Following Films Podcast

Thank you for listening to the following films podcast. Today, I’m joined by the directing and writing team Lucy McKendrick & Charlie Polinger of F*CK ME, RICHARD, which world premiered this week at SXSW. Recovering from a broken leg, Sally begins a phone relationship with Richard — a much-needed intimacy boost in her dreary haze of crushing loneliness and painkillers. They talk nonstop and fall head over heels. Things get kind of sketchy when Richard starts asking for money to pay for his mom’s “medical bills.” But Sally has some secrets of her own, and nothing is as it seems in this phone-sex-fueled psychodrama about the sick thrill of a good old-fashioned scam. Big thanks to Bookmans for sponsoring this episode and to Fort Worth for letting us use their song at the end.

Thank you for listening to the following films podcast. Today, I’m joined by director Remy Grillo to discuss his film THE RESURRECTION OF CHARLES MANSON. The film stars Frank Grillo and is currently available on VOD. The film is centered on a young couple who create an audition tape for an up-and-coming Charles Manson film. However, when they choose an eclectic desert Airbnb as the perfect backdrop, the dark events of the audition material slowly slip into their reality as they find themselves intertwined in an occult leader's sinister plot. Big thanks to Bookmans for sponsoring this episode and to Fort Worth for letting us use their song at the end. If you'd like to connect with the show, the best place to find us online is at followingfilms.com or on Twitter by following @followingfilms. Please leave us a review and follow the show on Spotify. It really does help!!!

Thank you for listening to the following films podcast. Today, I’m joined by writer director Michael Maren to discuss his film A Little White Lie. The film stars Michael Shannon, Kate Hudson, Don Johnson, and Zach Braff. A Little White Lie is about a handyman with the same name as a famous writer who is mistakenly invited to a literary festival and is overwhelmingly welcomed but is exposed as an imposter when the real writer arrives. Big thanks to Bookmans for sponsoring this episode and to Fort Worth for letting us use their song at the end. If you'd like to connect with the show, the best place to find us online is at followingfilms.com or on Twitter by following @followingfilms. Please leave us a review and follow the show on Spotify. It really does help!!!

Thank you for listening to the following films podcast. Today, I’m joined by cinematographer Jesse Feldman. I had him on the show to discuss his work on the AMC series INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. All episodes of season one are currently available to stream on AMC+. Big thanks to Bookmans for sponsoring this episode and to Fort Worth for letting us use their song at the end. If you'd like to connect with the show, the best place to find us online is at followingfilms.com or on Twitter by following @followingfilms. Please leave us a review and follow the show on Spotify. It really does help!!!

Thank you for listening to the following films podcast. Today, Chris is joined by Phoenix Film Festival director Jason Carney. The festival will run from March 23rd - April 2nd. Big thanks to Bookmans for sponsoring this episode and to Fort Worth for letting us use their song at the end. If you'd like to connect with the show, the best place to find us online is at followingfilms.com or on Twitter by following @followingfilms. Please leave us a review and follow the show on Spotify. It really does help!!! For more information about the Phoenix Film Festival including the full lineup and to purchase passes go to phoenixfilmfestival.com. Hope you enjoy the show!

Thank you for listening to the following films podcast. Today, I’m joined by Anthony Rapp and Vivian Kerr. I had them on the show to discuss their collaboration on the new film Scrap. Vivian wrote, directed, and co-stared in the film alongside Anthony. The film will have its premier at this year's Cinejoy film festival on Wednesday March 1st at 6:50 PM MT. Big thanks to Bookmans for sponsoring this episode and to Fort Worth for letting us use their song at the end. If you'd like to connect with the show, the best place to find us online is at followingfilms.com or on Twitter by following @followingfilms. Please leave us a review and follow the show on Spotify. It really does help!!! For more information about the screening go to: https://creatics.org/create/cinejoy/premiere/more-info/268519/SCRAP Hope you enjoy the show!

Thank you for listening to the following films podcast. Today, Chris is joined by Hopper Penn to discuss his work in the film DEVIL'S PEAK. In the film, Penn co-stars with Billy Bob Thornton, Robin Wright, and Jackie Earle Haley. The film is a tense family thriller set in the Appalachian Mountains where a local crime lord (Thornton) controls his family and his business with violence. Big thanks to Bookmans for sponsoring this episode and to Fort Worth for letting us use their song at the end. If you'd like to connect with the show, the best place to find us online is at followingfilms.com or on Twitter by following @followingfilms. Please leave us a review and follow the show on Spotify. It really does help!!! DEVIL'S PEAK is currently in theatres and on-demand. Hope you enjoy the show!

Today I'm joined by Colin West to discuss his new film LINOLEUM The film which had its world premiere at the SXSW Festival, and currently sits at 95% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes is written and directed by Colin West, and revolves around the host (Jim Gaffigan) of a failing children's science show who, while attempting to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming an astronaut by building a rocket ship in his garage, begins to question his own reality when a series of strange events begin to occur. Along with Gaffigan, LINOLEUM stars Rhea Seehorn (“Better Call Saul,” “Veep”), Katelyn Nacon (“The Walking Dead,” “T@gged”), Gabriel Rush (Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel), Amy Hargreaves (“Homeland,” “13 Reasons Why”), West Duchovny (A Mouthful of Air, The Report), Michael Ian Black (Wet Hot American Summer, “The State”), Tony Shalhoub (“Monk,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Elisabeth Henry (The Sisterhood of Night, Behind the Mirror), and Roger Hendricks Simon (Love in Kilnerry, The Sublet) LINOLEUM will be in theaters on February 24th.

Today I'm joined by Robbie Banfitch, the writer/director behind The Outwaters. The film takes viewers off the beaten path and into their own nightmares. The film plays out over three memory cards found in a sun-drenched section of the Mojave Desert. The footage within is that of a foursome, who set out to make a music video while camping, led by a charismatic LA filmmaker. Their trip starts out uneventful, though their peace is occasionally disrupted by unexplained sounds, vibrations, and unnatural animal behavior. Then one night everything changes, sending the foursome on a mind-bending trip through terror.

Today I'm joined by DISQUIET Writer/Director Michael Winnick. DISQUIET, a supernatural thriller starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (“Vikings”, “The Tudors”), Rachelle Goulding (Wifelike, Lethal Weapon), Elyse Levesque (Ready or Not, “Orphan Black”), Lochlyn Munro (“Riverdale”, White Chicks) will be released in select theatres, on digital, and on demand on February 10, 2023. Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars in the terrifying, edge-of-your-seat thriller. After a near-fatal car accident, Sam (Meyers) wakes to discover he is trapped in an abandoned hospital by mysterious and sinister forces that have no intention of letting him leave...

Today I'm joined by MURDER IN BIG HORN director and producer Razelle Benally and Matthew Galkin MURDER IN BIG HORN investigates the disappearances and possible murders of a group of Native American women in rural Montana. Within the last decade, dozens of young Indigenous women and girls from the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Nations have been murdered or have gone missing from Big Horn County and its surrounding area; arrests are rare in these cases and convictions virtually non-existent. When grieving Native families press law enforcement for answers, they are met with either indifference or silence. Elsewhere in America, these crimes would have shocked a community and the nation. National media would have picked up the story. But outside of the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Reservations, it barely registers, leaving a bereft circle of family, friends, and activists on their own, fighting for justice. This harrowing three-part series examines the circumstances around each disappearance, the searches for the missing, the details of these deeply problematic law enforcement responses, and the challenges with bringing perpetrators to justice. The series also reveals the historical forces at play that make Native American women some of the most vulnerable people in the country, not just in Big Horn County. Told solely through the perspectives of those involved – Native families, local Native journalists and local law enforcement – what emerges is a powerful portrait of tribal members and their community battling an epidemic of murdered and missing Indigenous women (MMIW) that was set in motion almost 200 years ago. MURDER IN BIG HORN is available on Showtime

Today I'm joined by ALONE AT NIGHT cinematographer Peter Buntaine. In ALONE AT NIGHT, Ashley Benson (Pretty Little Liars, Spring Breakers) leads the cast as Vicky, a woman looking for an escape after a breakup. She heads to a friend's cabin in the woods, where she continues to model lingerie for her devoted followers on 18 & Over, an adults-only live-streaming site. In EW's exclusive first look at the trailer (above), Vicky soon finds herself terrorized by a masked killer hellbent on bringing her night to a grisly end. ALONE AT NIGHT is currently available on VOD

Today I'm joined by composer Andrew Gordon Macpherson to discuss his work on KIDS VS. ALIENS. Andrew Gordon Macpherson is an award winning music composer and filmmaker. He has contributed original music to TV shows "Dark Side of the Ring," "Tales from the Territories," AAA video games "Far Cry 5", "Far Cry: New Dawn," "Starlink: Battle for Atlas" (Ubisoft), and feature films, "Kids vs Aliens," "Random Acts of Violence" (Manis/Elevation pictures), "Spare Parts" (Hangar 18/Raven Banner Entertainment), "the Ranger" (Glass Eye Pix/Shudder). In 2021, Andrew won an ASCAP Screen Music Award for Dark Side of the Ring.

Today I'm joined by THE OLD WAY Director Brett Donowho The Old Way stars Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage in his first Western thriller. It's an intriguing tale about Colton Briggs (Cage), a cold-blooded gunslinger turned respectable family man. When an outlaw gang forces him to take up arms, he discovers an unlikely partner in his 12-year-old daughter Brooke (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) and the two set out on a quest to avenge. THE OLD WAY is in theatres and on VOD

Thank you for listening to the Following Films Podcast today we have a Slamdance double feature with the directors of Underbug and With Peter Bradley.  First up I chat with Shujaat Saudagar about The Underbug While nations came to a standstill during the pandemic, another more familiar kind of virus - xenophobia and sectarian violence - raged in India. Against that backdrop, “The Underbug” is a psychological horror that explores the psyche of people who live on the fringe of society. The film focuses on two men, who have stumbled on a deserted house where deadly trauma has clearly taken place, but what happened, who or what was responsible and are they next, are now the questions they need to solve in order to survive. A cinematic sibling to the style of  Romero, the film explores radical allegories reflecting relevant cultural and sociopolitical trends in the paranoid, fearful world of his characters. “The Underbug”  delivers what great horror cinema does best: sparking conversation and debate, and offering insight on socio-politics in our current world, while keeping us on the edge of our seats with impending dread. After that, I’m joined by Alex Rappoport to discuss his documentary film with Peter Bradley.  “With Peter Bradley”  is a documentary celebrating artmaking, resilience, and the creative contributions of Black artists to American life. This timely and poignant narrative is unapologetically raw, tender, and emotional as it follows extraordinary trailblazer Peter Bradley. Audiences experience the artists life in real time, interwoven with stills, interviews, and additional striking visual imagery, telling a rags-to-riches to rags-and-back-again story of a truly iconic and innovative artist.  

THE STALKING FIELDS was written by Sean Crampton and Jordan Wiseley and directed by first-time filmmaker and Army veteran Ric Maddox.  The film stars Crampton in a breakthrough performance, as well as Taylor Kalupa, Adam J. Harrington, Rachael Markarian, Jordan Wiseley, and Richard O. Ryan. Drawing from personal experience, both Crampton and Wisely grew up in military families and felt it was important to make a film about the ramifications of PTSD. Gravitas Ventures will release THE STALKING FIELDS on digital platforms on January 17, 2023.

ONLY IN THEATERS, a film by actor/director Raphael Sbarge (Emmy Nominated for directing “LA FOODWAYS,”) is an intimate and moving journey taken with the Laemmle family, spanning nearly three years of challenges, losses, and personal triumphs. There has been a Laemmle in the movie business since there’s been a movie business.  Their beloved Arthouse Cinema chain with an astonishing Hollywood legacy has, for four generations, been dedicated to elevating the art of filmmaking and the filmmakers who make them. Responsible for bringing foreign film to Los Angeles and popularizing countless foreign independent films and their filmmakers, the Laemmle Theatres’ impact on Hollywood and world cinema cannot be overstated. In a world of growing conglomeration, the Laemmle circuit of theatres has become even more of an anomaly: a family-owned and operated art house theatre chain.  Filmed over 2 1/2 years, Only in Theaters chronicles a family business, and their determination to survive.  But in a changing world this is also a story about the future of Cinema. Interviews with Ava DuVernay, Cameron Crowe, James Ivory, Nicole Holofcener, and others. Opening in New York on January 20th at the IFC Center and New Plaza Cinemas

Today I'm joined by London May and Eric Boccio to discuss their work on NIGHT OF THE BASTARD Disgruntled hermit Reed lives a solitary life in the desert. After chasing away a group of youths trying to party near his home, Reed’s peaceful life is violently upheaved when a goup of savage cultists lay siege to his house. Forced to partner up with one of the party-goers, Reed and his newfound colleague must defend themselves into the night, all while long-buried and disturbing secrets are revealed to him as part of the cult’s evil plan. NIGHT OF THE BASTARD will be in theatres and on VOD Jan. 13th

Today I'm joined by Moby to discuss his film ‘Punk Rock Vegan Movie! The new documentary will have its world premiere and be the Opening Night film for the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival on January 20 in Park City, Utah. The film, which is Moby’s directorial debut, is a passionate and stylistically idiosyncratic look at the ongoing relationship between the worlds of punk rock and animal rights. It includes interviews with some of the biggest names in punk and rock history, like Ian Mackaye, HR, Dave Navarro, Ray Cappo, Andrew Hurley, Tony Kanal, Tim McIlrath, Water Schreifels, Dave Dictor, Derrick Green, Steve Ignorant, Theo Kogan, Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, Amy Lee, and Captain Sensible. Moby tells the story of how punk rock became such a fertile and surprising breeding ground for vegan activism. It’s also a call to action, unapologetically reminding people that in a deeply broken world it’s incumbent upon each of us to stand up and fight intelligently, passionately, and loudly against injustice. In the spirit of punk rock, Moby will be giving the film away for free following the Slamdance premiere. “’PUNK ROCK VEGAN MOVIE’ was created to shine a light on the surprising and inspiring history of punk rock and animal rights, but also to remind people of the importance and desperate urgency of adopting the uncompromising ethics and actions of the original punk rock activists,” said Moby. “After it makes its world premiere at Slamdance, it's yours. It's my goal to give the movie away, as I can't in good conscience try to profit from what is essentially a labor of love and activism." Learn more about the film’s premiere at Slamdance Film Festival by visiting: www.slamdance.com. 

Miranda Kwok is now best known as the Creator and Executive Producer of the U.S. television series adaptation "The Cleaning Lady," based on the Argentine series "La Chica Que Limpia." Produced by Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment, Miranda wrote the pilot script and developed "The Cleaning Lady" for the Fox Network.  Her first screenplay about the so-called military ‘comfort women,’ Miranda won the Grand Prize in the Slamdance Screenplay Competition. With her first spec script, Miranda landed a Staff Writer position on "Spartacus: Blood & Sand" on the Starz Network. She has worked as a writer and story consultant on several theme park attractions and immersive experiences, including Wanda Movie Park's 4D Film "Streets of Fury" and 5D Film "Ultimate Energy" which was produced by Industrial Light and Magic. More recently, Miranda served as a writer and Supervising Producer for "The 100" on the CW Network, working for four seasons on the Warner Bros. TV series.

Today I'm doing something a bit different. This is a press conference I took part in last weekend with the craft team behind the new Apple+ film EMANCIPATION. The team includes  Ed Novick (Production Sound Mixer) Mandell Winter (Supervising Sound Editor) Naomi Shohan (Production Designer) Conrad Buff, ACE (Picture Editor) Robert Richardson, ASC (Cinematographer) Steve Pederson (Re-Recording Mixer) Marcelo Zarvos (Composer) Francine Jamison-Tanchuck (Costume Designer) David Esparza (Supervising Sound Editor & Re-Recording Mixer) Robert Legato, ASC (VFX Supervisor)

Today I'm joined by Jimmy Hunt, star of the atomic-aged sci-fi classic INVADERS FROM MARS Ignite Films has released s sensational 4K restoration of William Cameron Menzies’ 1953 Invaders From Mars. The sci-fi classic is available on Blu-ray & 4K UHD in time to celebrate the film’s 70th anniversary. Special bonus features include a restored 4K version of the original 1953 trailer and a newly commissioned 2022 trailer, an interview with the film’s star, Jimmy Hunt, an in-depth look at the restoration process led by Scott MacQueen, Restoration Supervisor, plus a new documentary about the film featuring interviews with directors Joe Dante (Gremlins), John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), Multiple Visual Effects Academy-Award winner Robert Skotak (Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgement Day), and other luminaries. These extras and the documentary were produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Jeremy Alter (David Lynch’s Inland Empire, Doug Ellin’s Ramble On).

Today I'm joined by Alison Star Locke the writer and director of THE APOLOGY  Twenty years after the disappearance of her daughter, recovering alcoholic Darlene Hagen (Anna Gunn) is preparing to host her family's Christmas celebration with her best friend Gretchen (Janeane Garofalo). Late Christmas Eve, Darlene's estranged ex-brother-in-law, Jack (Linus Roache) arrives unannounced, bearing nostalgic gifts and a heavy secret. Soon, Darlene finds herself caught between reason and ruthless instinct. Trapped together by a dangerous storm, a battle of wits escalates to a violent game of revenge. THE APOLOGY will be in theaters and streaming simultaneously on Shudder and AMC+ on December 16th.

Today I'm joined by writer/director Joe Begos (The Mind’s Eye, VFW), to discuss his work on CHRISTMAS BLOODY CHRISTMAS. The film stars Riley Dandy  (That’s Amor, The City of Gold), Sam Delich (Spiderhead), Jonah Ray Rodrigues (Mystery Science Theater 3000), Dora Madison (Everybody Wants Some, "Chicago Fire"), Jeremy Gardner (Offseason), with Jeff Daniel Phillips (3 From Hell), and Abraham Benrubi (The Call of the Wild). In CHRISTMAS BLOODY CHRISTMAS, it’s Christmas Eve and fiery record store owner Tori Tooms just wants to get drunk and party, until the robotic Santa Claus at a nearby toy store goes haywire and makes her night more than a little complicated. Santa Claus begins a rampant killing spree through the neon-drenched snowscape against a backdrop of drugs, sex, metal, and violence, ultimately forcing Tori into a blood-splattered battle for survival against the ruthless heavy metal Saint Nick himself. Shudder and RLJE Films will release CHRISTMAS BLOODY CHRISTMAS in Theaters and it will stream exclusively on Shudder on December 9, 2022.

Today I'm joined by Sean Perry, the writer and director behind the new one-take thriller DASH DASH follows Milly, your average everyday rideshare driver preparing himself for a night shift behind the wheel… by purchasing a massive amount of cocaine from a prostitute. On the perilous Hollywood streets, he attempts to sell the drugs to his unassuming passengers including: a homosexual thruple, some phone-obsessed gen Z'ers, and even an off-duty police officer.His attempt to illegally fund his sinful actions takes a literal turn for the worse when he picks up a drug addict going through severe withdrawal. Desperately trying to take his nefarious, double-life to the grave, he continues on, only to keep digging a deeper grave for himself. DASH is currently available on VOD.

Leslie Iwerks is an American producer, director, and writer. She is daughter of Disney Legend Don Iwerks and granddaughter of Disney Legend Ub Iwerks, the animator and co-creator of Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. She has directed films including Recycled Life which was nominated for an Academy Award and The Pixar Story which was nominated for an Emmy for best nonfiction special. She is a member of the Documentary Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Producers Guild of America, and the International Documentary Association. She has worked with non-profit organizations Save Our Seas, Safe Passage, NRDC, and the Sierra Club to raise awareness on matters affecting the globe. She currently helms Santa Monica-based production company Iwerks & Co I had Leslie on the show today to discuss her book THE IMAGINEERING STORY: THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY OF WALT DISNEY IMAGINEERING  THE IMAGINEERING STORY: THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY OF WALT DISNEY IMAGINEERING is in stores today and would make a perfect gift for that Disney fan in your life!

For the upcoming major motion picture Devotion – the anticipated Korean War-era feature film based on the acclaimed book and directed by J. D. Dillard, starring Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell, Christina Jackson,and Joe Jonas and coming out November 23 -- award-winning director of photography Erik Messerschmidt, ASC leveraged his decades of experience to create stunning visuals that entwine narrative, action sequences, landscape, and compelling insights into the human condition. To bring dynamic vibrancy to the film, which focuses on the true story of a black naval officer who befriends a white naval officer, Messerschmidt used real planes shot in actual locations. Many of the cockpit interiors, particularly the “Bearcat” sequence in the beginning of the film, are entirely authentic. For the combat sequences the actors were shot in front of an LED volume similar to “The Mandalorian” so the footage could be captured in camera. A big movie shot on budget much smaller than typical Hollywood tentpoles, Messerschmidt worked with director Dillard to create a character-driven action film that harkens back to a 90s-style blockbuster in a classical style. Almost every frame that was shot made it into the final cut. Today I’m joined by Erik Messerschmidt to discuss his work on Devotion and his collaborations with Micheal Mann and David Fincher This conversation was recorded over cell phone so the audio quality is a bit lower than normal but I think its still listenable.

Thank you for listening to the Following Films Podcast today I’m joined by Trey Roski, co-founder and executive producer for BattleBots. Battlebots, the hit television show featuring fighting robots, has announced an exclusive live Las Vegas show: “BATTLEBOTS: DESTRUCT-A-THON,” which will open Feb. 3, 2023, at BattleBots’ own BattleBox Arena at Caesars Entertainment Studios. The daily live show follows the enormous success of the BattleBots World Championship filming season, which finished taping in front of sold-out audiences’ last weekend. The new live show contains all the drama, action and destruction of the TV series, condensed into an intense, fast-moving, 80-minute theater show, featuring many of the most famous robots that fans all around the world have come to love. This includes bots like Witch Doctor, Kraken, Mammoth, Lock-Jaw, Hypershock and Whiplash, as well as several new robots being specially created for the show. Tickets for the first six months of BATTLEBOTS: DESTRUCT-A-THON will go on sale Monday, Nov. 14. For more information go to Battlebots.com

Today I'm joined by Alex Phillips to discuss his film ALL JACKED UP AND FULL OF WORMS Roscoe, a janitor for a scuzzy love motel, whose girlfriend has brought another man home for strange rituals, drifts through life until he discovers a hidden stash of powerful hallucinogenic worms. Guided by visions of a giant floating Worm, he encounters Benny, a moped enthusiast trying to manifest a baby from an inanimate sex doll. They fall in love with doing worms together on a downward spiral into the primordial ooze. ALL JACKED UP AND FULL OF WORMS lands on Screambox and VOD Nov 8

Dallas Dupree Young is one of the breakout stars in Netflix’s Emmy-nominated series, “Cobra Kai”. Young shines as Kenny, a bullied new student in school, who turns to karate to defend himself and gain confidence. I had Dallas on the show today to discuss his work on the new festival darling 1-800 HOT-NITE. The film is centered around Tommy (Dallas Dupree Young) and the night he loses his parents to a drug raid. On the run, he turns to a phone sex operator (his fairy godmother) for help as he embarks on an urban odyssey to escape foster care with his two best friends, Steve and O’Neill. Don’t let the title deceive you, this is a great film that has far more on its mind than your average teen comedy. The film hits VOD on 11-4. Don’t sleep on this one make sure you check it out.

Levi has snagged a no-lease apartment sight unseen in the Hollywood Hills to crash at while he ties up loose ends for his exodus from Los Angeles. He quickly strikes up a rapport with his new neighbor John, swapping stories like old friends under the glowing, smoke-filled skies of the city. Soon after meeting, Levi and John witness something impossible in one of their apartments. Terrified at first, they soon realize this could change their lives and give them a purpose. With dollar signs in their eyes, these two eccentric strangers will attempt to prove the supernatural. Today I’m joined by Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson the co-directors, co-stars, co-editors, writers and cinematographers of SOMETHING IN THE DIRT. Their odd-ball chemistry shines on screen and in the script, as these two isolated and unfulfilled individuals spur each other toward wormholes and away from reality. SOMETHING IN THE DIRT tells a tale of these paranoid times, where every answer imaginable is just a Google search away Opens in Theaters November

Tom George is a director and sometimes writer of TV and film. He directed all three series of the acclaimed BBC comedy “This Country”. The show, which George also helped write, won four BAFTAs, including one for Best Scripted Comedy, as well as a host of other awards. His other credits include the BBC legal comedy “Defending the Guilty”, which starred Will Sharpe and Katherine Parkinson. George began his comedy career in short films, which screened at festivals around the world. He started out as a director filming music. Today I'm joined by Tom George to discuss his work on SEE HOW THEY RUN.  In 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after a pivotal member of the crew is murdered. When a world-weary inspector and an eager rookie constable take on the case, they find themselves thrown into a puzzling whodunit within the glamorously sordid world of underground theater, investigating the mysterious homicide at their own peril. The film features stellar performances from  Adrien Brody, Saoirse Ronan, and Sam Rockwell and will be available on-demand on 11-1.

Today I’m joined by cinematographer Stefan Duscio to discuss his latest work, the Apple TV+ series, Shantaram. Based on the internationally best-selling novel by Gregory David Roberts, the 1980s set drama follows a fugitive who escapes prison and reinvents himself as a doctor in the slums of Bombay. Shantaram is the first Apple TV series that uses anamorphic lenses and frame in a 2.40 aspect ratio. When shooting the series Duscio pursued smooth camera movement and widescreen anamorphic because in his own words, “I wanted you to fall in love with Bombay, and unashamedly present it in a romantic way." Duscio teamed up with production designer Chris Kennedy (Lion) for visual research into 1980s India. In addition to the novel, inspiration for the visual language and aesthetic came from a plethora of art that included street and fashion photography, National Geographic content, and per Duscio, "feelings of travel, wanderlust and philosophy."

Today I’m joined by Mena Suvari and director Kevin Lewis to discuss their work on the new film THE ACCURSED. THE ACCURSED starring Mena Suvari (American Beauty), Sarah Grey (Power Rangers), Meg Foster (They Live), and Alexis Knapp (Pitch Perfect) is the follow-Up feature from director Kevin Lewis (WILLY’SWONDERLAND starring Nicolas Cage). The Accursed follows a young woman who is forced to return home following the death of her mother. Consumed by guilt and desperate to escape the haunting visions playing out in her head, she takes a temporary caregiver position for a comatose old lady living alone in the woods.  It does not take long before she realizes that not all is as it seems and that the old lady harbors a demonic secret; an evil secret that the old lady’s daughter is intent on passing on. THE ACCURSED is currently available on VOD.

Today I'm joined by THE LAIR Director Neil Marshall and Star Charlotte Kirk. When Royal Air Force pilot Lt. Kate Sinclair is shot down over Afghanistan, she finds refuge in an abandoned underground bunker where deadly man-made biological weapons – half human, half alien – are awakened. THE LAIR will be available in theaters, on-demand and digital on October 28th

Conceived and curated entirely on the popular, audio-based social media platform Clubhouse and produced by Screen Anthology, SINPHONY: A Clubhouse Horror Anthology features a group of international filmmakers each exploring a character dealing with tragedy caused by a supernatural entity. Today I’m joined by Haley Bishop and Kimberly Elizabeth to discuss their contributions to SINPHONY. FOREVER YOUNG Writer/Dir. Haley Bishop - (Host) - UK In a desperate attempt to preserve her youth, a 30 year old woman engages in a social media dance craze that may have dire consequences. DO US PART Writer/Dir. Kimberley Elizabeth (Nightmare on Film Street Podcast) - CANADA A recently separated couple comes to terms with the fact that one of them is a ghost.

Today I'm joined by Will Corona Pilgrim to discuss his work on The Godfather Tarot. The beautifully illustrated, highly giftable deck comes with a full-color, 96-page companion book by Will Corona-Pilgrim, that profiles the key characters and events from the saga and pairs them with featured cards along with providing a basic introduction to tarot reading. Whether you are looking to add a unique deck to your collection or are a fan of the films, The Godfather Tarot Deck is a must-have addition! Features: Can be read exactly as you would the popular Rider–Waite deck A high-quality tarot deck with original illustrations depicting the characters and evoking the legacy of The Godfather Comes with a full-color, 96-page companion book on the Corleone Family, profiling the characters, events, and cards A great gift for fans of The Godfather! Publishing October 18, 2022

Verona Blue is a classically trained actor from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Fully immersed in Goth culture as a teen, Verona spent countless nights running downtown alleys with a group of like-minded misfits and has been channeling the spirits of innumerable interesting characters ever since. Her commitment to her counter-culture roots and authentic ownership of her unique look makes her a standout on screen. Verona Blue stars in V/H/S/99 as a punk rocker in the segment titled "Shredding," written & directed by renown genre filmmaker, Maggie Levin. The newest installment of the cult anthology franchise will had its world premiere at TIFF during Midnight Madness. V/H/S/99 will be on Shudder on 10/20

Cleopatra Entertainment's  FROST, directed by Brandon Slagle (Battle of Saipan), based on James Cullen Bressack’s story and adapted for screen by Robert Thompson,  and starring Vernon Wells (Mad Max 2) and Devanny Pinn (House of Manson) is the story of a young woman and her father who have to fight for survival after being stranded on a remote mountainside during a storm, FROST will be released on October 11 on Digital and Blu-ray. A full motion picture soundtrack for FROST is scheduled for both the CD and VINYL LP formats to accompany the film’s release and features contributions by Rick Wakeman (YES), Geoff Downes (YES/ASIA) and Terry Reid – amongst others - courtesy of Cleopatra Records. Today I'm joined by the star of FROST, Devanny Pinn, to discuss her incredible work in the film. 

The Accident Man is back and this time he must beat the top assassins in the world to protect the ungrateful son of a mafia boss,save the life of his only friend and rekindle his relationship with his maniacal father figure. Directed by the Kirby Brothers - George Kirby and Harry Kirby (The Real Target), and written by Stu Small (Triple Threat), the film stars Scott Adkins (Zero Dark Thirty, The Expendables 2). Samuel Goldwyn Films will release ACCIDENT MAN: HITMAN’S HOLIDAY in theaters and on VOD and Digital October 14, 2022.

Ten Tricks, a Fandor Exclusive, follows a glamorous madam, Grace (Lea Thompson), who has spent years being surrounded by men. When she decides she wants to start a family, she realizes the list of potential prospects is shockingly thin. Thankfully, a chance encounter with a neighbor proves there might just be magic in the air after all. The seductive satire was directed by Emmy Nominee Richard Pagano, and also stars Raymond Cruz (The Closer), Sam Hennings (The Aviator), and Damien Leake (Apocalypse Now). Also written and produced by Pagano, the film takes a humorous look at love, sex, and everything in between. Additional producers include Robert Jay Litz, Randall Miller, with Ryan Bury, James Andrew Felts, and Stephen Silverman acting as executive producers. FANDOR offers artfully entertaining American indies and the boldest in cult treasures, global voices, and non-fiction storytelling. Our ever-growing streaming library rewards the adventurous on iOS, Android, Prime Video, YouTube TV, Comcast and fandor.com. Visit www.fandor.com for more information.

Cinematographer James Kniest’s latest work can next be seen in the highly-anticipated series, The Midnight Club created by Mike Flanagan. The series begins streaming on Netflix on Oct. 7. Based on the 1994 novel of the same name as well as other works by Christopher Pike, the premise of the show takes place at a hospice for terminally ill young adults when eight patients come together every night at midnight to tell each other stories — and make a pact that the next of them to die will give the group a sign from the beyond. A trailer is available here. Kniest, as the lead DP on the series, shot five episodes (Ep. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7), and has a long history of collaborating with Flanagan having The Midnight Club mark their fourth time working together. Previously, they have collaborated on the feature film Hush, and Netflix hit series The Haunting of Bly Manor and Black Mass.

KING ON SCREEN Directed by: Daphné Baiwir KING ON SCREEN, which interviews the lion’s share of the filmmakers who have adapted Stephen Kings work to screen, includes Frank Darabont, Mick Garris, Mike Flanagan, Greg Nicotero and more. Directed by Daphné Baiwir, KING ON SCREEN is an intimate look at the unique relationship between Stephen King’s vast body of work and the directors famous for reimagining it for the screen. With an ambitious fictional introduction packed with easter eggs, references, and other winks that constant readers will find delightful, this doc is a must-see for any King-head and casual viewer alike. LIVING WITH CHUCKY Documentary Feature Directed by: Kyra Elise Gardner LIVING WITH CHUCKY is an ode to a horror franchise and a movie monster icon directed by Kyra Elise Gardener, the daughter of one of Chucky’s longtime visual effects supervisors. Having grown up with a Chucky doll in her home since childhood, the filmmaker recounts the behind-the-scenes process of bringing the doll to life as well as the cultural impact of Chucky and his bloodthirsty family on modern horror.

A family of four isolated against a global pandemic that spreads through the internet and robs a person of their ability to perceive reality--often with violent results--begins to unravel when they suspect that one, or all, of them, may be infected. Shot under Covid lockdown by a real family serving as the entire cast and crew.   RED RIVER ROAD stars the Schuyler family; Paul, Jade, Shaw, and Quinn. Paul Schuyler wrote, directed, shot, and edited the film. It is produced by Paul and Jade Schuyler.   Today I’m joined by Paul to discuss his multi-hyphenated work on RED RIVER ROAD Gravitas Ventures will release the film on digital platforms on October 4, 2022

Thank you for listening to the Following Films podcast! Today I’m joined by director/writer Johannes Grenzfurthner to discuss his latest project MASKING THRESHOLD. Frustrated by a constant ringing in his ears, a paranoid data analyst documents his obsessive attempts to cure his own debilitating tinnitus through a series of home experiments conducted in a make-shift lab. But as his research becomes increasingly dark and macabre, a horrifying secret behind his maddening condition is revealed with a potential cure more sinister than he could have ever imagined. A deeply philosophical horror film inspired by Lovecraftian weird fiction and cosmicism, MASKING THRESHOLD takes us on an unsettling journey into the paranoia of the human mind to reveal the disastrous consequences of the relentless pursuit of knowledge. MASKING THRESHOLD will be in select theaters today September 30th and available on Digital October 7th. Big thanks to Fort Worth for the closing song and to Bookmans for sponsoring the show. I will be hosting a True Crime Trivia night at the Bookmans NW location in Tucson on October 14th. For all the details go to https://bookmans.com/event-directory/ If you would like to support the Following Films podcast please go to https://anchor.fm/followingfilms/subscribe Enjoy the show!!!!

When I Consume You marks the third feature for New York-based filmmaker Perry Blackshear following his award-winning psychological horror feature debut They Look Like People and celebrated sophomore effort, the aquatic supernatural horror romance The Siren. All three of his films have been widely embraced and praised both on the festival circuit and upon release, with They Look Like People winning a Jury Honorable Mention at the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival upon its premiere. Blackshear again teams up with creative collaborators MacLeod Andrews, Evan Dumouchel, and Margaret Ying Drake for When I Consume You, who, alongside Libby Ewing, deliver a heartfelt family drama about grief and redemption. Ewing and Dumouchel play brother-sister duo Daphne and Wilson Shaw. Troubled since childhood, the two have struggled to find stability as they’ve grown older, and while Daphne seems to have finally gotten her life together, the darkness that’s followed their family all along begins to close in more aggressively than ever before. A unique urban folktale set and filmed in Brooklyn, When I Consume You confronts the vulnerabilities that people struggle with every day through a genre lens to create a chillingly intimate indie horror nightmare. The film is written, directed, and lensed by Blackshear, who also produced alongside Andrews, Dumouchel, and Ewing.

At Holy Cross Boys School in Belfast, Northern Ireland schoolyard conflicts are resolved at the Philosophy board where the youngsters learn to reason and think for themselves. School Principal Kevin McArevey, a Stoic who sings along to Elvis Presley, is rocking the status quo by teaching Philosophy to students in a community plagued by urban decay, sectarian violence, poverty and drugs. In an atmosphere of deep caring and support, his students learn new ways to manage their emotions based on Ancient texts. YOUNG PLATO  deftly addresses the social division and intergenerational trauma of a city divided by Peace Walls where "the troubles" are more than a memory in a story filled with the mischievous charm of young boys learning to question the mythologies of war and violence.  "Young Plato" shines a positive light on contemporary Northern Ireland, offering a model for building a culture of peace in these troubling times. Today I’m joined by director Neasa Ní Chianáín and subject Kevin McArevey to discuss YOUNG PLATO. YOUNG PLATO WILL OPEN THEATRICALLY IN NEW YORK (ANGELIKA FILM CENTER) ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 WITH A REGIONAL EXPANSION TO FOLLOW ON SEPTEMBER 30th 

Zach Kuperstein, a New York-based cinematographer listed among Variety's Artisan Elites, has a passion for visual storytelling. He burst onto the field with the southern gothic film, "The Eyes of My Mother," premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016. His work earned him nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards and the Camerimage International Film Festival. Since then he's lensed many more features including "The Climb," winning the jury's heart award at 2019's Cannes Film Festival followed by screenings at Telluride and Sundance, then together with his most recent work, "The Vigil," at the Toronto International Film Festival and the would-be 2020 SXSW Film Festival. With his never-say-never attitude, he's ready to lift any narrative off the page and onto the screen. I had Zach on the show today to talk about his work on the box-office hit BARBARIAN.

Welcome to Westerberg High, where Veronica Sawyer is just another one of the nobodies dreaming of a better day. But when she’s unexpectedly taken under the wings of the three beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers, her dreams of popularity finally start to come true.  Until JD shows up – the mysterious teen rebel who teaches her that everyone fears being a nobody, but its murder being a somebody... Today I'm joined by HEATHERS THE MUSICAL Director Andy Fickman HEATHERS THE MUSICAL will premier on the Roku Channel September 16th 

Today I'm joined by writer/director Duncan Birmingham to discuss his work on the incredible Shudder original film WHO INVITED THEM. Adam and Margo's housewarming party is a success. One couple linger after the other guests, revealing themselves to be wealthy neighbors. As one night cap leads to another, Adam and Margo suspect their new friends are duplicitous strangers

Hoping to escape their past, Daniel and Theresa Snyder move their troubled young daughter Rosalie to a quaint Midwestern town, but they are followed by the evil they tried to leave behind. When locals begin to die, the Snyders turn to a Native American seer and uncover a legend that may hold the key to saving their family, or a path to a grisly end for them and all they hold dear. Today I'm joined by Will Klipstine to discuss his work on THE HARBINGER. The film is currently in select theatres an on demand. 

Addiction is an all-encompassing force, in not only of the lives of the afflicted, but also those around them. OUR AMERICAN FAMILY provides an honest, unfiltered look at a close-knit Philadelphia family dealing with generational substance abuse. Captured at a pivotal “nothing to lose” moment, for over the course of a year, five family members tired of life with addiction on center stage, each struggle to transcend their crippling histories. What will it take to shift this entrenched, wrenching pattern in their lives? Will they be able to make significant shifts to help their next generation? The members of  OUR AMERICAN FAMILY  invite us into their lives to find hope and to explore what’s possible. Though they often falter, their familial loyalty is powerful, demonstrating how through love and dedication people can rise out of the deepest depths. For a touching, eye-opening look into one of America's most pressing crises, look no further. OUR AMERICAN FAMILY opens in September timed to National Recovery Month, a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.

Finally, a documentary about scientists who get misrepresented by the media. Those TV documentaries you see, and the science experts they feature? Did you know that producers often edit them out of context, and twist their words, to make it seem like they promoted some pop sensationalism instead of the real facts? Science Friction exposes this practice and gives the scientists a chance to clear the record. The film was financed by private grants and donations. The film is currently available on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi

Theodore Michael Shapiro is an American film composer from Washington D.C. who is known for composing various films such as Jennifer's Body, Old School, Safe Men, Idiocracy, Wet Hot American Summer, Zoolander 2, Year One, DodgeBall, Tropic Thunder, On the Ropes, 13 Going on 30, Girlfight, Captain Underpants and The Devil Wears Prada. I had the chance to chat with Teddy about his Emmy-nominated work on the Apple+ series Severance. 

Wild Eye Releasing will release a Special Edition Blu-ray of Daniel Benedict’s The Bloody Man, a supernatural horror film reuniting A Nightmare On Elm Street 4 : The Dream Master stars Lisa Wilcox and Tuesday Knight, this December. The film is currently available on VOD. Penned by Daniel and Casi Benedict, and produced by Red Serial Films, the film tells of a young boy who, after the death of his mother, becomes obsessed with a comic book she gave him that ultimately summons the ancient monster found in its pages. Today I'm joined by Lisa to discuss her work on THE BLOODY MAN, returning to work after a self imposed hiatus, and our dogs.  

What Josiah Saw  is the third feature from American filmmaker Vincent Grashaw (Coldwater, And Then I Go) and world premiered to high praise at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival and went on to win awards at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, Screamfest, and more. In What Josiah Saw, after two decades, a damaged family reunites at their remote farmhouse, where they confront long-buried secrets and sins of the past. The film stars Robert Patrick (The Terminator), Nick Stahl (Sin City), Scott Haze (Child of God) and Kelli Garner (Lars And The Real Girl). Today I’m joined by Vincent to discuss his work on WHAT JOSIAH SAW. The film is currently streaming on SHUDDER. Big thanks to Bookmans for sponsoring the show and to Fort Worth for letting me use their song at the end.

In an effort to heal after witnessing her sister’s horrific murder, Nic travels to a tropical resort with her friends for a kayaking and diving adventure. Only hours into their expedition, the women are stalked and then attacked by a great white shark. To survive they will need to band together and Nic will have to overcome her post-traumatic stress, face her fears and slay the monster. Starring: Teressa Liane, Ann Truong, Saskia Archer, Kate Lister, Tim Ross  Written and Directed by: Andrew Traucki Theaters, On Demand and Digital and Streaming on Shudder July 29, 2022

George Jung, the drug smuggler immortalized by Johnny Depp in “Blow,” left Weymouth for California in the late ’60s with pennies in his pocket, two cases of Budweiser in the backseat and his best pal riding shotgun. Forty years – and four prison stints later – Jung returned to visit his boyhood home at   30 Abigail Adams Circle. He was unsure if neighbors would throw rocks or tell him to “politely leave town.” Jung’s homecoming can be seen in the documentary “Boston George,” which charts his improbable journey from Patriot Ledger newsboy to Weymouth High football star to cocaine trafficker for Pablo Escobar’s Medellin Cartel. Subtitled “Famous Without the Fortune,” the documentary’s first two episodes premiere Friday, July 22, on Fandor, with one episode per week each  successive Friday. Cinedigm will make each episode available on demand the next day. Today I’m joined by Chris Chesson and Georgette Angelos to discuss their work on BOSTON GEORGE: FAMOUS WITHOUT THE FORTUNE. This episode is sponsored by Bookmans. If you would like to support the Following Films Podacst please go to https://anchor.fm/followingfilms/subscribe

Fact is indeed sometimes stranger than fiction, and such is the case with My Old School. Despite actor Alan Cumming’s top billing, this is really a documentary—and not one about him. The actual subject agreed to be profiled, but declines to appear on camera, so Cumming stands in for him, lip-syncing the testimonial. Around 1993, a pupil known as Brandon Lee pulled an elaborate hoax at the Bearsden Academy in posh suburban Glasgow, Scotland, and created a media circus when he got busted for it two years later. Filmmaker Jono McLeod, who attended Bearsden Academy with Brandon, assembles 30 former classmates and teachers to recount the events of the hoax. Today I’m joined by director Jono to discuss his film. Make sure you check it out in theatres on July 22nd If you would like to support the Following Films Podcast please go to anchor.fm/followingfilms/subscribe

Conceived as a way to interrogate processes of neo-colonialism, and highlighting the alienating effects of technological progress, Palo Alto native Jake Wachtel's KARMALINK is a mind-bending tale of reincarnation, artificial consciousness, and the search for enlightenment. KARMALINK will be released in the US Theatrically in major cities and on VOD in the US and Canada on Friday, July 15.

Directed by Rouzbeh Heydari (Together Again), Dana Abraham (Prisoner of Fear) wrote the film and stars in the movie along with Brenna Coates (“Coroner”), Brit MacRae (“The Eden Theory”), Stephen Tracey (“Good Sam”), Rene Escobar, Jr. (“Air Crash Investigation”), Erika Swayze (“Workin’ Moms”), Lauren Howe (“Reacher”) and Kim Coates ("Sons of Anarchy").In NEON LIGHTS, guests begin disappearing in an off-grid location, during a family reunion of misfit siblings and their offspring. Momentum Pictures will release NEON LIGHTS On Demand and Digital on July 12, 2022.

Today I'm joined by Ash Gordon to discuss her self-titled double album After 10+ years working behind the scenes as a song stylist for some of your favorite artists, tv shows, and movies, LGBTQIA+ music maven Ash Gordon is ready to take the leap into the spotlight with her debut double album, Ash Gordon & Ash Gordon II. Complete with collaborations from drag legends like Trixie Mattel, Alaska Thunderfuck, BONAVEGA, Bob the Drag Queen, and many others, the albums provide sixteen psychedelic songs that perfectly encompass Ash’s lipstick garage-rock vision. Ash Gordon & Ash Gordon II will be available on July 15

Today I'm joined by Sierra McCormick (“American Horror Stories”, The Vast of Night, Some Kind of Hate) to discuss her latest film WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. Seeking Shelter from a storm, a family find themselves trapped for days with no sign of rescue and untold evils lurking just beyond the walls in this wildly fun horse-of-horrors thrill ride To learn more about the film, please visit: https://www.weneedtodosomething.movie/ WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING is currently available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi is a television miniseries created for the streaming service Disney+. It is part of the Star Wars franchise and stars Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, reprising his role from the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Set ten years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), the series follows Kenobi as he sets out to rescue the kidnapped Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) from the Galactic Empire, leading to a confrontation with his former apprentice, Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen).

Today I'm joined by Leni Lauritsch and Julia Franz Richter to discuss their IFC Midnight release, RUBIKON. The film is set 30 years in the future, where a mysterious cloud of toxic pollution has suddenly covered the earth. On the space station Rubikon, the three crewmembers on board with vastly differing world views must decide whether they risk their own lives to save those who may still be alive on earth or ignore the old world to build a new one of safety and solitude, living off the station’s sophisticated algae symbiosis system. As they grapple with the idea of their own mortality, isolation, and moral responsibility, the three struggle to come to a unanimous decision that could affect the fate of humanity. The film will be releasing in theaters and on demand July 1.

Thank you for listening to the Following Films podcast. Today I’m joined by Anthony Hayes. I had Anthony on the show to discuss his latest film Gold that he wrote directed and co-stars in with Zac Efron. The film is centered on two drifters traveling through the desert who stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found,  then the dream of immense wealth and greed takes hold. They hatch a plan to protect and excavate their bounty with one man leaving to secure the necessary equipment. The other man remains and must endure harsh desert elements, ravenous wild dogs, and mysterious intruders, battling the sinking suspicion that he has been abandoned to his own fate. Gold is currently available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital. We also discuss Anthony’s project to support independent filmmakers Film Crib. Film Crib is a platform where filmmakers can share their short films and make money. This is an incredible project that removes the middlemen between artists and commerce.  There is no charge to watch the films and in fact, you can make money by watching films on Film Crib as well. For more information go to filmcrib.io. You will notice that this episode starts with us in mid-conversation. This was an impromptu interview that came up after I tagged Anthony in a post on Twitter. And unfortunately, I didn’t click record until about 20 minutes into our conversation. Ultimately I think it's pretty easy to jump in and pick up on the conversation but it's a bit of an abrupt start. I had a great time chatting with Anthony and highly recommend that you check out Gold and Film Crib. Enjoy the show!

Cinematographer Manuel Billeter, alongside fellow DP Vanja Cernjul, ASC, HFS, recently lensed The Gilded Age, directors Julian Fellowes and Sonja Warfield’s episodic period-piece streaming on HBO Max

Fathom Events completely dropped the ball on the recent 40th anniversary rerelease of The Thing. Don't see this movie in a theatre near you

Today I'm joined by director/writer/actor Mark Schwab to discuss his latest film BROTHERLY LIES. Two estranged brothers - one recovering from a suicide attempt, the other about to be married - are forced to confront a deadly secret from their past. BROTHERLY LIES will be coming out this June 17th on the Fearless streaming service.

Elena Engel is an award winning filmmaker who has worked with Disney, Warner Brothers, Amblin, PBS, and the UN among others. Stories that instill a deeper understanding of the human condition are her passion. I had Elena on the show today to discuss her documentary short film JOHN LEGUIZAMO LIVE AT RIKERS. In the film actor, John Leguizamo performs his play Ghetto Klown at Rikers Island prison, inspiring justice-involved young men to reflect openly on their own lives and the serious challenges of incarceration. JOHN LEGUIZAMO LIVE AT RIKERS is screening three times at this year's Tribeca Film Festival, including at home!!! For more information click the link below https://tribecafilm.com/films/john-leguizamo-live-at-rikers-2022

Today I’m joined by John Pogue (The Quiet Ones, Deep Blue Sea 3)  to discuss his latest film ERASER REBORN. ERASER REBORN is the next chapter to Eraser (1996) the Chuck Russell directed action thriller that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as a U.S. Marshall assigned to “erase” the identity of a witness he is assigned to protect. U.S. Marshal Mason Pollard specializes in “erasing” people – faking the deaths of high-risk witnesses. With the technological advances of the last 25 years, the game has upgraded, and it’s just another day at the office when he’s assigned to Rina Kimura, a crime boss’ wife who’s decided to turn state’s evidence. As the two flee to Cape Town, South Africa, with a team of merciless assassins on their trail, Pollard discovers he’s been set up. Double-crossed and fueled by adrenaline, he needs to be at the top of his game, or he’ll be the one who’s erased. Permanently. The film stars Dominic Sherwood (Shadowhunters) as Mason Pollard, Jacky Lai (V-Wars) as Rina Kimura, McKinley Belcher III (Marriage Story) as Paul Whitlock, a mentor to Pollard and Eddie Ramos (Animal Kingdom) as Sugar Jax, a local gangster. ERASER: REBORN is available on Digital, Blu-ray™ & DVD

Director and liquor store baby, So Yun Um and her father have never seen eye to eye on anything, especially not her career choices. Although his liquor store has provided her financial stability to dream big, there’s tension between father and daughter, and how their Korean culture and store have had a complicated past within a Black community. So goes on a journey to unpack this tension as well as the generational divide between her and her father. In contrast, in the wake of his father’s passing, Danny Park quits his dream job at Nike and returns home to help his mother run the family store on Skid Row. Unlike So, he’s inexplicably drawn towards home, with a dream of uniting the Black and Korean communities at his store. He’s immediately determined to create a path different from his father’s but soon realizes the insurmountable weight of being a small business owner. LIQUOR STORE DREAMS is a portrait of two second-generation Korean Americans trying to create their own future by honoring their parent’s past through understanding and healing. To see the film at Tribeca check out the link below https://tribecafilm.com/films/liquor-store-dreams-2022

Today I'm joined by director Josh Leong to discuss his live-action narrative short, CHICKEN. The film was inspired by the true stories of real children he first met while volunteering in NYC juvenile detention centers in the summer of 2021. This topical film will screen in competition at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival, featuring a real prison chick-hatching program, that the filmmakers partnered with. Screenings at the Tribeca Film Festival will be held on Sunday, June 12th at 5:45 pm and Monday, June 13th at 5:45 pm. The film is produced by Denyvi Rose, Nadera Herbert-Bey, Catherine Nguyen and Josh Leong – all NYU students. The stunning cinematography was created by Luc Ung.

Today I'm joined by Dan Mirvish to discuss his latest film, 18 1/2. "18½" acclaimed cast is led by stars Willa Fitzgerald (Amazon’s “Reacher”) , John Magaro (“First Cow”),  Vondie Curtis Hall (“Harriet”),   Catherine Curtin (Netflix’s “Stranger Things”), Richard Kind (“Argo”),  Sullivan Jones (“The Gilded Age”), Alanna Saunders, Claire Saunders, and the legendary voices of Ted Raimi (“Spider-Man”) , Jon Cryer (“Two and a Half Men”), and Bruce Campbell (“Evil Dead”) as President Richard Nixon. The film "18½" humorously crafts its own narrative into the notorious gap in Nixon’s Watergate scandal. Taking place in 1974, "18½" is about a fictional  White House transcriber finds the only copy of the infamous 18½-minute gap in Nixon's Watergate tapes but her attempts to leak it to the press run afoul of hippies, swingers and nefarious forces.

Today I'm joined by Antonia Campbell-Hughes to discuss her latest film, Cordelia.  Cordelia meets her mysterious London neighbor Frank (Johnny Flynn) for the first time and quickly becomes suspicious of his motives. She begins to unravel and sink back into past traumas with Frank around, making her paranoid and dangerous.

Today I'm joined by Naveen A. Chathapuram to discuss his film THE LAST VICTIM In this stylized neo-western thriller, a group of modern-day outlaws and their terrifying leader are pursued by a local sheriff (Ron Perlman), after committing a horrific crime in a desolate southwest town. When a professor (Ali Larter) and her husband cross paths with the criminals, everyone is drawn into a spiral of violence and retribution where morality becomes ambiguous, and survival is the only option. The Last Victim is currently in theatres and on demand 

Today I’m joined by Director Carey Williams and Writer KD Davila to discuss their Amazon original film EMERGENCY Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and his best friend, Sean (RJ Cyler), are both seniors in college about to embark on an epic night of Spring Break parties. Sean has the whole night planned out, including every party they will hit on their “legendary tour.” Kunle is down, yet mostly concerned with finishing up his mold experiment in his lab, as his acceptance to Princeton is hinging on the results. They return to their apartment to pre-game, yet find that their roommate, Carlos (Sebastian Chacon), left the door open. As they enter with trepidation, Sean and Kunle discover a drunk, semi-conscious White female they don’t know on the floor and an oblivious Carlos, who didn’t hear her come in over the videogame blaring in his ears. Kunle wants to call the cops but Sean vehemently opposes the idea concerned how it will look when the cops show up (two Black men, one Latino man and a passed out White woman).

Sara Tomko is an actor, singer, producer & poet currently residing in Los Angeles.  She moved from the east coast in 2007 to pursue film & television.  Her most notable roles are The Cave Woman on HBO’s Season Two opener of The Leftovers, a recurring guest star as Suzanne on Amazon Prime’s Sneaky Pete and she is currently starring as Asta Twelvetrees on SyFy’s Resident Alien.  Sara has a film production company with her husband, Theodore Pederson, called In The Pocket Productions.  They produced a short film that premiered in July 2018 at the Laemmle NoHo 7 called Girls, Girls, Girls: Or As Tammy Withers Away and are working on their first feature, an arthouse horror, to be filmed in 2023. Today I'm joined by Sara Tomko to discuss her latest film, SUICIDE FOR BEGINNERS. The film is currently available on VOD. 

Today I'm joined by Keoni Waxman (The Hard Way) to discuss his latest film, THE RAVINE. The film stars Eric Dane (“Euphoria"), Teri Polo (Meet the Parents), Peter Facinelli (The Vanished), Byron Mann (The Big Short), Leslie Uggams (Deadpool) and Kyle Lowder (“Days of Our Live”). In THE RAVINE, when an unspeakable crime rocks a peaceful community, family and friends are left to wonder if they overlooked the murderer among them or if there might be more to the story. Inspired by true events, this haunting thriller stars Eric Dane, Teri Polo, Peter Facinelli, and Leslie Uggams. Cinedigm will release THE RAVINE in theaters and on Demand and Digital May 6, 2022.

Today I'm joined by Michael John Warren to discuss SPRING AWAKENING: THOSE YOU’VE KNOWN 15 years after the smash, Tony-winning Broadway run of “Spring Awakening,” the original cast and creative team reunite for a spectacular, one-night only reunion concert to benefit The Actors Fund. Chronicling their whirlwind journey back to the stage, the film follows the players as they reconnect and rediscover the beauty and timelessness of the hit musical, sharing the show’s underdog origins, its path to Tony glory, the universal themes of teenage repression and angst, and the unconventional love story of breakout stars Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele. The documentary pulls back the curtain to showcase the reunited original cast and creative team at rehearsals, in their homes and backstage. The film features electrifying performances from the reunion concert in November 2021, newly filmed interviews, candid archival video and photographs, as well as performance footage from the original 2006 show that went on to sweep the Tonys, winning eight awards, including Best Musical. “Spring Awakening” forever changed the lives of the mostly unknown teenage cast and inspired a generation of fans by laying bare taboo issues of teen love, abortion, abuse, sexual identity and suicide in an unapologetic, edgy rock musical set in the 1890s. HBO Documentary Films’ SPRING AWAKENING: THOSE YOU’VE KNOWN , directed by Michael John Warren and produced by RadicalMedia (HBO’s “David Byrne’s American Utopia”), debuts TUESDAY, MAY 3 (9:00-10:23 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

Today I'm joined by Emmy-Award Winner Keith Maitland (TOWER) to discuss his latest film DER MR. BRODY.  When hippie-millionaire Michael Brody Jr. publicly announced that he would be giving away his fortune in 1970, he and his wife became instant celebrities. They were mobbed by the public, scrutinized by the press, and overwhelmed by a crush of personal letters from across America responding to his extraordinary offer. DEAR MR. BRODY uses a mix of archival footage, psychedelic animation, stylized recreations, and interviews with the letter writers themselves, to offer a moving meditation on universal human struggles and needs, as well as a uniquely preserved snapshot of a year of American history that deeply resonates today. DEAR MR. BRODY will be streaming exclusively on discovery+ April 28, 2022

The newly formed animation company, Spire Animation Studios has created a new way to produce animated movies that is game changing for filmmaking. Most recently, they have announced two new films in development, Century Goddess and Trouble with Danny McBride. Spire Animation has created a team of elite industry leaders to form their own ‘creative cadre’ to bring a new wave in animation. Together, animation pioneers including Michael Surrey (Creative Director  of Story and Animation), Shawn Krause (Creative Director  of Story and Animation),Ted Mathot (Creative Director of Development), Karen Disher (Creative Director of Development), Ricky Nierva (Production Designer) and Michal Makarewicz (Head of Character Animation) combine their decades of work from leading films including The Lion King,  Toy Story, The Incredibles, Up, Inside Out, Soul, Onward, and more to spearhead a new era of original and culturally relevant stories that resonate with audiences worldwide, rather than offer reboots. Today I'm joined by Michael Surrey and Shawn Krause to discuss SPIRE.  About Michael Surrey- Creative Director (Story and Animation) Michael Surrey serves as creative director, story and animation, at Spire Animation Studios. An award-nominated animator, Surrey has more than two decades of experience in animation working on acclaimed films such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, and also spent ten-plus years as a storyboard artist. In 1995, he was nominated for an Annie Award for his work in animation on The Hunchback of Notre Dame. About Shawn Krause- Creative Director (Story and Animation) Shawn Krause serves as creative director, animation and story, at Spire Animation Studios. He joined Spire after 26 years at Pixar Animation Studios, where he led animation for the films Up, Cars 2, and Inside Out. Shawn holds strong blend of technological fluency and effective storytelling skills needed to lead feature animation teams.

Noah Weisberg is an actor and director, known for Super Pumped (2022), Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (2020) and Modern Family (2009). I had Noah on the show today to discuss his role in Super Pumped. The Showtime limited series tells the “stranger than fiction” story about the rise of Uber.

Today I’m joined by Gigi Gaston to discuss her film 9 BULLETS. 9 BULLETS stars Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones) as a former burlesque dancer turned author who suddenly becomes the guardian of her 11-year-old neighbor after he witnesses his parents’ murder. Along with Headey, the film stars Lala Anthony (Power) and Sam Worthington (Avatar) in supporting roles. You can read more about the film and their other upcoming projects below. Lena is EP’ing and starring in a new series called Beacon 23 which shoots in Toronto in April; she is a voice in the animated superhero adventure family series New-Gen with Henry Rollins; and she will co-star in Crooks with Juno Temple. La La Anthony has Power Book II: Ghost; Kenya Barris’ You People with Jonah Hill, Julia Luis Dreyfus and Eddie Murphy; and The Perfect find with Gabrielle Union, Gina Torres and Aisha Hinds coming up. Sam Worthington is hard at work on Avatar 4&5, and also has The Georgetown Project with Russell Crowe completed and SeaCole with Gugu Mbatha Raw coming up, among many other projects. A former burlesque dancer turned author (Lena Headey) discovers a second chance at life and redemption when she risks everything to rescue her young neighbor after he witnesses his parents murder. Now on the run from the local crime boss (Sam Worthington), who happens to be her longtime ex, she makes a desperate attempt to get the boy to safety. 9 Bullets will be in Theaters and On Demand April 22, 2022

Angelika Film Center, with operating theaters across the nation in New York City, Texas, Washington, D.C, California, and Virginia, and Sony Pictures Classics have launched a special "Bring A Friend Back To The Movies" initiative timed to the April 22 release of the upcoming Sony Pictures Classics dramatic comedy, The Duke starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren.  In addition, Angelika Film Center announced that the Angelika Membership program will be launching on Friday, April 29, 2022. The "Bring A Friend Back To The Movies" initiative will provide one complimentary ticket to anyone who purchases a ticket directly from the Angelika website, app, or in theater to see the upcoming film, The Duke, during the first week of its release. The goal is to bring audiences back and remind them that nothing beats seeing a film on a big screen with a friend. Sony Pictures Classics will release the film in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on April 22, 2022, before expanding to additional cities over the following weeks. The Duke premiered at the Venice and Telluride Film Festivals in 2021 and is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes at 95%. Today I’m joined by Jim Broadbent to discuss his work on The Duke and to thank him for making me look cool in the eyes of my 6-year old son.

A COWGIRL'S SONG is a coming-of-age drama that follows an aspiring but adrift teen singer who goes to live with her grandmother, once a country music legend, but has fallen on hard times after the death of her husband five years earlier. Together they overcome adversity and find redemption through their love of music. Today I’m joined by writer/director Timothy Armstrong and star Savannah Lee May to discuss their work on A COWGIRL’S SONG The film will be in theaters and VOD on  April 22

Rhys lives in the zombie-infested wasteland. His job is to capture civilians and deliver them to what's left of the military. When Rhys captures a half-zombie-half-human named Grace, he comes to believe she is the key to ending the apocalypse. The latest feature from Australian filmmaking brother duo Kiah Roache-Turner and Tristan Roache-Turner, whose previous collaborations include their breakout feature debut WYRMWOOD: ROAD OF THE DEAD, which premiered at the 2014 Fantastic Fest and put them on the map internationally for their creative use of low-budget gore and highly effective horrific story, and the 2018 TIFF Midnight Madness premiere NEKROTRONIC. The two share co-writing credits while Kiah handles direction with energetic ease and Tristan produces. With a mix of new and familiar faces from the creative worlds of the Roache-Turner brothers , WYRMWOOD: APOCALYPSE stars Luke McKenzie (Wentworth, WYRMWOOD: ROAD OF THE DEAD), Bianca Bradey (WYRMWOOD: ROAD OF THE DEAD), Shantae Barnes-Cowan (Total Control), Tasia Zalar (Mystery Road), Jay Gallagher (WYRMWOOD: ROAD OF THE DEAD, NEKROTRONIC), and Nicholas Boshier (Soul Mates). WYRMWOOD: APOCALYPSE — OUT DIGITALLY IN THE U.S. APRIL 14!

Today I chat with Sam Jones about his latest documentary film Tony Hawk: Until The Wheels Fall Off. Centering around intimate new interviews with Tony Hawk himself, the film is an all-encompassing look at the skateboarder’s life, legendary career, and relationship with the sport with which he’s been synonymous for decades. Hawk, a pioneer of modern vertical skating who is still pushing his limits at the age of 53, remains one of the most influential skateboarders of all time. Tony Hawk: Until The Wheels Fall Off is currently available on HBO and HBOMax.

Today I'm joined by Hazel Doupe. She is best known for her role as Frances, an Irish Traveller teen who idolizes boxing legend Muhammad Ali and trains herself to become a boxer in the 2018 film Float Like a Butterfly, which premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.  In 2021, Doupe portrayed Ingrid in the RTÉ One thriller drama series Smother, which also starred Dervla Kirwan, Niamh Walsh, Seána Kerslake and Gemma-Leah Devereux . I had Hazel on the show to discuss her latest film You Are Not My Mother. The film is currently in select theatres and on-demand.

Last night at the Oscars, in a truly unprecedented moment, Will Smith left his seat, walked on stage, and hit Chris Rock in the face. While many wondered for a second (including me) whether this all might have been staged, it clearly was not. According to Aron Solomon, chief legal analyst for Esquire Digital, “The question that millions of people are asking today is whether Will Smith’s actions legally constituted assault and battery. While the Oscars are broadcast to a massive audience around the world, they are held in California where assault and battery are, by statute, two different crimes. It is clear that what happened at the Oscars was an assault under the California statutory definition.” Today I’m joined by Aron Solomon to discuss the legal ramifications of last night's Best Actor winner's impulsive reaction to a joke. Thanks to Aron for jumping on this call so quickly and thanks to Fort Worth for letting me use the song.

He's a Canadian, British, and naturalized American citizen. He started in amateur theatre and operatic societies as well as community cable television while still in high school. The first film was as an assistant makeup artist on "Joshua Then and Now" and continued working as assistant makeup on numerous projects including "Anne of Green Gables" 'The Fly" "The Believers" and "Frontier" While just in his twenties he was makeup department head on "Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future" winning a daytime Emmy nomination in 1988 and continued to department head several network miniseries and movies of the week. He works extensively with out-of-kit techniques in casualty effects. His stellar credits as a department head and personal make-up artist in all aspects of feature film and television make-up from the period, corrective, casualty, beauty, and straight makeup, as well as tattoo cover, have been seen in countless feature films and projects for television. He worked extensively with Mark Wahlberg for many years as well as with Eminem. In recent years Donald has been working with Daniel Craig and continues to work as both a department head(The Fighter,8 Mile, Taking Lives, Repo Men, Prisoners, Everything Will Be Fine) and personal artist(Skyfall, Cowboys and Aliens) In 2012 Mr.Mowat received Her Majesty's, Diamond Jubilee Medal. Donald has also worked on numerous editorial/print projects with many actors and performers. Focused primarily on feature films from 1992 onwards his stellar career, commitment to the craft and industry as well as active involvement in many charitable causes has earned him an international reputation. I had Donald on  the show to discuss his Oscar-nominated work on DUNE.

Today I'm joined by Joey Ally, writer/director/star of THE HATER. The film satrs Joey Ally, Bruce Dern, Meredith Hagner, Ali Larter, Ian Harding, Nora Dunn Synopsis: After losing her job on a U.S. Senate campaign, a liberal environmentalist returns to her conservative Texas hometown to regroup. Upon learning her childhood nemesis is running for state legislature, she creates an ​elaborate scheme to go undercover as his opponent on the Republican ticket with the ultimate goal of forcing a Democratic victory THE HATER is currently available on VOD.

EXPIRED is written and directed by Ivan Sen (Goldstone, Mystery Road) and stars Ryan Kwanten (“True Blood,” Dead Silence), Hugo Weaving (The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings franchise), and Jillian Nguyen ("Clickbait"). SYNOPSIS: Ryan Kwanten (“True Blood”) and Hugo Weaving (The Matrix series) star in this futuristic thriller about a hitman who meets a mysterious woman and comes down with a deadly illness. Lionsgate will release the sci-fi film EXPIRED In Select Theaters, on Digital and On Demand March 18, 2022.

Nancy Cartwright, the ultimate Simpsons insider, has given voice to the boy immediately recognizable as none other than Bart Simpson for more than 30 years. The Simpsons is the longest running scripted show of all time. In this audio memoir, Nancy traces The Simpsons' rapid rise to wild popularity, offers hilarious anecdotes about cast members and guest stars, and reveals what it’s like to be at the center of an American institution - one that reinvented the sitcom, rocked the networks to the core, and forever changed the face of television. Enhanced with multiple audio clips featuring celebrity cameos on The Simpsons, I’m Still a 10-Year-Old Boy is uniquely suited to the audio experience. Audio cameos included are by Danny DeVito, Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, Meryl Streep, Kirk Douglas, J.K. Simmons, and Beverly D’Angelo as well as Simpsons main characters. In I’m Still a 10-Year Old Boy, Cartwright also offers listeners lessons that have contributed to her success as one of the most iconic voice-over actresses including: ·  Do What You Love - if you aren’t making a living by doing what you love, at least do what you like and still do what you love…somehow, somewhere. ·  Be a Professional - A professional, no matter what field, finds out what is needed and wanted. But more importantly, they are the ones who not only get it done, but get it done better than expected. ·  Hitch Your Wagon to a Winner - Whether you are an artist, a contractor, a salesman, a homemaker, or whatever, seek out those around you who are making a better world. ·  Surround Yourself with People Who Love You and Believe in Your Dreams-Do a little “spring cleaning” every now and then. Do I feel better when they are in my company, or do I feel worse? If I feel worse, adios, amigo. If I feel better, they get lunch on me! End of story. ·  Trust Your Instincts—You Are Right - You are the most competent captain for your own ship. Steer well, my friend. ·  You Are Responsible For The Condition You Are In—Good or Bad - You CAN CHANGE your situation and the way you are. And you wanna know how you do that? MAKE THE DECISION TO CHANGE. Created in 1989 by Matt Groening, The Simpsons is long-running (more than 30 years strong, with 706 episodes) and remains a beloved satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, consisting of Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie, and - of course - mischievous, rebellious, irreverent Bart. It continues to offer a biting parody of American culture, society, and television as well as the human condition itself. Nancy Cartwright has voiced Bart Simpson since a version of The Simpsons first appeared on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987. I'm Still A 10-Year-Old Boy is available for pre-order on Audible.

Thank you for listening to the Following Films Podcast. Today I’m joined by Jocelin Donahue to discuss her latest film OFFSEASON.  The film is about a woman who quickly returns to the isolated offshore island where her late mother is buried after receiving a mysterious letter that her mother’s gravesite has been vandalized. When she arrives, she discovers that the island is closing for the offseason with the bridges raised until Spring, leaving her stranded. One strange interaction with the local townspeople after another, She soon realizes that something is not quite right in this small town. She must unveil the mystery behind her mother’s troubled past in order to make it out alive. OFFSEASON will be In Select Theaters, On Demand and Digital:  March 11 Thank you to Bookmans for sponsoring the show and Fort Worth for letting me use their song at the end 

Bernardo, a Latin performer of Mexican descent, started acting at his high school in Santa Ana, California, before receiving his B.A. in theater from UCLA, followed by the master’s program at the prestigious Actors Studio Drama School in New York City. Throughout his education he trained under notable teachers such as Moctesuma Esparza, Jose Luis Valenzuela, Jacque Heim at UCLA and Ron Leibman, Barbara Poitier, and Susan Aston among others in New York. Since returning to Los Angeles, he has steadily worked in film, television, commercials, and print. Highlights from his TV career include recurring roles on FX Network’s “Snowfall,” where he was directed by John Singleton, USA Network’s “Queen of the South” as the right-hand man of a drug kingpin and TNT’s “Animal Kingdom.”  He has also guest starred in hit series such as “Dexter,” “Weeds,” “Dead To Me,” and “Insecure,” among others. Upcoming for Bernardo is a role in a new Hulu TV show titled “This Fool,” executive produced by Fred Armisen, premiering summer of 2022. His most notable film role is in the Clint Eastwood directed Warner Bros. film “Sully” starring Tom Hanks. Bernardo trained with a Navy Seal to portray real-life NYPD scuba diver ‘Robert Rodriguez.’ Robert was on the front lines rescuing passengers from the plane once it had safely landed in the Hudson River. Growing up, Bernardo considered himself dramatic and eccentric, participating in numerous school plays and pageants, singing and dancing. That passion turned into a true respect for the craft as a professional. He enjoys putting all the pieces of a character together from body language and speech to the emotional core, studying the script and finding clues to who the character is meant to be. As a Latin actor he is proud to be part of the turning of the tide as Hollywood expands its representation of what it means to be a Latin actor. Outside of acting, he enjoys travelling, having gone to Brazil for the World Cup, backpacked through Spain, and even attended a traveling acting school in Italy. Growing up, books were his escape, and he passes that on by reading to children in his spare time. He is also passionate about workers’ rights and union’s protective services.

Studio 666 is an upcoming supernatural horror comedy film directed by B. J. McDonnell, with a screenplay by Jeff Buhler and Rebecca Hughes, based on a story from Dave Grohl. Grohl stars in the film alongside his Foo Fighters bandmates Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, and Rami Jaffee, while Whitney Cummings, Leslie Grossman, Will Forte, Jenna Ortega and Jeff Garlin co-star. Studio 666 also marks the first film to feature the Foo Fighters that is not a documentary: The band were previously the subject of 2011's Foo Fighters: Back and Forth and 2014's Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways. The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on February 25, 2022, by Open Road Films. Today I had the chance to speak with producers John Ramsey and James A. Rota about their work on STUDIO 666.

Today I'm joined by Matt Glass and Jordan Wayne Long the co-directors behind GHOSTS OF THE OZARKS Tim Blake Nelson, David Arquette, Angela Bettis, Thomas Hobson, Phil Morris and Tara Perry star in this exciting new take on the southern ghost story. In post-Civil War Arkansas, a young doctor is mysteriously summoned to a remote town in the Ozarks only to discover that the utopian paradise is filled with secrets and surrounded by a menacing, supernatural presence GHOSTS OF THE OZARKS is available wherever you rent movies

Today I'm joined by Barbara Crampton to discuss ALONE WITH YOU. As a young woman painstakingly prepares a romantic homecoming for her girlfriend, their apartment begins to feel more like a tomb when voices, shadows, and hallucinations reveal a truth she has been unwilling to face. In Theaters February 4, 2022 and On Demand, Digital and DVD February 8, 2022

Today I'm joined by director/writer Victor Gabriel to discuss one of the highlights of this years Sundance Film Festival, the short HALLELUJAH. After being stuck with the guardianship of their annoying, bookworm nephew, two brothers in Compton, California, have to decide if they are willing to take on the responsibility of being caretakers.

Josh is writer, filmmaker and Dread Central’s managing editor. He also hosts ‘Development Hell’ on the DREAD Podcast Network where he unearths unmade horror films. Josh was kind enough to sit down with me and chat about the Sundance film PIGGY. We also talk about DEAD END, HELLRAISER, FRIDAY THE 13th, HALLOWEEN, LEPRECHAUN, horror in space and the delightful genre trash we both love. I had a great time chatting with Josh and hope to speak with him again. See the synopsis for PIGGY below: With the summer sun beating down on her rural Spanish town, Sara hides away in her parent’s butcher shop. A teenager whose excess weight makes her the target of incessant bullying, she flees a clique of capricious girls who torment her at the town pool, only to stumble upon them being brutally kidnapped by a stranger, who drives off with them in his van. When the police begin asking questions, Sara keeps quiet. Intrigued by the stranger — an interest that’s mutual — she’s torn between revealing the truth and protecting the man who saved her.

Today I'm joined by Rachael DeCruz and Jeremy S. Levine to discuss their Sundance documentary THE PANOLA PROJECT Highlighting the heroic efforts of Dorothy Oliver, who vaccinated nearly 99% of her small town of Panola, Alabama against COVID-19, THE PANOLA PROJECT chronicles how an often-overlooked rural Black community came together in creative ways to survive.

RLJE Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, has picked up select rights to the horror film SUPERHOST from Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural. RLJE Films will release SUPERHOST on VOD, Digital HD, DVD and Blu-ray on February 1, 2022.Directed and written by Brandon Christensen (Z, Still/Born), SUPERHOST stars Sara Canning (“9-1-1”, “Nancy Drew”), Osric Chau (“The Flash”, “Nancy Drew”), Gracie Gillam (“Z Nation,” “Scream Queens”), and Barbara Crampton (Jakob’s Wife). The DVD will be available for an SRP of $27.97 and Blu-ray for an SRP of $28.96.In SUPERHOST, Teddy and Claire are travel vloggers who run a channel called “SUPERHOST” where they travel and share their experiences in and around vacation homes, and until recently, had become successful doing it. With a dwindling subscriber count, they find the perfect opportunity to create content that people want to see when they meet Rebecca, the host of their most recent trip. Slowly they start to realize that something isn’t right with Rebecca, and as they investigate it further, they unlock a horrifying truth. She doesn’t just want a great review, she wants something far worse.

Today I'm joined by actor Malcolm Goodwin to discuss his role in the upcoming Amazon Prime series REACHER REACHER follows Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson), a veteran military police investigator who has just recently entered civilian life. Reacher is a drifter, carrying no phone and the barest of essentials as he travels the country and explores the nation he once served. When Reacher arrives in the small town of Margrave, Georgia, he finds a community grappling with its first homicide in 20 years. The cops immediately arrest him and eyewitnesses claim to place Reacher at the scene of the crime. While he works to prove his innocence, a deep-seated conspiracy begins to emerge, one that will require Reacher’s keen mind and hard-hitting fists to deal with. One thing above all is for sure: They picked the wrong guy to take the fall.

Today I'm joined by director John Patton Ford to discuss his film EMILY THE CRIMINAL. Emily (Aubrey Plaza) is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record. Desperate for income, she takes a shady gig as a “dummy shopper,” buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a middleman named Youcef (Theo Rossi). Faced with a series of dead-end job interviews, Emily soon finds herself seduced not only by the quick cash and illicit thrills of black market capitalism, but also by her ardent mentor Youcef.

Los Angeles based Editor Michael Felker worked on the Sundance project Something In The Dirt, a film by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. In the film, when two neighbors witness supernatural events in their Los Angeles apartment building, they realize documenting the paranormal could inject some fame and fortune into their wasted lives. An ever-deeper, darker rabbit hole, their friendship frays as they uncover the dangers of the phenomena, the city and each other. DIY wonderkids Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson make their Sundance Film Festival debut, serving as co-directors, co-stars, co-editors, writer (Benson), and cinematographer (Moorhead) of this twisted, sci-fi talkie. Their oddball chemistry shines on screen and in the script, as these two isolated and unfulfilled individuals spur each other toward wormholes and away from reality. Something In The Dirt tells a tale of these paranoid times, where every answer imaginable is just a Google search away.

Episodes moving behind the pay wall

SALT IN MY SOUL will be released on VOD in the US, Canada, and UK & Ireland and key territories worldwide on January 25. Based on the posthumously published bestselling memoir of the same name, the film takes you inside the mind of a young woman who tries to live a full life while dying.  Mallory Smith was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of three. In her twenty five-year battle with the deadly disease, she carved out a life that most of us don’t come close to. Using Mallory’s posthumously published 25,000-page secret diaries, hundreds of hours of newly discovered footage, and audio recordings, the film offers Mallory as the narrator of her own extraordinary chronicle.

Grammy award honoree, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don McLean will be performing live at the Fox Tucson Theatre on Thursday, February 24 at 7:30 p.m. He will be singing his classic hits “American Pie,” "Castles In The Air," "Vincent," as well as other fan favorites from throughout the years. McLean’s legendary voice will make for an unforgettable night of music and entertainment, often sharing the story behind his most well-known song. This will be an experience fans won’t want to miss as McLean puts his extraordinary talent and iconic career on display, surprising audiences with one-of-a-kind shows and new set lists every night! 

Today I'm joined by Paul Solet to discuss his upcoming crime/thriller, CLEAN. The film is a passion project for Academy Award winning actor ADRIEN BRODY (The French Dispatch, HBO’s “Succession,” The Pianist) who not only stars in the film, but also produced, co-wrote the screenplay and composed the score. The film is developed through Brody’s production company Fable House. CLEAN will be in theaters and everywhere you rent and buy movies on January 28, 2022. For more information go to https://www.clean.movie