallagher whose trust and credentials have been tainted. "In America, can a man be guilty until proven innocent? That is the tagline for "Absence of Malice", and is something that the power of mass media could do and has done on countless occasions over the years. Reporting the news as quickly as possible has sometimes led to wrong information being stated and things have only escalated further in the days of the 24 hour news cycle and even more in the time of social media. In addition there is the take on sensatio...

"Death Has Blue Eyes" (1976) According to the enclosed booklet, Nico Mastorakis is cinema’s most successful Greek filmmaker worldwide. This film is his debut feature, but it is his second released film Island of Death (1976), that propelled him to fame by listing it onto the UK’s infamous video nasty list. The plot of Island of Death is that a couple pretending to be newlyweds arrive on the island of Mykonos and go off on a rampage of murder, killing everyone they encounter, judging them to be sinful or perverted. That film is proudly declared as “one of the most widely banned films in the world.” It’s too bad that this is not the film featured here because instead what we have is an interesting mix of a paranormal action thriller with touches of Giallo films mixed in. Yes, no doubt the first of its kind. We start off with Ches (Chris Nomikos), a local boy turned gigolo, greeting his pal Bob Kovaski (Peter Winter) as he arrives at the Athens a...

Spending the summer in Los Angeles with his advertising executive father Bill (The Hunger's Cliff De Young) and stepmother Ellen (Highlander's Roxanne Hart), young David (Blossom's Joey Lawrence) discovers that suburban city life includes window bars, high tech security systems, and neighbors who occasionally go crazy and axe-happy like the guy across the street shortly before his arrival. Left alone by his working father and stepmother often during the day and even in the evenings while Bill entertains out-of-town clients, David grows to fear the unusual behavior of the house's electronics from the TV that switches itself on and off to the water heater that shoots flames. After breaking into the house across the street and discovering that the neighbor destroyed every piece of electronic equipment in his ...

2037: The Earth has been ravaged by nuclear war and the loss of the ozone layer has caused the privileged few to seal themselves up in a protective biosphere and pacify themselves by hooking up to the virtual reality. Tired of living in her head and missing her father who suddenly vanished one day without explanation, Judy (NYPD Blue's Marta Alicia) attempts to force her mother to talk to her rather than living in her fantasy as an opera singer; however, Judy's ability to infiltrate and effect change in her mother's fantasy causes a fatal system error and accidentally kills her. The omnipresent Systems Operator then honors her wish for something real in a perverse manner by having her exiled to the Outworld in which most of the human population have mutated into cannibalistic dirt-dwelling Crawlers and the few remaining humans must shield themselves from radiation poisoning. Nearly captured by mutant slave traders, Judy is rescued by Stover (The Evil Dead's ...

"I Start Counting" (1970) Wynne (played by Jenny Agutter) is a 14 year old that has a crush on George (played by Bryan Marshall). Though that may sound sweet and innocent, George is in his thirties, was Wynne's older sister's fiancee before her accidental death, and Wynne happens to be living with George and his family as she is their adoptive daughter. She likes to get his attention as she follows him and adores him in her mind, but when a string of murders occur within the area, there is suspicion towards George... Adapted from the 1966 novel of the same name by Audrey Erskine-Lindop, "I Start Counting" follows a young girl at the important intersection in life as she grows into an adult. There are questions about sexuality, with how her body and mind are reacting to situations, while also keeping the fact that she is still an innocent kid. Everyone who has gone through puberty knows well the odd questions we wanted to ask but didn't know how, that classmates or peers were not the best places for answers, an...

"Southland Tales" (2006) If there is a nostalgia inducing drug, then Richard Kelly is mainlining it. In 2001, Richard Kelly burst upon the scene with his debut film, Donnie Darko, a haunting tale about time travel, obsessions, depression, and a rift in the space time continuum. Fans immediately took notice and soon everyone was loving the film and it’s hip vibe. Fast forward to 2006 and Kelly was asked to unveil his latest film in a director’s cut version to the audience at the Cannes film festival. Quoting none other than Roger Ebert, film reviewer for The Chicago Tribune, said that the film was “the most disastrous Cannes press screening since, yes, The Brown Bunny” (2003, Vincent Gallo). Kelly’s film was regaled with loud boo’s and catcalls, but nonetheless the film secured a distribution deal with Universal Pictures and Cherry Road Films and was released in a shortened version to theatres. In researching some background on this ...

El Duce Tapes (Rodney Ascher, David Lawrence & Ryan Sexton, 2019) Recalling Todd Phillips’ white hot punk rock shockumentary Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies (1993), El Duce Tapes uses archival footage to take a look at Eldon Hoke, aka ‘El Duce’, lead singer and drummer for controversial heavy metal band The Mentors, whose uniform as a band included black executioners’ hoods. A quite clearly troubled individual, Hoke had a turbulent childhood – which is documented openly here – and as an adult courted controversy in between downing beers and shots of strong liquor. The music of The Mentors provoked ire owing to their allegedly misogynistic lyrics (the band’s focus was on what Hoke labelled ‘rape rock’), and Hoke’s ironic-but-perhaps-not-ironic onstage use of Nazi salutes and proclamations in support of Hitler (‘Everybody that likes to rape women, say Sieg Hiel’, Hoke proclaims in the concert footage that opens the film), which led to the band finding a following amongst white supremacist groups in the US. Towards the end of his life, Hoke achieved some notoriety for his brief appearance...

"County Lines" (2019) Tyler (played by Conrad Khan) is a 14 year old boy living a difficult life. At school he is bullied and has no initiative to study hard or take school seriously. At home he is being brought up by his single mother Toni (played by Ashley Madekwe) who is struggling to balance work and personal life taking care of both Tyler and his younger sister Aliyah (played by Tabitha Milne-Price). It's one evening that Tyler is saved from bullies by an older kid named Simon (played by Harris Dickinson), a local drug dealer that decides to take Tyler under his wing. With a newfound confidence and a sense of purpose, Tyler gets involved in the illegal world of drug trading. "County Lines" focuses on a serious social issue of drug trafficking in the United Kingdom in which very young children are brought in to the trade. Whether coming from broken homes or from well off families, the use of kids in the illegal business has been and still is a problem tha...

Following the expiration of his contract with Universal – which finished out with a series of diverse parts after the British "horror ban" actor Boris Karloff made do with lesser prospects at Poverty Row studio Monogram until Columbia Pictures pounced on him for the second horror boom of the sound era – during which Karloff would also get some horror vehicles at Warner Bros. before Universal signed him on again for their Universal-International horror films of the forties and fifties. The titular The Black Room has loomed over the Berghman dynasty for centuries ever since the younger of twin brothers murdered the older in the Black Room for control of the family fortunes. When the wife of the current Baron de Berghman (Holiday's Henry Kolker) gives birth to twins, he fears that it will be the end of the family line since the motto on the coat of arms is "'I end as I began". Young Lieutenant Hassel (...

Following the expiration of his contract with Universal – which finished out with a series of diverse parts after the British "horror ban" actor Boris Karloff made do with lesser prospects at Poverty Row studio Monogram until Columbia Pictures pounced on him for the second horror boom of the sound era – during which Karloff would also get some horror vehicles at Warner Bros. before Universal signed him on again for their Universal-International horror films of the forties and fifties. The titular The Black Room has loomed over the Berghman dynasty for centuries ever since the younger of twin brothers murdered the older in the Black Room for control of the family fortunes. When the wife of the current Baron de Berghman (Holiday's Henry Kolker) gives birth to twins, he fears that it will be the end of the family line since the motto on the coat of arms is "'I end as I began". Young Lieutenant Hassel (...

Following the expiration of his contract with Universal – which finished out with a series of diverse parts after the British "horror ban" actor Boris Karloff made do with lesser prospects at Poverty Row studio Monogram until Columbia Pictures pounced on him for the second horror boom of the sound era – during which Karloff would also get some horror vehicles at Warner Bros. before Universal signed him on again for their Universal-International horror films of the forties and fifties. The titular The Black Room has loomed over the Berghman dynasty for centuries ever since the younger of twin brothers murdered the older in the Black Room for control of the family fortunes. When the wife of the current Baron de Berghman (Holiday's Henry Kolker) gives birth to twins, he fears that it will be the end of the family line since the motto on the coat of arms is "'I end as I began". Young Lieutenant Hassel (...

Following the expiration of his contract with Universal – which finished out with a series of diverse parts after the British "horror ban" actor Boris Karloff made do with lesser prospects at Poverty Row studio Monogram until Columbia Pictures pounced on him for the second horror boom of the sound era – during which Karloff would also get some horror vehicles at Warner Bros. before Universal signed him on again for their Universal-International horror films of the forties and fifties. The titular The Black Room has loomed over the Berghman dynasty for centuries ever since the younger of twin brothers murdered the older in the Black Room for control of the family fortunes. When the wife of the current Baron de Berghman (Holiday's Henry Kolker) gives birth to twins, he fears that it will be the end of the family line since the motto on the coat of arms is "'I end as I began". Young Lieutenant Hassel (...

Following the expiration of his contract with Universal – which finished out with a series of diverse parts after the British "horror ban" actor Boris Karloff made do with lesser prospects at Poverty Row studio Monogram until Columbia Pictures pounced on him for the second horror boom of the sound era – during which Karloff would also get some horror vehicles at Warner Bros. before Universal signed him on again for their Universal-International horror films of the forties and fifties. The titular The Black Room has loomed over the Berghman dynasty for centuries ever since the younger of twin brothers murdered the older in the Black Room for control of the family fortunes. When the wife of the current Baron de Berghman (Holiday's Henry Kolker) gives birth to twins, he fears that it will be the end of the family line since the motto on the coat of arms is "'I end as I began". Young Lieutenant Hassel (...

Following the expiration of his contract with Universal – which finished out with a series of diverse parts after the British "horror ban" actor Boris Karloff made do with lesser prospects at Poverty Row studio Monogram until Columbia Pictures pounced on him for the second horror boom of the sound era – during which Karloff would also get some horror vehicles at Warner Bros. before Universal signed him on again for their Universal-International horror films of the forties and fifties. The titular The Black Room has loomed over the Berghman dynasty for centuries ever since the younger of twin brothers murdered the older in the Black Room for control of the family fortunes. When the wife of the current Baron de Berghman (Holiday's Henry Kolker) gives birth to twins, he fears that it will be the end of the family line since the motto on the coat of arms is "'I end as I began". Young Lieutenant Hassel (...

The Institute of Cybernetics and Future Sciences has developed the Simulacron, an artificial environment of ten-thousand identity units ("the world in a nutshell") on which to run simulations for forecasts of the real world effects of various changes. Director Herbert Siskins (The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum's Karl Heinz Vosgerau) is embarrassed in the audience of Secretary of State Von Weinlaub (Heinz Meier) when Simulacron's creator Professor Henry Vollmer (Mark of the Devil's Adrian Hoven) – whose nerves have been severely frayed by a series of debilitating headaches – makes a scene at what was meant to be the computer's unveiling before dying in a mysterious accident. Vollmer's colleague Dr. Frank Stiller (Firefox's ...

Russian Spetsnaz operative turned soldier of fortune Nikita (Dragon Blade's Ivan Kotik) is haunted by the murder of his father by his shady business partner Koneev, a man subsequently responsible for an ambush in Africa that killed Nikita's team. His thirst for revenge has alienated him from the grandfather who raised him and tried to instill in him the value of protecting his home and the people who should matter in his life in favor of globe-hopping for hired kills. Returning to Russia, he is hired by slick businessman Sergey to initiate a literal "hostile takeover" of a former munitions factory that is actually a front for arms dealers (Sergey is even bringing in a notary to witness the signing over of control). Since the guards have had their weapons confiscated, Sergey has no problem going against Nikita's advice and hiring a "ragtag gang of toughs" – lead by Stanislas (kickboxer Vladimir Mineev) who immediately challengers Nikita for control – rather than other highly-trained former operatives. The local police are turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to the operati...

Silver Berlin Bear (Best Director): Angela Schanelec (winner) and Golden Berlin Bear (Best Film): Angela Schanelec (nominee) - Berlin International Film Festival, 2019 Bildrausch Ring of Film Art (Best Film): Angela Schanelec (winner) - Bildrausch Filmfest Basel, 2019 German Film Critics Award (Best Editing): Angela Schanelec (winner), Best Film: Angela Schanelec (nominee), Best Cinematography: Ivan Markovic (nominee), and Best Screenplay: Angela Schanelec (nominee) - Thirteen-year-old Philip (Jakob Lassalle) vanishes and just as inexplicably reappears. His mother Astrid (Tatort's ...

When the Axis forces take Tunisia, five Allied forces Brigadier Generals – Americans Armstrong (Seven Days in May's Andrew Duggan) and Pennypacker (Happy Days' Tom Bosley), Britons Mayhew (Sabrina's John Williams) and Cox-Roberts (Diamonds Are Forever's Charles Gray), and French Rochambeau (The List of Adrian Messenger's Jacques Roux) – are caught literally with their pants down in a bathhouse and taken reluctantly taken prisoner by the Italians who show them hospitality by holding them in the c...

"Awoken" (2019) Karla (played by Sara West") is a medical student who is going through some serious emotional difficulties in life. Her brother Blake (played by Benson Jack Anthony) is physically very weak as he has a terminal sleep disorder and is under constant medical attention in the hospital. Their parents have passed away, and are both desperate for something to help them through their ordeals. Their father's old colleague Robert (played by Eric Thomson) is a doctor and professor who decides to help them out through an experimental treatment in a secret underground area on the college campus where others are placed and monitored for their issues with sleep apnea and insomnia. It is there that Karla and other medical students including her friend Alice (played by Amelia Douglass) and her ex Patrick (played by Matt Crook) help with recording the progress of the patients including Blake, but when they find an old box...

The beginnings of seminal American filmmaker John Ford in a genre that would define him – in spite of branching out to other genres during the first decade of the sound era – and the feature debut of popular silent two-reeler western hero Cheyenne Harry and the stardom of his portrayer Harry Carey are charted in the films that comprise Eureka Video's two-disc set Two Films by John Ford. Straight Shooting: For years, cattlemen have used the seemingly endless stretches of the far western plains for grazing unfettered; that is, until the homesteaders followed and erected barbed wire fences marking off their claims on the land. A war is brewing between Thunder Flint (Duke Lee), leader of the cattlemen, and Sweet Water Sims (George Berrell), leader of the homesteaders. Flint fires the opening salvo when he cuts off the homesteaders' access to a spring with the threat that trespassers w...

The beginnings of seminal American filmmaker John Ford in a genre that would define him – in spite of branching out to other genres during the first decade of the sound era – and the feature debut of popular silent two-reeler western hero Cheyenne Harry and the stardom of his portrayer Harry Carey are charted in the films that comprise Eureka Video's two-disc set Two Films by John Ford. Straight Shooting: For years, cattlemen have used the seemingly endless stretches of the far western plains for grazing unfettered; that is, until the homesteaders followed and erected barbed wire fences marking off their claims on the land. A war is brewing between Thunder Flint (Duke Lee), leader of the cattlemen, and Sweet Water Sims (George Berrell), leader of the homesteaders. Flint fires the opening salvo when he cuts off the homesteaders' access to a spring with the threat that trespassers w...

Columnist Ernie Souchak (The Blues Brothers' John Belushi) has his thumb on the pulse of Chicago. He is practically a household name with his exposé-laden weekly column, currently focusing relentlessly on the corrupt dealings of alderman Yablonowitz (The Wanderers' Val Avery) thanks to tips from whistleblowing civil servant Mark Hellinger (Scrooged's Bruce Jarchow). When Souchak's latest column gets too close to the truth, Yablonowitz has Souchak badly beaten up by two ex-cops and orders his team to root out the whistleblower. Convalescing in the hospital, Souchak is eager to get back on Yablonowitz's case despite the fervent urgings of his editor Howard McDermott (Skateboard's ...

"Bad Boy Bubby" (1993) Bubby (played by Nicholas Hope) is a 35 year old that has never left the confines of a small decrepit home. His mother Flo (played by Claire Bonito) has raised him as a single mother, and has had complete control of his life. There was no schooling, no television, no friends, no neighbors, no father figure for him, and the only human contact he had was his abusive mother. He never dared to go outside, as he was told that there was deadly gas around the outside world, and the mother instilled that in his mind by wearing the sole gas mask whenever she had to leave the home. But when Bubby's biological father (played by Ralph Cotterill) suddenly appears and finds out he has a son, things become complicated for the reunited family. With a childlike mind and instincts closer to that of a cat, there is much more to the world that Bubby had never dreamed about or imagined. Filmmaker Rolf de Heer had the idea of "Bad Boy Bubby" in his mind for a...

"The Bloodhound" (2020) Upon viewing this film, I immediately began to ponder if there was an established genre of cinema that would include this film; the closest that I could come up with was The Old Dark House genre of films that were hugely successful throughout the late 1920’s and into the 1930’s. Trademarks of the genre were old gloomy mansions, often in states of neglect, pouring rainstorms, crazed occupants, families suffering from an unnamed illness, mysterious hands that would appear without warning, insane relatives that were locked in the attic. Usually, they were very much like the haunted house pictures of the day, but often lacking in any supernatural undercurrents. Many studios churned these films out often to fill the lower bills of a double feature. They were inexpensive, long on atmosphere and short on plot lines. A few of these were silent films such as The Bat (Roland West, 1926), The Cat and The Canary (Paul Leni, 1927), ...

Although they had each already had some international exposure on earlier films, the films in the The Lucky Stars 3-Film Collection truly catapulted "The Three Brothers" Jackie Chan (Wheels on Meals), Sammo Hung (Mr. Vampire), and Yuen Biao (Project A) to international attention via Japan and a large local fanbase. In Winners and Sinners, five unlucky men are busted on the same day – burglar Francolin Greens (Hung) inadvertently crashes a surprise party for "Sammo Hung", social activist for prostitutes Curly (Yes, Madam's John Sham) is fram...

Although they had each already had some international exposure on earlier films, the films in the The Lucky Stars 3-Film Collection truly catapulted "The Three Brothers" Jackie Chan (Wheels on Meals), Sammo Hung (Mr. Vampire), and Yuen Biao (Project A) to international attention via Japan and a large local fanbase. In Winners and Sinners, five unlucky men are busted on the same day – burglar Francolin Greens (Hung) inadvertently crashes a surprise party for "Sammo Hung", social activist for prostitutes Curly (Yes, Madam's John Sham) is fram...

Although they had each already had some international exposure on earlier films, the films in the The Lucky Stars 3-Film Collection truly catapulted "The Three Brothers" Jackie Chan (Wheels on Meals), Sammo Hung (Mr. Vampire), and Yuen Biao (Project A) to international attention via Japan and a large local fanbase. In Winners and Sinners, five unlucky men are busted on the same day – burglar Francolin Greens (Hung) inadvertently crashes a surprise party for "Sammo Hung", social activist for prostitutes Curly (Yes, Madam's John Sham) is fram...

Vestron lives! After allowing their popular line of cult classics to lay dormant for well over a year Lionsgate has finally ramped up production again and delivered two most-wanted titles to fans, one of which is the dark “kids movie” Little Monsters (1989). This is one of those titles I remember renting on VHS sometime in the early 90's and I haven’t seen it since – and I’ll be honest, the ensuing thirty-ish years have not been kind. What I recalled to be a slightly sinister monster-y movie aimed at adolescents is actually a misguided mishmash of genres, anchored by one of the most annoying leading characters ever put on screen. The Stevenson family has just moved into a new home in the suburbs of Boston and no sooner have they gotten settled when strange, destructive occurrences begin to happen. Brian (Fred Savage) is blamed for most, though he tries to pin the blame on his younger brother Eric (Ben Savage), who claims a monster has been wreaking havoc in his room. On a bet Brian agrees to spend one night in Eric’s room and, after setting a series of elaborate booby traps, captures the monster – an overgrown man-child-beast name...

When the name Hammer Films is mentioned it conjures up images of thick Gothic atmosphere, castles shrouded in fog, ornate set design, beautiful and deadly women, charming and villainous men, and Technicolor cinematography so rich and colorful it nearly bleeds off the screen. The golden era for Hammer’s aesthetics was the 60's and “Kiss of the Vampire” (1963) pulls together all of those classic elements for one of their better films not led by Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing – although this was originally planned as another Dracula-starring sequel. Really, this film doesn’t need a “name” in any role because the small cast is capable of carrying this twisted little tale about a vampiric cult in the business of abducting women. Director Don Sharp was a first timer for Hammer but he adapted to their style smoothly, delivering a gorgeous picture with a rather compelling story. Newlyweds Gerald (Edward de Souza) and Marianne (Jennifer Daniel) Harcourt are on the road to their honeymoon when ...

Hollywood is filled with delusional people, from the hordes of homeless to the plethora of actors waiting tables convinced that Big Break is right around the corner – it is a place where artifice is king and the truth is a tough commodity to come by. “Hollywood Horror House” (a.k.a. "Savage Intruder", 1970) brings together two wildly out-of-orbit personalities when the aging and reclusive former movie star Katharine Packard (Miriam Hopkins) finds herself in the company of a new assistant, Vic Valance (John David Garfield), who, unbeknownst to her, is also a local murderer being sought by police. While Katharine yearns to be back in the spotlight her normal keepers know better than the let her cut loose because the old lady has a serious drinking problem. But Vic, whose only interests are money and power, wants to bleed the aging starlet dry both figuratively and literally, gaslighting her to remain close and showing her the “good time” friends know she should avoid. Drawing from the past, the influence of films like “Sunset Boulevard” (1950) and “Psycho” (1960) is obvious, with Katharine playing a Norma Desmond type while Vic, wit...

Initiation sees Whiton University unravel on the night a star-athlete is murdered in the wake of a buried assault allegation, kicking off a spree of social media-linked slayings. As a masked killer targets students across campus, a trio of sorority sisters races to uncover the truth behind the school’s hidden secrets — and the horrifying meaning of an exclamation point – before they become the next victims. A thought-provoking thrill ride starring Yancy Butler (Kick-Ass, Hard Target), Lochlyn Munro (The Predator, Riverdale), Jon Huertas (This Is Us), Bart Johnson (High School Musical) and Froy Gutierrez (Teen Wolf)....

Directed by Brenda Chapman, the Oscar-winning director and co-writer of Pixar's Brave, COME AWAY is a whimsical and inspiring British made live-action fairy-tale and an ingeniously conceived prequel to two of the world's most beloved and enduring pieces of children's literature Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. Starring Angelina Jolie, David Oyelowo, Anna Chancellor, Michael Caine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Reece Yates, the film follows the adventures of siblings Alice and Peter who transform into Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland in a bid to help their parents overcome the tragedy of losing their eldest son. Peter and Alice find strength in the power of their imaginations and set off on a real adventure to try and rescue the family - escaping to a destiny of eternal boyhood in the distant isle of Neverland - whilst Alice delves into a world of Wonderland....

Perhaps the quintessential exemplar of New French Extremity, Irreversible amazed and outraged audiences across the world upon its release in 2002 with its harrowing scenes of rape and violence. Now Gaspar Noé’s nauseating, thrilling, ingenious masterwork returns in a new 2K restoration, both in its original theatrical cut and a potent new straight cut, assembled in 2020....

The first collaboration between director Ken Loach and screenwriter Paul Laverty – a relationship which now extends to fifteen feature films and shorts, including My Name Is Joe and I, Daniel Blake – Carla’s Song tells the story of George (Robert Carlyle, Trainspotting), a Glaswegian bus driver, and Carla (Oyanka Cabezas), a Nicaraguan refugee. Set in 1987, the film follows the pair as they meet, fall in love, and travel to Nicaragua in search of Carla’s former lover, a possible victim of the civil war....

Ken Loach collaborated with playwright Trevor Griffiths (Comedians) for this underseen political drama about an East German protest singer (played by Gerulf Pannach) who emigrates to the West when he falls foul of the authorities. He arrives to much interest from the media – and a potentially lucrative record contract – but wishes only to be able to perform his songs, and to find his father, another exile, who had left his home country during the 1953 East German uprising....

Ronald Neame (The Odessa File) directs this stately adaptation of Enid Bagnold’s play which tells of a haughty matriarch (Edith Evans, The Whisperers) who employs a governess (Deborah Kerr, The Innocents) with a shadowy past to take care of her troubled teenage granddaughter (Hayley Mills, Take a Girl Like You, Endless Night), and her neglected garden. John Mills (Town on Trial, The Wrong Box) plays the butler who develops a soft spot for the governess, and navigates the fraught interpersonal relationships of the house. A hit with audiences upon its original release, The Chalk Garden benefits from a nuanced screenplay by the great John Michael Hayes (Rear Window) and tasteful photography by Arthur Ibbetson (Where Eagles Dare, Fanatic). ...

One night of violence she'll never forget. An unsuspecting nurse returns home for a night of relaxation after a hard day, only to discover that this is far from the reality which will unfold. It's Halloween night and her one game of trick or treat is about to get out of hand, as the arrival of a criminal and the man holding him hostage force their way into her home. Pulled into the drama, she must choose a side before it's too late. But things turn nuclear when the house comes under siege as wave after wave of violent mercenaries descend to free their captive boss....

Portal is captivating and visually-arresting sci-fi thriller that pushes the boundaries of science fiction storytelling. From the team that brought you V/H/S, Sea Fever and Becky, the film stars Josh Peck (Drake & Josh, Mean Creak), Wilson Bethel (Daredevil, Hart of Dixie) and Lina Esco (Kingdom, S.W.A.T.). When a number of mysterious, alien "doors" appear suddenly around the globe, individuals from all walks of life must come together to discover what these doors are, where they lead, and if we can-or should-attempt to cross to the other side....

In 1967, fashion photographer by day and super-agent by night Austin Powers (Mike Myers) is on the verge of catching his arch-nemesis, Dr. Evil (also Myers), when the latter has himself cryogenically frozen. Following suit, Powers unthaws thirty years later in the '90s to find Evil threatening the world once more. Can Powers recover from his culture shock in time to battle his old foe? With the help of sexy sidekick Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley), he just might. Featuring a huge ensemble cast including Will Ferrell, Seth Green, Carrie Fisher, Christian Slater, Priscilla Presley and Burt Bacharach, this hilarious and iconic spy movie parody, written by and starring Mike Myers, is undeniably groovy, baby!...

From breakout genre filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (The Endless) SYNCHRONIC is a mind-bending, haunting sci-fi starring two of Hollywood's most popular actors Jamie Dornan (The Fall, Fifty Shades of Grey franchise) and Anthony Mackie (The Avengers franchise, Detroit). When New Orleans paramedics and long-time best friends Steve and Dennis are called to a series of bizarre and gruesome accidents, they chalk it up to a mysterious new drug found at the scene. But after Dennis' oldest daughter disappears, Steve stumbles upon a terrifying truth about the supposed psychedelic that will challenge everything he knows about reality -- and the flow of time itself. ...

Nicolas Cage takes on a set of violent animatronic amusement park mascots in this action packed, nail-biting tale of terror that will take you on the ride of your life! Stranded in a remote town with a car that won't work and no way to pay the local repair shop, THE JANITOR (Nicolas Cage - Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) agrees to spend the night in an abandoned theme park full of animatronic characters that were once a joy to the kids of the town, but now hold a dark secret. As night falls, these once happy mascots come to life and they're out for blood. Survive at any cost, it's only one night!...

After the colossal success of The Evil Dead, director Sam Raimi teamed up with the Coen brothers (fresh from Blood Simple) to make his next film, Crimewave, an unusual mixture of screwball comedy, film noir and B-movie homage. Raimi’s film tells the bizarre story of a security-system installer, Vic (Reed Birney), who finds himself in the electric chair when he falls in love with Nancy (Sheree J Wilson), a femme fatale on the run from two bumbling exterminators ‘of all sizes’ (Paul L Smith, Popeye, and Brion James, Blade Runner). A notoriously troubled production which flopped upon its original release, Crimewave can now be enjoyed as a riotously entertaining showcase for Raimi and the Coens, which also benefits from a highly amusing performance from cult-horror star Bruce Campbell. ...

From maverick filmmaker Sergio Martino (Torso) comes his most explosive and provocative film, Silent Action. When high-ranking military officials turn up dead, all from apparent suicides or suspicious accidents, it's down to Inspector Giorgio Solmi (Luc Merenda, The Violent Professionals) to find out what's happened to them. Aided by Captain Mario Sperli (Tomas Milian, Almost Human), the two men soon find themselves during a deadly political scandal that threatens to bring Rome to its knees. Making its global HD debut, Fractured Visions are proud to present Silent Action (A.K.A. The Police Accuse: The Secret Service Kill), a bold and uncompromising take on a startling true story, lovingly restored and featuring a host of new bonus material....

Written and directed by David Mamet (Oleanna), the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright known for his intense dramas, Things Change is a charming, expertly crafted ‘mistaken identity’ comedy. The Mob force unassuming shoe-shine man Gino (Don Ameche, Trading Places) into taking the hit for a murder he didn't commit. The pay-off? A fishing boat in Sicily when he gets out. Small-time crook Jerry (Joe Mantegna, House of Games) takes Gino on one last jaunt to Lake Tahoe before his term begins, but, when Gino is mistaken for a major league gangster, the duo soon fall prey to local hoodlums… An unexpected change of pace for Mamet, Things Change benefits from an intelligent, witty script and superb central performances from Ameche and Mantegna, who received Best Actor awards at the Venice Film Festival for their efforts....

1917 meets Hacksaw Ridge, The Final Stand is a gripping and hard hitting WWII thriller based on the unbelievable true story of the heroic military stand outside Moscow in 1941. This historical action epic follows a group of Russian soldiers who were deployed to the front line, to fight alongside units from the Soviet Army in a bid to defend Moscow against the onslaught of the Nazi advance. Hopelessly outnumbered, thousands of young men bravely put their lives on the line in a battle that lasted almost two long weeks. With almost 3,500 deployed to hold up the last line of defence as the onslaught of Nazi soldier moved in, most never returned. This is the story of their honour, bravery, courage and true camaraderie....

Howard Hawks (Twentieth Century) made his first film for Columbia Pictures with this pre-Code prison movie. The great Walter Huston (Dragonwyck) stars as a district attorney-turned-prison warden who gets to witness first-hand the effects of his convictions, especially Phillip Holmes (An American Tragedy), imprisoned after killing a man in a drunken brawl. Co-starring Boris Karloff (Frankenstein), The Criminal Code is tough, no-nonsense, quintessential Hawks....

The second film Howard Hawks (The Criminal Code) made at Columbia Pictures is among his greatest works. John Barrymore plays a theatre impresario down on his luck. Carole Lombard is his former protégé, now a major star. When the two meet by chance aboard the Twentieth Century locomotive, their love-hate relationship is reignited. Now recognised as a classic, Twentieth Century is the film which established the template for the screwball comedy – and made Lombard a star. ...

Prepare for home invasion thrills and twists galore in THE OWNERS, starring Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams and Doctor Who legend Sylvester McCoy. One night in 1990s rural England, a retired couple finds their isolated house besieged by a gang of young criminals. The thieves think it will be easy to make them give up the secret of their safe. But they have no idea what nightmare they’ve gotten themselves into as they fight to escape the house alive....

An extinction event has begun and the human race just hit the endangered species list. With air so polluted that the only way to breathe is through manufactured air canisters, the human race is on its knees until a message from the future gives one of the biggest corporations on Earth hope. A reclusive young man named Ethan is to be the saviour of the human race but what he discovers in his journey through time is an unthinkable conspiracy that could lead him to change the course of his timeline forever. Would you save humanity if you knew humanity may not be worth saving after all?...

NICOLAS CAGE is back and this time he's got a sword and an alien invasion knocking at his door! The future hangs in the balance as a being from another world returns to Earth to face off against the best warriors the human race has to offer. From special ops soldiers to the best in MMA, this epic battle for the survival of Earth will place humanity on the brink of extinction. An all-star action packed cast lead the fight. JIU JITSU stars FRANK GRILLO (Captain America: Winter Soldier), ALAIN MOUSSI (Kickboxer: Retaliation) and TONY JAA (Ong-Bak)....

PINHEAD IS BACK IN THE EVER-POPULAR HELLRAISER SERIES created by horror master Clive Barker. Two American teenagers in Mexico for an adventure discover a familiar little puzzle box and unleash Pinhead and unspeakable terror. A year later, the boys’ parents get together for a dinner in memory of their missing sons. In the dead of night, one of the boys shows up at their doorstep, exhausted, terrified and...hunted. Pinhead and his legion are closing in....

The dreaded Pinhead returns in the classic Hellraiser series. Three detectives trying to stop a diabolical serial killer are sucked into a maze of otherworldly horror, where hellish denizens including the Auditor, the Assessor and the Jury await to pass judgment....

From the visionary mind of writer director Brandon Cronenberg (Antiviral), Possessor is a game-changing sci-fi thriller about elite, corporate assassin Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough, Mandy). Using brain-implant technology, Vos takes control of other people’s bodies to execute high profile targets. As she sinks deeper into her latest assignment Vos becomes trapped inside a mind that threatens to obliterate her. Possessor features a stellar cast including Christopher Abbott (It Comes at Night, The Sinner), Rossif Sutherland (Guest of Honour), Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey), Sean Bean (Game of Thrones) and Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight)....

Our second Columbia Noir box set takes a dive once more into the studio’s archives and the world of film noir – a world of undercover detectives (The Mob) and emotionless hitmen (Murder by Contract), a world where film is inspired by real-life criminal activities (Tight Spot, based loosely on Virginia Hill’s testimony against Bugsy Siegel) and real-life criminal activities are inspired by film (711 Ocean Drive, which attracted the unwanted attention of mobsters), and a world where Glenn Ford finds himself unwittingly embroiled in murder – twice (Framed, Affair in Trinidad). All six films are presented for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, with The Mob, Tight Spot and Murder by Contract making their world Blu-ray premieres. This stunning collection includes newly recorded commentaries on each film, assorted bonus materials, including six short films starring the Three Stooges, lampooning the tropes and themes of the features, a 120-page book, and is strictly limited to 6,000 numbered units....

Inspired by true events, Persian Lessons is a powerful and harrowing story of survival from director Vadim Perelman (House of Sand and Fog) anchored by exceptional performances. Nazi-occupied France, 1942. Gilles (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Beats per Minute, The Intruder) is arrested by SS soldiers alongside fellow Jews and sent to a camp in Germany. He narrowly avoids sudden execution by swearing to the guards that he is not Jewish, but Persian. This lie temporarily saves him, but Gilles gets assigned a life-or-death mission: to teach Farsi to Head of Camp Koch (Lars Eidinger, Personal Shopper, High Life). As the unusual relationship between the two men begins to incite jealousy and suspicion, Gilles becomes acutely aware that one false move could expose his swindle....

Our second Columbia Noir box set takes a dive once more into the studio’s archives and the world of film noir – a world of undercover detectives (The Mob) and emotionless hitmen (Murder by Contract), a world where film is inspired by real-life criminal activities (Tight Spot, based loosely on Virginia Hill’s testimony against Bugsy Siegel) and real-life criminal activities are inspired by film (711 Ocean Drive, which attracted the unwanted attention of mobsters), and a world where Glenn Ford finds himself unwittingly embroiled in murder – twice (Framed, Affair in Trinidad). All six films are presented for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, with The Mob, Tight Spot and Murder by Contract making their world Blu-ray premieres. This stunning collection includes newly recorded commentaries on each film, assorted bonus materials, including six short films starring the Three Stooges, lampooning the tropes and themes of the features, a 120-page book, and is strictly limited to 6,000 numbered units....

Our second Columbia Noir box set takes a dive once more into the studio’s archives and the world of film noir – a world of undercover detectives (The Mob) and emotionless hitmen (Murder by Contract), a world where film is inspired by real-life criminal activities (Tight Spot, based loosely on Virginia Hill’s testimony against Bugsy Siegel) and real-life criminal activities are inspired by film (711 Ocean Drive, which attracted the unwanted attention of mobsters), and a world where Glenn Ford finds himself unwittingly embroiled in murder – twice (Framed, Affair in Trinidad). All six films are presented for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, with The Mob, Tight Spot and Murder by Contract making their world Blu-ray premieres. This stunning collection includes newly recorded commentaries on each film, assorted bonus materials, including six short films starring the Three Stooges, lampooning the tropes and themes of the features, a 120-page book, and is strictly limited to 6,000 numbered units....

Our second Columbia Noir box set takes a dive once more into the studio’s archives and the world of film noir – a world of undercover detectives (The Mob) and emotionless hitmen (Murder by Contract), a world where film is inspired by real-life criminal activities (Tight Spot, based loosely on Virginia Hill’s testimony against Bugsy Siegel) and real-life criminal activities are inspired by film (711 Ocean Drive, which attracted the unwanted attention of mobsters), and a world where Glenn Ford finds himself unwittingly embroiled in murder – twice (Framed, Affair in Trinidad). All six films are presented for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, with The Mob, Tight Spot and Murder by Contract making their world Blu-ray premieres. This stunning collection includes newly recorded commentaries on each film, assorted bonus materials, including six short films starring the Three Stooges, lampooning the tropes and themes of the features, a 120-page book, and is strictly limited to 6,000 numbered units....

An impressive neo-noir, which sees writer / director Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Hardcore, Blue Collar) revisit rainswept New York, Light Sleeper tells of John LeTour (Willem Dafoe, Auto Focus), a drug dealer servicing a high-society clientele of Manhattan professionals. When his boss (Susan Sarandon, The Hunger) announces she is going straight and John encounters an old flame he still loves, his life is thrown into crisis. As he becomes involved in a police investigation surrounding a mysterious drug death, John prowls the night-time streets in search of redemption....

Our second Columbia Noir box set takes a dive once more into the studio’s archives and the world of film noir – a world of undercover detectives (The Mob) and emotionless hitmen (Murder by Contract), a world where film is inspired by real-life criminal activities (Tight Spot, based loosely on Virginia Hill’s testimony against Bugsy Siegel) and real-life criminal activities are inspired by film (711 Ocean Drive, which attracted the unwanted attention of mobsters), and a world where Glenn Ford finds himself unwittingly embroiled in murder – twice (Framed, Affair in Trinidad). All six films are presented for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, with The Mob, Tight Spot and Murder by Contract making their world Blu-ray premieres. This stunning collection includes newly recorded commentaries on each film, assorted bonus materials, including six short films starring the Three Stooges, lampooning the tropes and themes of the features, a 120-page book, and is strictly limited to 6,000 numbered units....

Geronimo: An American Legend recounts the proud history of the famous Apache warrior who refused to accept the destruction of his people and, through his resistance and bravery, earned the respect of those he fought against. Wes Studi (The Last of the Mohicans) gives a dignified central performance as the eponymous Native American hero and is ably supported by Gene Hackman (Cisco Pike), Jason Patric (The Lost Boys), Robert Duvall (Badge 373) and, in an early role, Matt Damon, who all play his adversaries in the US cavalry. Unjustly neglected upon its original release, Geronimo benefits from John Milius and Larry Gross’s respectful, considered screenplay which is elevated by the epic sweep of Walter Hill’s direction. A visually stunning film that beautifully captures the vastness of the frontier landscape, Hill’s film is given extra poignancy by Ry Cooder’s moving score. ...

Our second Columbia Noir box set takes a dive once more into the studio’s archives and the world of film noir – a world of undercover detectives (The Mob) and emotionless hitmen (Murder by Contract), a world where film is inspired by real-life criminal activities (Tight Spot, based loosely on Virginia Hill’s testimony against Bugsy Siegel) and real-life criminal activities are inspired by film (711 Ocean Drive, which attracted the unwanted attention of mobsters), and a world where Glenn Ford finds himself unwittingly embroiled in murder – twice (Framed, Affair in Trinidad). All six films are presented for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, with The Mob, Tight Spot and Murder by Contract making their world Blu-ray premieres. This stunning collection includes newly recorded commentaries on each film, assorted bonus materials, including six short films starring the Three Stooges, lampooning the tropes and themes of the features, a 120-page book, and is strictly limited to 6,000 numbered units....

Based on the disclosures of mobster Joe Valachi, as recounted in Peter Maas’ best-selling biography and at a sensational congressional hearing, The Valachi Papers tells the story of one man’s brutal journey through the ranks of the Cosa Nostra, and a betrayal that would reveal the secrets of the Mob to the world. Terence Young (From Russia with Love) skilfully renders the clandestine world of violent gangsters in this stylish European co-production which benefits from thrilling action, a no-nonsense central portrayal from Charles Bronson (Breakout), and impressive ensemble performances from Lino Ventura (The Medusa Touch), Joseph Wiseman (The Garment Jungle) and Jill Ireland (The Valdez Horses)....

A deeply unsettling psychological horror, Relic is the unforgettable debut feature from writer and director Natalie Erika James who brings a fresh and profoundly human twist to the genre. When elderly mother Edna (Robyn Nevin), inexplicably vanishes, her daughter Kay (Emily Mortimer) and granddaughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) rush to their family's decaying country home, finding clues of her increasing dementia scattered around the house in her absence. After Edna returns just as mysteriously as she disappeared, Kay's concern that her mother seems unwilling or unable to say where she's been clashes with Sam's unabashed enthusiasm to have her grandma back. As Edna's behaviour turns increasingly volatile, both begin to sense that an insidious presence in the house might be taking control of her....

In this punishing action thriller starring Ruby Rose (John Wick: Chapter 2), a former Marine turned doorman at a luxury New York City high-rise must outsmart and battle a group of art thieves and their ruthless leader (Jean Reno, Leon: The Professional) - while struggling to protect her sister's family. As the thieves become increasingly desperate and violent, the doorman calls upon her deadly fighting skills to end the showdown....