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While most war movies take viewers into the heart of battle, it’s less common to get a glimpse into recruits' experiences training in boot camp before they enter conflict zones. This formative time in a soldier’s military life equips them with the skills and knowledge needed to fight on the front lines and, in some circumstances, can be just as traumatic as actual warfare. While some great post-war movies have explored veterans' experiences adapting to life after wartime, other fantastic films address their training in boot camp.

From historically accurate World War II movies to harrowing portrayals of lesser-known conflicts, boot camp has played a part in some of the greatest war movies ever made. Famed directors like Ridley Scott, Clint Eastwood, and even Stanley Kubrick have used boot camps as a platform to depict the horrors of war and the young soldiers who give their lives in the name of violence.

"Seeds" is exactly the type of episode we have been waiting for "Marvel's Agents of Shield" to deliver. Easily the best episode on the show since "Fzzt," the fast-moving episode introduces a new facet of Shield, resolves an aspect of Skye's mystery in an interesting way and launches a new supervillain.

It also made FitzSimmons the most popular kids at Shield Academy, which leads us to the realization that "Agents of Shield" is somehow at its best when it focuses on these two characters. Maybe it's the easy chemistry Elizabeth Henstridge and Iain De Caestecker have or maybe it's just that their characters are the most likeable, but these two episodes that have put them at the forefront have been our favorites.

The pair is summoned back to the Shield Academy -- sort of the Hogwarts for Shield newbies -- to investigate an incident where a mysterious object caused a pool to freeze almost instantaneously.

Sneak Peek more new footage from the next "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." episode titled "Seeds", airing January 14, 2014, written by Monica Owusu-Breen/Jed Whedon and directed by Ken Fink, revealing the miraculous recovery of 'Agent Coulson', following the events of "The Avengers":

"...'Coulson' and 'May' uncover startling information about the past of 'Skye', while the team is swept into a storm at 'S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy'..."

Adapting characters from Marvel Comics, the ABC series stars Clark Gregg as 'Agent Phil Coulson', Ming-Na Wen as 'Agent Melinda May', Brett Dalton as 'Agent Grant Ward', Chloe Bennet as 'Skye', Iain De Caestecker as 'Agent Leo Fitz' and Elizabeth Henstridge as 'Agent Jemma Simmons'.

"Seed" guest stars include David Conrad as 'Ian Quinn', Christine Adams as 'Agent Anne Weaver', Dylan Minnette as 'Donnie Gill', Daniel Zovatto as 'Seth Dormer', Boyd Kestner as 'Richard Lumley', Zachary Burr Abel as...

"Seeds" – Coulson and May uncover startling information about Skye’s past, while the team is swept into a storm at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, on "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Tuesday, January 14 (8:00-9:00 p.m., Et) on the ABC Television Network. "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Agent Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz and Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons. Guest starring are David Conrad as Ian Quinn, Christine Adams as Agent Anne Weaver, Dylan Minnette as Donnie Gill, Daniel Zovatto as Seth Dormer, Boyd Kestner as Richard Lumley, Zachary Burr Abel as Tad and Maiara Walsh as Callie Hannigan. "Seeds" was written by Monica Owusu-Breen & Jed Whedon and directed by Ken Fink.

Sneak Peek new footage, images and synopsis from the "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." episode "Seeds", airing January 14, 2014, written by Monica Owusu-Breen/Jed Whedon and directed by Ken Fink, revealing what happened to 'Agent Coulson' after the events of "The Avengers":

"...'Coulson' and 'May' uncover startling information about the past of 'Skye', while the team is swept into a storm at 'S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy'..."

Adapting characters from Marvel Comics, the ABC series stars Clark Gregg as 'Agent Phil Coulson', Ming-Na Wen as 'Agent Melinda May', Brett Dalton as 'Agent Grant Ward', Chloe Bennet as 'Skye', Iain De Caestecker as 'Agent Leo Fitz' and Elizabeth Henstridge as 'Agent Jemma Simmons'.

"Seed" guest stars include David Conrad as 'Ian Quinn', Christine Adams as 'Agent Anne Weaver', Dylan Minnette as 'Donnie Gill', Daniel Zovatto as 'Seth Dormer', Boyd Kestner as 'Richard Lumley', Zachary Burr Abel as 'Tad'...

New Agents Of Shield episode 12,season 1 intense spoilers & clips hit the net. Last night, ABC released the new spoilers and sneak peek/spoiler clip (below) for their upcoming "Agents Of Shield" episode 12 of season 1. The episode is entitled, "Seeds," and it appears to be very intriguing and intense as Coulson has some very bad news for Skye, the crew gets attacked by a super storm, and more! In the new "Seeds" episode, Coulson and Melinda May are going to uncover startling information about Skye’s past, while the team gets swept up into a huge super storm at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. Guest stars will include: David Conrad as Ian Quinn, Christine Adams as Agent Anne Weaver, Dylan Minnette as Donnie Gill, Daniel Zovatto as Seth Dormer, Boyd Kestner as Richard Lumley, Zachary Burr Abel as Tad ,and Maiara Walsh as Callie Hannigan. The episode was written...

"Seeds" – Coulson and May uncover startling information about Skye’s past, while the team is swept into a storm at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, on "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Tuesday, January 14 (8:00-9:00 p.m., Et) on the ABC Television Network. "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Agent Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz and Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons. Guest starring are David Conrad as Ian Quinn, Christine Adams as Agent Anne Weaver, Dylan Minnette as Donnie Gill, Daniel Zovatto as Seth Dormer, Boyd Kestner as Richard Lumley, Zachary Burr Abel as Tad and Maiara Walsh as Callie Hannigan. "Seeds" was written by Monica Owusu-Breen & Jed Whedon and directed by Ken Fink.

New Agents Of Shield episode 12,season 1 official spoilers,plotline revealed by ABC. Recently, ABC released the new,official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "Agents Of Shield" episode 12 of season 1. The episode is entitled, "Seeds," and it sounds quite intriguing as Coulson and Melinda discover surprising information about Skye's past, and more. In the new,12th episode press release: Coulson and Melinda May are going to uncover startling information about Skye’s past, while the team is swept into a storm at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. Guest stars will feature: David Conrad as Ian Quinn, Christine Adams as Agent Anne Weaver, Dylan Minnette as Donnie Gill, Daniel Zovatto as Seth Dormer, Boyd Kestner as Richard Lumley, Zachary Burr Abel as Tad ,and Maiara Walsh as Callie Hannigan. The episode was written by Monica Owusu-Breen & Jed Whedon ,and directed by Ken Fink. Episode 12 is due to air on Tuesday night,...

Missing "Marvel's Agents of Shield"? With only five days left until the show returns, ABC released a whole slew of new photos from the next two episodes in the Marvel series.

Episodes 11 and 12 introduce a bunch of new faces to the Marvel gang. In "The Magical Place" (which already marks the returns of Saffron Burrows' Victoria Hand and Ron Glass' Dr. Streiten) fans will meet a character named Vanchat who is played by "All My Children's" Aiden Turner. Meanwhile in "Seeds," newcomers include Christine Adams as Agent Anne Weaver, Dylan Minnette as Donnie Gill (aka Blizzard), Boyd Kestner as Richard Lumley, Maiara Walsh as Callie Hannigan, Daniel Zovatto as Seth Dormer and Zachary Burr Abel as Tad.

Here are the new stills from the next two "Agents of Shield" episodes:

Episode 11 - 'The Magical Place'

Synopsis: "Coulson uncovers vital information about the mystery of his death, but,...

Sneak Peek new images from the "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." episode "Seeds", airing January 14, 2014, written by Monica Owusu-Breen/Jed Whedon and directed by Ken Fink, revealing what happened to 'Agent Coulson' after the events of "The Avengers":

"...'Coulson' and 'May' uncover startling information about the past of 'Skye', while the team is swept into a storm at 'S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy'..."

Adapting characters from Marvel Comics, the ABC series stars Clark Gregg as 'Agent Phil Coulson', Ming-Na Wen as 'Agent Melinda May', Brett Dalton as 'Agent Grant Ward', Chloe Bennet as 'Skye', Iain De Caestecker as 'Agent Leo Fitz' and Elizabeth Henstridge as 'Agent Jemma Simmons'.

"Seed" guest stars include David Conrad as 'Ian Quinn', Christine Adams as 'Agent Anne Weaver', Dylan Minnette as 'Donnie Gill', Daniel Zovatto as 'Seth Dormer', Boyd Kestner as 'Richard Lumley', Zachary Burr Abel as 'Tad' and Maiara Walsh as 'Callie Hannigan'.

"Seeds" – Coulson and May uncover startling information about Skye’s past, while the team is swept into a storm at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, on "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Tuesday, January 14 (8:00-9:00 p.m., Et) on the ABC Television Network. "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Agent Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz and Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons. Guest starring are David Conrad as Ian Quinn, Christine Adams as Agent Anne Weaver, Dylan Minnette as Donnie Gill, Daniel Zovatto as Seth Dormer, Boyd Kestner as Richard Lumley, Zachary Burr Abel as Tad and Maiara Walsh as Callie Hannigan. "Seeds" was written by Monica Owusu-Breen & Jed Whedon and directed by Ken Fink. Click on the images below to view the full-size versions.

The villainous Ian Quinn returns to Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alongside the debut of Donnie Gill, a name eagle-eyed Marvel fans may find familiar, in an all-new episode premiering Tuesday, January 14 on ABC.

In Seeds, Coulson and May uncover startling information about Skye's past, while the team is swept into a storm at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, on Tuesday, January 14 (8:00-9:00 p.m., Et) on the ABC Television Network.

In the Marvel Comics, Donnie Gill is the alias of the villain known as Blizzard, who wears a battle suit that contains cryogenic circuitry allowing its wearer to generate and focus intense cold. By manipulating this cold, Gill can create blasts of ice missiles and walls of ice, as well as form sleet, snow and freezing rain. He is the second person to wear the Blizzard suit after Gregor Shapanka.

Guest starring are David Conrad as Ian Quinn, Christine Adams as Agent Anne Weaver,...

On January 14 Donald Gill who Marvel Comics fans may know as Blizzard is making his debut on Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D played by Dylan Minnette. Also Ian Quill is set to return as the episode is said to delve more into Skye's past. "Seeds" – Coulson and May uncover startling information about Skye’s past, while the team is swept into a storm at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, on "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Tuesday, January 14 (8:00-9:00 p.m., Et) on the ABC Television Network. "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Agent Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz and Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons. Guest starring are David Conrad as Ian Quinn, Christine Adams as Agent Anne Weaver, Dylan Minnette as Donnie Gill, Daniel Zovatto as Seth Dormer,...

• Career villain Javier Bardem has been offered the lead baddie role of the pirate Blackbeard in Peter Pan origin story Pan for Warner Bros. The tale follows an orphan through Neverland, where he becomes the savior of the natives and fights against the pirates. [Deadline]

• Imogen Poots, who stars alongside Aaron Paul in the upcoming Need for Speed, has joined the cast of Beautiful Ruins, an adaptation of Jess Walter’s bestselling novel about an American actress in Italy for the Cleopatra shoot, a development assistant in present day Los Angeles, and a producer who started on the set of Cleopatra.

Kickback

Famke Janssen has joined the cast of Raza Mallal's crime thriller "Kickback". The story follows a renegade Moscow detective investigating the murder of a female war journalist.

John Cusack, Sean Astin, Misha Barton, Michael Biehn, John Hannah, Rutger Hauer, Stelio Savante, Tom Sizemore and Sean Young also star. Filming begins in March in Canada and Europe. [Source: Screen]

Get On Up

Tika Sumpter ("The Haves And Have-Nots") has joined the cast of Tate Taylor's James Brown biopic "Get On Up" at Universal Pictures. Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Nelsan Ellis

Sumpter will play Yvonne Fair, a singer in the James Brown Revue who recorded Brown's "I Found You" which later was reworked into his classic "I Got You (I Feel Good)". [Source: Deadline]

Little Loopers

Natalie Imbruglia ("Neighbors") and Boyd Kestner ("Hanna's Gold") will star in Jimmy Valdez's indie family comedy "Little Loopers" which is shooting in Palm Springs.

Directed by: Stephen C. Miller

Written by: Ben Powell

Featuring: Ray Wise, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Boyd Kestner, Fabienne Therese, Ryan Hartwig

SXSW's Midnighter films are known for being the edgiest, most gruesome and unflinching offerings the festival has to offer each year; titles like last year's Kill List go on to acquire great acclaim and cult followings after they reach mainstream distribution, and I believe that The Aggression Scale is a film destined for such a future.

Ray Wise is impeccably cast as Bellavance, a big-time mafioso who is out on a $1.5 million bail note after a span of time spent behind bars; he has 48 hours to pay the bail back or he heads into prison again for good. Upon his release from the big house, he discovers that one of the people he deals with has stolen a vast quantity of money from him, undercutting his ability to pay the note.

If the folks behind Funny or Die did an R-rated spoof of Home Alone, their parody would most likely bear a passing resemblance to Steven C. Miller's The Aggression Scale.  The home-invasion thriller isn't owned by Chris Columbus' 1990 family comedy, but when you make a blond pre-teen kid the defender of the home, the comparison is inevitable.  While a darker Home Alone with R-rated violence may seem like a promising prospect, The Aggression Scale seems stuck at "insane badass kid dishes out bloody vengeance."  Although Miller opens his movie with a bravura opening sequence and manages to hold on to some semblance of tension, the thrills die down by giving Superboy all the power. "I want it loud and messy, Lloyd!" angry mobster Bellavance (Ray Wise) yells to his crony (Dana Ashbrook).  Bellavance is out on bail after being accused of murder, and he needs to flee the country with his money.

"The Aggression Scale" is like "Home Alone" with more death. If only it were as good a time as that description might lead you to believe. Directed by Steven C. Miller, who last made the Syfy Original "Scream of the Banshee," the movie is a schlocky pleasure when it finally gets around to delivering on its premise of a dysfunctional teen with violent tendencies taking on a group of thugs. But the build to that point is long, overly serious and reliant on actors and dialogue that aren't up to holding the screen through extended periods of talking or layering on of atmosphere. Character development is a quality of which genre films are often seriously in need, but it feels more like filler when your characters make no sense to begin with and most of them are just slaughter fodder.

Dana Ashbrook plays Lloyd, the top enforcer for Mr. Bellavance (Ray Wise,...

Today in horror news we have a first look at the trailer for The Agfression Scale. The Aggression Scale will make it's world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival's midnight category next month. The Aggression Scale has been referred to an 80's influenced thriller with teenagers as the heroes. The film is about four heavily armed hit-men and two unusual teenagers go to war over $500,000 of stolen cash. The Aggression Scale is directed by Steven C. Miller, written by Ben Powell, and stars Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, and Ray Wise.

Just yesterday we brought you the first goodies from Automaton Transfusion director Steven C. Miller's next film, The Aggression Scale, and today we've landed the trailer. Dig it!

The Aggression Scale is an 80's influenced thriller with teenagers as the heroes. Directed by Steven C. Miller and written by Ben Powell, the film stars Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, and Ray Wise. It's produced by Travis Stevens of Snowfort Pictures and Joe McKelheer and Eben Kostbar of Film Harvest.

Synopsis:

4 hitmen + $500,000 of stolen cash + 1 family = War

Check out the teaser art homage to Maximum Overdrive below along with the trailer, and for more visit the official The Aggression Scale website, where you can measure your own aggression level, and follow The Aggression Scale on Twitter.

Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!

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Be aggressive in the comments section below!

The Aggression Scale Trailer. Steven C. Miller‘s The Aggression Scale (2012) movie trailer stars Ray Wise, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, and Fabianne Therese. The Aggression Scale‘s plot synopsis: “Four heavily armed hitmen and two unusual teenagers go to war over $500,000 of stolen cash.”

God damn this film looks intense. I can not wait to watch this movie. I would go to war over $500,000 as well. If handled right, that amount of money could be life changing.

What is an agression scale:

a psychological test measuring the frequency of overt aggressive behaviors that may result in physical or psychological injury to others.

On the feel of The Aggression Scale:

Aggression…is described as being in the spirit of the 1980s canon and in the vein of A History of Violence but with the teens as the heroes, taking on four hitmen over $500,000 in stolen cash.

The Aggression Scale also stars Boyd Kestner,...

Sound On Sight will once again be covering the SXSW Film Festival this year, making it our second time attending. We’ve already posted news that 130 feature films will screen at the Austin, Texas fest taking place March 9-17, including 65 World Premieres, 17 North American Premieres and 10 U.S. Premieres. Now the fest has announced their “Midnighters” line-up which includes Sundance premieres V/H/S and Don Coscarelli’s John Dies at the End, and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s Intruders, Paco Plaza’s [Rec] ³ Genesis, Timo Vuorensola’s Iron Sky… to name a few.

The 2012 SXSW Film Festival runs from March 9 – 17th. Here is the complete Midnighters line-up:

The Aggression Scale

Director: Steven C. Miller, Screenwriter: Ben Powell

4 hitmen + $500,000 of stolen cash + 1 family = War

Cast: Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, Ray Wise (World Premiere)

Citadel (Ireland, Scotland)

Director/Screenwriter: Ciarán Foy...

Director Steven C. Miller's The Aggression Scale will be having its world premiere during the 2012 SXSW Film Festival, and in honor of the occasion, we've gotten our hands on some exclusive teaser artwork for the film.

The Aggression Scale is an 80's influenced thriller with teenagers as the heroes. Directed by Steven C. Miller and written by Ben Powell, the film stars Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, and Ray Wise. It's produced by Travis Stevens of Snowfort Pictures and Joe McKelheer and Eben Kostbar of Film Harvest.

Synopsis:

4 hitmen + $500,000 of stolen cash + 1 family = War

Check out the teaser art homage to Maximum Overdrive below along with a still from the film, and for more visit the official The Aggression Scale website, where you can measure your own aggression level, and follow The Aggression Scale on Twitter.

Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival has announced the highly anticipated features in its Midnighters section, as well as the complete short films lineup, which will debut at this year’s Festival from March 9-17, 2012 in Austin, Texas.

The eleven films announced in the 2012 Midnighters program include a feast of titles that promise to rouse, haunt, and thrill the eager SXSW late-night audiences with an eclectic mix of thrills from genre filmmakers at the top of their game.

“Though our regular program already includes a healthy sampling of genre fare, the Midnighters section highlights those that go a bit crazier, gorier, and all-around balls out-ier,” said SXSW Senior Programmer and Operations Manager Jarod Neece. “This year's program includes both veteran names with anticipated follow-ups and fresh discoveries with new voices and charts otherworldly, insane territories that breathe new life into horror conventions.”

The SXSW Film Festival will open on Friday,...

Following the announcement of the majority of South by Southwest’s 2012 line-up including Cabin in the Woods, 21 Jump Street, The Raid and Casa de mi Padre, the midnight section has been unveiled today. Most notably there is V/H/S, a horror anthology we enjoyed at Sundance (review here), as well as Clive Owen-starring Intruders and the third film in the [Rec] quadrilogy. The nazi space movie Iron Sky is also part of line-up and a “super secret” screening. Check out the midnight premieres below for the fest kicking off on March 9th and head over to the official site for the shorts announcement, including a new one from Don Hertzfeldt.

The Aggression Scale

Director: Steven C. Miller, Screenwriter: Ben Powell

4 hitmen + $500,000 of stolen cash + 1 family = War

Cast: Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, Ray Wise (World Premiere)

Citadel (Ireland,...

SXSW has announced their "Midnighters" line-up for this year's film festival. The section includes Sundance premieres V/H/S (my review) and Don Coscarelli's John Dies at the End, plus other exciting entries like Austin Chick's Girls Against Boys, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's Intruders, Paco Plaza's [Rec] ³ Genesis, and Timo Vuorensola's Iron Sky. Hit the jump for the full Midnighters line-up. The 2012 SXSW Film Festival runs from March 9 – 17th. Here's the Midnighters line-up: The Aggression Scale Director: Steven C. Miller, Screenwriter: Ben Powell 4 hitmen + $500,000 of stolen cash + 1 family = War Cast: Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, Ray Wise (World Premiere) Citadel (Ireland, Scotland) Director/Screenwriter: Ciarán Foy An agoraphobic father teams up with a renegade priest to save his daughter from the clutches of a gang of twisted feral children. Cast: Anuerin Barnard, James Cosmo, Wumni Mosaku,...

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival announced its always-fun Midnighters section, as well as the complete lineup of 135 short films, for this year’s festival, set for March 9-17 in Austin. Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard’s The Cabin in the Woods will kick things off as the festival’s official Opening Night Film. “Though our regular program already includes a healthy sampling of genre fare, the Midnighters section highlights those that go a bit crazier, gorier, and all-around balls out-ier,” said SXSW senior programmer and operations manager Jarod Neece. “This year’s program includes both veteran...

SXSW announced today the lineups for their Midnighters and Shorts programs. The Midnighters section pulls together a batch of genre-heavy world premieres, including Spanish found-footage horror sequel [Rec] ³ Genesis and dark comedy Girls Against Boys, as well as proven festival favorites V/H/S and John Dies at the End.

The shorts program meanwhile is as extensive as ever, featuring 135 selections including works from James M. Johnson, Jeremiah Zagar, Bill Plympton, Dustin Guy Defa, and Josh and Benny Safdie (who present their Sundance Jury Prize winner The Black Balloon.)

The full lineups:

Midnighters

Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious.

The Aggression Scale

Director: Steven C. Miller, Screenwriter: Ben Powell

4 hitmen + $500,000 of stolen cash + 1 family = War

Cast: Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, Ray Wise (World Premiere)

Citadel (Ireland, Scotland)

Director/Screenwriter: Ciarán Foy...

Check out red carpet photos from La premiere of New Line Cinema's "Appaloosa" including Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger and more! The preem took place at the Academy Theater / Beverly Hills, CA. on September 18th. The film makes its expansion this weekend into 800+ venues. Also in the cast are Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall, Lance Henriksen, Mike Watson, Rex Linn, Tom Bower, Boyd Kestner, Gabriel Marantz. Set in 1882 in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around city marshal Virgil Cole (Harris) and his deputy and partner Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who have made their reputation as peacekeepers in the lawless towns springing up in the untamed land.

Check out red carpet photos from La premiere of New Line Cinema's "Appaloosa" including Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger and more! The preem took place at the Academy Theater / Beverly Hills, CA. on September 18th. The film makes its expansion this weekend into 800+ venues. Also in the cast are Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall, Lance Henriksen, Mike Watson, Rex Linn, Tom Bower, Boyd Kestner, Gabriel Marantz. Set in 1882 in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around city marshal Virgil Cole (Harris) and his deputy and partner Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who have made their reputation as peacekeepers in the lawless towns springing up in the untamed land.

Check out red carpet photos from La premiere of New Line Cinema's "Appaloosa" including Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger and more! The preem took place at the Academy Theater / Beverly Hills, CA. on September 18th. The film makes its expansion this weekend into 800+ venues. Also in the cast are Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall, Lance Henriksen, Mike Watson, Rex Linn, Tom Bower, Boyd Kestner, Gabriel Marantz. Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen ("Eastern Promises"), four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris ("Pollock"), Academy Award winner Renee Zellweger ("Cold Mountain") and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons ("Reversal of Fortune") star in the Western "Appaloosa," adapted from the Robert B. Parker novel. All images copyright© Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos Set in 1882 in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around city marshal Virgil Cole (Harris) and his deputy and partner Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who have made their reputation as peacekeepers in the...

Check out red carpet photos from La premiere of New Line Cinema's "Appaloosa" including Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger and more! The preem took place at the Academy Theater / Beverly Hills, CA. on September 18th. The film makes its expansion this weekend into 800+ venues. Also in the cast are Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall, Lance Henriksen, Mike Watson, Rex Linn, Tom Bower, Boyd Kestner, Gabriel Marantz. Set in 1882 in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around city marshal Virgil Cole (Harris) and his deputy and partner Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who have made their reputation as peacekeepers in the lawless towns springing up in the untamed land.

There's a deadly serpentine sting in "Cleopatra's Second Husband", an icy, finely chipped drama that played recently in the competition category at the Hamptons International Film Festival at East Hampton, N.Y.

Stirred with delicious doses of deadpan irony and deliberate malevolence, "Cleopatra's Second Husband"'s most appreciative audience, other than the brassy oldsters in the audience here, would be at film festivals that cater to the young and the subversive -- Sundance, etc. -- and cable channels whose subscribers like their fare served bent and parched.

In this modern-day relationship story, Robert (Paul Hipp) and his whiny wife Halle (Bitty Schram) are an affluent married couple who are trying to have a child. Unfortunately, the necessary methodical approach turns Robert off, and their perfunctory, goal-oriented lovemaking soon disintegrates into mutual uninterest. What's a have-it-all pair to do?

Take a month in the country, perhaps, to reinvigorate the old juices. Their trendy friends suggest a pretty pair of house-sitters, specifically a delicious duo named Zack (Boyd Kestner) and Sophie (Radha Mitchell), who do not suffer from the married pair's affliction of sex gone stale.

Not surprisingly, a change of scenery fails to stimulate Robert's diminished libido. It only sparks his primary interest, photography. Now Robert's not one of those cheery nature shooters, but he does have a keen eye for the cycles of life -- he photographs road kill and insects, etc. This annoys and further agitates his spouse, especially when Robert suggests returning home early to work on a free-lance photography assignment. It is, after all, his passion, inherited money and clamorous wife that afford him the opportunity and the determination to bury himself with his dead-animal shots.

Counterpointing the marrieds' listless sex with the house-sitters' steamy lovemaking, screenwriter-director Jon Reiss precisely and perceptively documents the mechanical ennui of a joyless marriage. Stroking it with a man-on-man competition for the affections of the libidinous Sophie, Reiss' depiction is both searing and cold.

The dark scenario is not only flecked with the abrasions of everyday closeness but garnished with decadent pangs and cruelties. It's a tale in which the real drama lies just below the surface, and when the civilities break, things get deadly. The imagery and pessimism recalls, in its darkest invasions, Bunuel -- the horrible, entomological associations.

Hipp is strong as the pusillanimous and wimpy husband-photographer, while Schram is aptly annoying as his shrill and insensitive wife. As the lusty lovers, Kestner and Mitchell steam up the screen.

Technical contributions are well-realized, aptly frosty and needling. In particular, Matt Faw's skewed compositions clue us to the inner rages and suppressions of the respective characters.

CLEOPATRA'S SECOND HUSBAND

Credits: Producers: Jill Goldman, David Scott Rubin, Jacqui de la Fontaine, Jon Reiss; Screenwriter-director: Jon Reiss; Director of photography: Matt Faw; Editor: Toby Yates; Music: Cary Berger; Cast: Robert: Paul Hipp; Zack: Boyd Kestner; Sophie: Radha Mitchell; Halle: Bitty Schram. No MPAA rating. Color/stereo. Running time -- 93 minutes.