News

It's been announced that Jordan Peele (Get Out) will be the recipient of The National Association of Theatre Owners (Nato)'s "CinemaCon Director of the Year" award. Congrats, Mr. Peele! Also in today's Highlights: Other Madnesses trailer and release details, Kill The Minotaur, Raised by Wolves, and The Quiet Hour.

Jordan Peele to Receive CinemaCon Director of the Year Award: Press Release: Washington D.C. (March 20, 2017) – Jordan Peele, the breakthrough writer/director of Universal Pictures’ smash “Get Out,” will receive the “CinemaCon® Director of the Year,” it was announced today by CinemaCon Managing Director, Mitch Neuhauser. CinemaCon, the official convention of The National Association of Theatre Owners (Nato), will be held March 27-30, 2017 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Peele will be presented with this special honor at the “CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards” ceremony, which takes place on the evening of Thursday, March 30, at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace,...

• Boardwalk Empire actor Jack Huston will take the chariot reins as the title role in the upcoming remake of Ben-Hur. Previously, Tom Hiddleston had been in talks for the role of slave Judah Ben-Hur in the Paramount and MGM picture. Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) is directing the film adapted by John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) and Keith Clarke (The Way Back) that is said to be based more on Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ than the 1959 film that starred Charlton Heston. Morgan Freeman has already been cast as Ildarin, the teacher who helps make the slave Ben-Hur into chariot racer champion.

The Butcher Brothers (Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores) have reteamed for the found footage film - Raised by Wolves. This film is currently in post-production, from Helios Productions and San Francisco Independent Cinema. A supernatural horror film, Raised by Wolves now has an official trailer. As well, the film stars porn actress Jenna Haze and actors Keith Roenke and Evan Crooks. The story begins with several amateur skaterboarders. Rumours tell of a haunted home, with an empty pool (perfect for riding). The skaters head up to the isolated locale, only to find that the rumours are true. Spirits inhabit their bodies, until no one remains. Fans of found footage or possession themed horror can take a look at the first clip. Full of shaky camera work, the trailer shows some of the horrors found in one deadly home. Director: Mitchell Altieri. Writers: Mitchell Altieri, Phil Flores and Cory Knauf. Cast: Jenna Haze,...

Chicago – As much as our love for Netflix continues to grow on a daily basis as the company expands its grip on the streaming empire by offering brilliant programming like “Orange is the New Black” and “House of Cards,” the interface, both on computer and iOS can be a little overwhelming. How do you find something worth watching?

Some of the personalized recommendations are good. Some are horrendous. Let us be your guide. On the first Tuesday of every month (and likely more often as the library of this service continues to grow), we’ll give you ten interesting movies to add to your queue. We’ll shoot for a mix of new and old, a variety of genres, major films and minor ones — the “something for everyone” aspect that Netflix uses so well. We’ll be brief — ten movies, ten Netflix descriptions, our brief reasons as to why these flicks made the cut,...

Next week in Miami, hundreds of bloggers, marketers, corporate brand reps, music and film artists will be checking in at the Eden Roc Hotel to attend Hispanicize, a social media platform for today’s Latino innovators. Now in its 4th year, the marketing, interactive, film and music conference was founded by Manny Ruiz, a PR businessman who adopted the term Hispanicize to signify the transformation and growing impact of Latino culture into traditional American mainstream and who created this convergence to amplify the success of diverse voices in social media.

In part modeled after SXSW and Ted Talks, Hispanicize aims to be a digital multi-media launchpad and idea stimulating conference tailored towards Latinos. The event’s core journalistic DNA is confirmed by guest co-chair, Soledad O Brien, who just signed off on her morning CNN show capping off a decade of reporting for the news outlet. For the second year the South Beach setting will host yacht parties, beachside receptions, breakfast and lunch networking, and 100 plus talks, featuring such entrepreneurs in social media like the Latina Mom Bloggers, panels like How Brands and Agencies are Engaging and Collaborating with Latino Bloggers and Getting on Corporate Boards. The heavily sponsored event, (Procter & Gamble is the presenting sponsor) will include a Diversity Tech Leaders Summit presented by Sprint in which the lesser-known business stories of diverse tech and social media entrepreneurs who are making their marks in digital media will be highlighted.

I have to admit I knew nothing of Hispanicize up until a couple months ago. Curious, I went on the website and I found the lingo a tad superfluous and hyperbolic. Words like iconic and mighty are used to describe the young but clearly flourishing event. Then again, this kind of grandiose speak is typical Public Relations so it makes sense given it is a partnership with Hispanic Public Relations Association (Hpra) and the Public Relations Society of America (Prsa).

I reached out to the founder Manny Ruiz to find out more about the mission of the event and found his enthusiasm and excitement for what he considers a pioneering movement infectious. It’s hard to argue that this mass tech and entertainment crossroads gathering makes for an incredible networking opportunity. Ruiz called it a “Uniting of these industries to create a symphony” and went on to note it is much more powerful for bloggers to converge at the same place with journalists, marketers, digital, music and film innovators then if you had them out there individually and remotely. Before I knew it I was put in touch with with Roman Morales, the Film Showcase Organizer and I came onboard as Programmer for the film component. A big reason I stepped in was because I was particularly attracted to presenting Us independent Latino films to an audience heavy with social media influence and bloggers, to see if it would indeed create a higher level of buzz, publicity and exposure from the community.

Along with a special screening of Filly Brown days before its national theatrical release, this year Hispanicize will screen six features including the high profile sneak preview of The Weinstein Company’s Aftershock, the horror comedy produced and starring Eli Roth, directed by Chilean filmmaker Nicolas Lopez (Que Pena tu Vida, Promedio Rojo). Also, straight from SXSW the music industry and character-driven documentary Los Wild Ones about the Wild Records label and family of Mexican rockabilly acts. With the exception of Aftershock, all the films reflect a taste of the diaspora of unique, bi-cultural Us narratives, and notably are all first features. Three of the films, Blaze You Out, Filly Brown and Mission Park are being distributed by Lionsgate labels Pantelion and Grindstone Entertainment. Meanwhile, seeking distribution is Dreamer written and directed by Salvador born Jesse Salmeron, a poignant and timely story starring and produced by Jeremy Ray Valdez about an upwardly mobile American whose paralyzed by the fear of being deported. Los Wild Ones is also seeking distribution and should find considerable traction within and outside hard core music fan circles.

My personal pride and joy however has to be the shorts film showcase. Portraying visionary quests for identity, love, truth and legacy and created by multicultural emergent voices from San Antonio, Miami, La, NYC, Oaxaca and Puerto Rico. This is the medium in which to find provocative, daring and versatile young generation of fresh voices who you can expect will blow up big soon. To name just a few, the filmmakers include Jillian Mayer and Lucas Leyva of the Borscht corporation, Zoé Salicrup Junco, the filmmaker of Gabi who workshopped her feature script of the short at San Antonio’s CineFestival’s Latino Screenwriters Project, Victor Hugo Duran the Colombia Film grad whose short, Fireworks played at the La Film Festival last year and is currently shooting his first feature in Mexico called La Victoria, and Steve Acevedo, the director of El Cocodrilo which is a powerful and urgent film about a journalist played by Jacob Vargas on the run from narcos, who participated in NBCU Directing Fellowship.

I’ll try not to go all Spring Breaker debauchery when I head to Miami next week. I’m very interested in immersing myself in the Hispanicize program to cover the dialogue and scrutinize the impact so stay tuned for my report.

See below to check out full film list and links. Hispanicize will take place April 9 – 13. For information on how to attend and the schedule click here.

Blaze You Out

(USA, 2013, 90 min)

Writers/Directors: Mateo Frazier, Diego Joaquin Lopez

Cast: Veronica Diaz Carranza, Elizabeth Pena, Q’orianka Kilcher, Mark Adair Rios, Elizabeth Pena

Logline: An unyielding young woman ventures into the ruthless underworld of the town’s heroin trade in order to save her younger sister’s life.

Dreamer

(USA, 2013)

Writer/Director: Jesse Salmeron

Cast: Jeremy Ray Valdez, Isabella Hofmann, Cory Knauf

Logline: Joe Rodriguez is an All American young man. He’s amiable, well educated and attractive. He’s graduated from college and is working and excelling in his field. He’s on his way to achieving the American Dream. That is until his employer discovers his undocumented status and the life he’s worked so hard for begins to crumble around him. He must face the possibility of losing his livelihood, his family and even himself.

Los Wild Ones

(USA, 2013, 95 min)

Director: Elise Salomon Writers: Ryan Brown, Elise Salomon

Featuring Luis Arriaga, Gizzelle, the Rhythm Shakers and more

Logline: Wild Records is an La indie music label comprised of young Hispanic musicians, it is run by Irishman, Reb Kennedy. Wild is an unconventional family, reminiscent of the early days of Sun Records, all of its musicians write and perform 50s Rock ‘n Roll. If Wild is going to continue to grow and reach broader audiences, its current business model will cease to work.

Aftershock

(USA, 2012, 90 min)

Director: Nicolás López

Writers: Guillermo Amoedo, Nicolás López and Eli Roth

Cast: Andrea Osvart, Ariel Levy, Eli Roth

Logline: In Chile, a group of travelers who are in an underground nightclub when a massive earthquake hits quickly learn that reaching the surface is just the beginning of their nightmare.

Mission Park

(USA, 2013, 120 min)

Writer/Director: Bryan Ramirez

Cast: Jeremy Ray Valdez, Walter Perez, Fenanda Romero, Joseph Julian Soria, William Rothaar, Jesse Borrego

Logline: Four friends from the rough side of town grow apart when two are consumed by a life of crime, and the other two become FBI agents sent deep undercover – to bring down those childhood friends.

Shorts Film Showcase~

#Postmodem

(USA, 2012, 13 mins)

Writers/Directors: Lucas Leyva, Jillian Mayer

Cast: Jillian Mayer, Kayla Delacerda, Amy Seimetz, Arly Montes, Jesse Miller, Shivers Thedog

Logline: A comedic, satirical, sci-fi pop musical based on the theories of Ray Kurzweil and other futurists, #PostModem is the story of two Miami girls and how they deal with technological singularity, as told through a series of cinematic tweets.

@borschtcorp

Fireworks

(USA, 2012, 11 mins)

Director: Victor Hugo Duran

Writer: Kevin James McMuillin

Cast: Roger Cruz, Alberto Castañeda, Irene Sorto, Azucena Benitez, Edgar Vanegas, Julio Duran, Victor Hugo Duran, Kevin James McMullin

Logline: During the Fourth of July in South Los Angeles, a teenage boy and his brother scour the neighborhood for fireworks in order to win the admiration of a girl.

Twitter: @victorhugoduran

Clara Como El Agua

(USA, 2012 10 min)

Writer/Director: Fernanda Rossi

Cast: Kathiria Bonilla León, Sixta Rivera, Rubén Andrés Medina, Alfonso Peña Ossoria, Stephanie Quiles Reyes, Eyra Aguero

Logline: Clara is the only light-skinned and clear-eyed girl in an all-black neighborhood. Teased incessantly, the children claim her unknown father is actually a “gringo” tourist. However, Clara was told a different story, and to find out the truth, she will venture into the magical waters of the bioluminescent bay all on her own.

Echo Bear

(USA, 2012 6min)

Writer/director: Yolanda Cruz

Cast: Joe Nunez, Hugo Medina, Tzina Carmel, Donato López, Lobo Manet

Logline: Bear, a single gay Latino man in L.A.’s Echo Park neighborhood, looks for love online. Fearing traffic, he searches locally, but soon discovers how geographic convenience can turn to heartache overnight.

Vincent Valdez: Excerpts For John

(2012, USA, 12 min)

Directed by Mark and Angela Walley

Logline: Two years in the making, this beautifully shot and perfectly paced short documentary captures the creative process of painter Vincent Valdez, as the artist works on a series of pieces dedicated to a childhood friend John Holt Jr. an Army combat medic who died in 2009 after serving in Iraq.

El Cocodrilo

(2012, 15 min)

Director: Steve Acevedo

Writer: Alfredo Barrios, Jr.

Cast: Jacob Vargas Hugo Medina Shannon Lucio Manuel Uriza

Logline: A Mexican journalist and a cartel assassin collide in a diner, with tragic consequences for both.

Reinaldo Arenas

(USA, 2012, 3:29min)

Writer/director Lucas Leyva

Shark: Alberto Ibarguen Man: Epifanio Leyva

Logline: Told from the point of view of a dying shark, 'Reinaldo Arenas' metaphorically captures the current state of the aging Cuban-American exile community, many of whom have still not come to terms with the Communist Revolution that changed their lives forever. The film culls from various Cuban films and works of literature to create not a singular voice, but a feeling of a particular moment in time

@borschtcorp

Gabi

(2012, USA 20 min)

Writer/Director: Zoe Junco

Cast: Marisé Alvarez , Dalia Davi , Roy Sanchez Vahamonde , Aris Mejias

Logline: A Puerto Rican saying haunts single women in their 30’s: “If such a woman is not married by this time, she must be a slut, a lesbian, or a prude.” This is the story of that woman...

@gabifilm...

Title: Dreamer Director: Jesse Salmeron Starring: Jeremy Ray Valdez, Isabella Hofmann, Cory Knauf, Brit Sheridan An achingly earnest immigration drama whose compelling low-budget artistic vision can’t save it from its overly programmatic dramatic roots and muddled assemblage, “Dreamer” is the sort of expressive indie film one wants to like and recommend more than one honestly does and can. A recent premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival, writer-director Jesse Salmeron’s movie is loosely in the mold of something like Chris Weitz’s well received “A Better Life,” from a couple years back — each film showcases the razor’s edge of life as an undocumented immigrant in the United States, in which one simple [ Read More ]

The post Dreamer Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Let’s face it… vampires have been done to death. Whether it’s the hundreds of Dracula films, the Twilight franchise or True Blood and The Vampire Diaries on TV, the fanged ones have had their time in the sun. Back in 2006, the independent feature titled The Hamiltons was released as part of the After Dark Horror Festival.

Having watched almost every entry in the After Dark series up to that point, I wasn’t expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. Now some six years later, directors “The Butcher Brothers” (Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores) have returned with most of the first film’s cast to give us The Thompsons, the sequel to The Hamiltons.

Picking up after a particularly unpleasant event between the two films (dramatized here for exposition), The Hamiltons have changed their name yet again, to The Thompsons and leave for England fleeing the law.

This week The Butcher Brothers' latest project, The Thompsons, arrived on Blu-Ray and DVD everywhere, and to mark the occasion, Dread Central caught up with the filmmaking duo, Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores, to chat about the sequel to the 2006 modern vampire flick The Hamiltons.

The Thompsons still follows the Hamilton family, but this time things are a bit different as the clan of vamps are on the search for a potential cure, other people like them and getting a dangerous taste of freedom while traveling the world. Written by The Butcher Brothers and star Cory Knauf, The Thompsons also stars Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, Mackenzie Firgens, Elizabeth Henstridge and Ryan Hartwig.

Read on for our exclusive interview with The Butcher Brothers on The Thompsons, their future projects and much more!

Dread Central: So back when you were working on The Hamiltons in '06, did you have any idea...

Directors Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores discuss their sequel The Thompsons, ariving on Blu-ray and DVD January 1

Back in 2006, directors Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores teamed up to direct The Hamiltons, which gave way to their new moniker The Butcher Brothers. They continued to work together with the thrillers April Fool's Day and The Violent Kind in the years that followed. Now they have come back to their vampire family with the sequel The Thompsons, which is currently available on VOD formats before debuting on Blu-ray and DVD January 1. This follow-up features the vampire family (now dubbed The Thompsons) fleeing from the United States after their true identities are uncovered. They head to England in search of an ancient clan of vampires, where the family is put to their biggest test yet.

I recently had the chance to speak with Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores about this sequel. Here's what they had to say.

I may have been a little too tough on the 2007 indie vampire flick The Hamiltons. Reviewing it for another website, I said this: "Feeling more like an angsty indie drama than any sort of horrific piece of cinema, the movie is jam-packed with all the things that make 'homemade' movies so irritating: Clumsy screenwriting, wooden acting, and a sense of self-importance run rampant throughout The Hamiltons. Not even the few moments of grim humor and bloodletting can salvage the flick's leaden pacing and overbaked narrative."

Yikes. Pretty rough. And then once co-directors Mitch Altieri and Phil Flores presented us with April Fools Day (2008) and The Violent Kind (2010), I figured I would just leave the "Butcher Brothers" to their fans and focus on indie horror films I actually enjoyed.   So here's some good news for all involved: The Thompsons (aka The Hamiltons Part 2, although you need not have seen (or liked!

Title: The Thompsons Directed by: Mitchell Altieri & Phil Flores Starring: Mackenzie Firgens, Elizabeth Henstridge and Cory Knauf Running time: 82 minutes, Rated R, Available on DVD Special Features: 6 featurettes – Relocating the Family, Scribed in Blood, Humans to Monsters, Awakening the Project, Families, The Ringlestone Inn and Trailer Sequel to The Hamiltons, the siblings (now using the alias Thompson) are on the run from the law in England and Paris, trying to find a vampire clan who are the link to uncovering their parent’s mysterious past. The Thompson kids are on the run after an unfortunate incident where they massacre everyone in a California bar after little brother [ Read More ]

The post The Thompsons Blu-ray Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Below you can check out a scene from The Thompsons, arriving on DVD and Blu-ray/DVD combo January 1 from XLrator Media under its Macabre banner. The writing/directing team known as The Butcher Brothers (Phil Flores and Mitchell Altieri) return along with star/co-scripter Cory Knauf and actors Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer and Mackenzie Firgens, who play the vampire family from The Hamiltons now traveling under the titular moniker. They arrive in England and encounter another supernatural clan, the Stuarts (Daniel O’Meara, Selina Giles, Elizabeth Henstridge, Tom Holloway and Sean Browne)—and as you can see below, they don’t all get along. The discs include the following featurettes:

“Relocating the Family”

“Scribed in Blood”

“Humans to Monsters”

“Awakening the Project”

“Families”

“The Ringlestone Inn”

See The Thompsons’ official Facebook page here.

{flv}Twins{/flv}...

Below you can check out a scene from The Thompsons, arriving on DVD and Blu-ray/DVD combo January 1 from XLrator Media under its Macabre banner. The writing/directing team known as The Butcher Brothers (Phil Flores and Mitchell Altieri) return along with star/co-scripter Cory Knauf and actors Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer and Mackenzie Firgens, who play the vampire family from The Hamiltons now traveling under the titular moniker. They arrive in England and encounter another supernatural clan, the Stuarts (Daniel O’Meara, Selina Giles, Elizabeth Henstridge, Tom Holloway and Sean Browne)—and as you can see below, they don’t all get along. The discs include the following featurettes:

“Relocating the Family”

“Scribed in Blood”

“Humans to Monsters”

“Awakening the Project”

“Families”

“The Ringlestone Inn”

See The Thompsons’ official Facebook page here.

{flv}Twins{/flv}...

Below you can check out a scene from The Thompsons, arriving on DVD and Blu-ray/DVD combo January 1 from XLrator Media under its Macabre banner. The writing/directing team known as The Butcher Brothers (Phil Flores and Mitchell Altieri) return along with star/co-scripter Cory Knauf and actors Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer and Mackenzie Firgens, who play the vampire family from The Hamiltons now traveling under the titular moniker. They arrive in England and encounter another supernatural clan, the Stuarts (Daniel O’Meara, Selina Giles, Elizabeth Henstridge, Tom Holloway and Sean Browne)—and as you can see below, they don’t all get along. The discs include the following featurettes:

“Relocating the Family”

“Scribed in Blood”

“Humans to Monsters”

“Awakening the Project”

“Families”

“The Ringlestone Inn”

See The Thompsons’ official Facebook page here.

{flv}Twins{/flv}...

An epic sequel to the Butcher Brothers' (Mitchell Altieri; Phil Flores) award-winning horror-thriller The Hamiltons, The Thompsons goes on the run with America's most anguished vampire family. With the law on their trail, these bickering bloodsuckers head to England, hoping to track down an ancient vampire clan. What they find instead could tear their family, and their throats, apart forever.

We have an exclusive clip from this horror-thriller, which is being described as Twilight meets Tarantino, along with the red-band trailer and the poster. The Thompsons will be available this Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 22nd, on VOD before it rings in the New Year with a Blu-ray and DVD debut on January 1st .

The Thompsons - Exclusive Quiet Talk on the Bench

The Thompsons - Red Band Trailer

The Thompsons was released November 22nd, 2012 and stars Mackenzie Firgens, Elizabeth Henstridge, Cory Knauf, Ryan Hartwig, Samuel Child, Sean Browne, Tom Holloway, Joseph McKelheer.

Check out the new promo images below. Available on VOD next Wednesday, November 22 and on DVD and Blu-ray January 1 from XLrator Media, The Thompsons was once again written and directed by The Butcher Brothers (Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores), and finds the vampiric Hamiltons traveling to England under the eponymous moniker. There they are welcomed in by the Stuarts, another band of blood-drinkers—but their hospitality masks a hidden agenda that leads to an all-out battle between the clans. Cory Knauf (who also co-scripted), Mackenzie Firgens, Joseph McKelheer and Sam Child return as the Hamiltons/Thompsons, while Daniel O’Meara, Selina Giles, Elizabeth Henstridge, Tom Holloway and Sean Browne play the Stuarts. See The Thompsons’ official Facebook page here.

Read more...

Check out the new promo images below. Available on VOD next Wednesday, November 22 and on DVD and Blu-ray January 1 from XLrator Media, The Thompsons was once again written and directed by The Butcher Brothers (Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores), and finds the vampiric Hamiltons traveling to England under the eponymous moniker. There they are welcomed in by the Stuarts, another band of blood-drinkers—but their hospitality masks a hidden agenda that leads to an all-out battle between the clans. Cory Knauf (who also co-scripted), Mackenzie Firgens, Joseph McKelheer and Sam Child return as the Hamiltons/Thompsons, while Daniel O’Meara, Selina Giles, Elizabeth Henstridge, Tom Holloway and Sean Browne play the Stuarts. See The Thompsons’ official Facebook page here.

Read more...

Check out the new promo images below. Available on VOD next Wednesday, November 22 and on DVD and Blu-ray January 1 from XLrator Media, The Thompsons was once again written and directed by The Butcher Brothers (Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores), and finds the vampiric Hamiltons traveling to England under the eponymous moniker. There they are welcomed in by the Stuarts, another band of blood-drinkers—but their hospitality masks a hidden agenda that leads to an all-out battle between the clans. Cory Knauf (who also co-scripted), Mackenzie Firgens, Joseph McKelheer and Sam Child return as the Hamiltons/Thompsons, while Daniel O’Meara, Selina Giles, Elizabeth Henstridge, Tom Holloway and Sean Browne play the Stuarts. See The Thompsons’ official Facebook page here.

Read more...

Check out the new promo images below. Available on VOD next Wednesday, November 22 and on DVD and Blu-ray January 1 from XLrator Media, The Thompsons was once again written and directed by The Butcher Brothers (Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores), and finds the vampiric Hamiltons traveling to England under the eponymous moniker. There they are welcomed in by the Stuarts, another band of blood-drinkers—but their hospitality masks a hidden agenda that leads to an all-out battle between the clans. Cory Knauf (who also co-scripted), Mackenzie Firgens, Joseph McKelheer and Sam Child return as the Hamiltons/Thompsons, while Daniel O’Meara, Selina Giles, Elizabeth Henstridge, Tom Holloway and Sean Browne play the Stuarts. See The Thompsons’ official Facebook page here.

Read more...

Directors/writers: The Butcher Brothers (Mitchell Altieri, Phil Flores). Cast: Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Elizabeth Henstridge, Daniel O'Meara, Mackenzie Firgens, Ryan Hartwig, Sean Browne, Tom Holloway, Joseph McKelheer, and Selina Giles. The Thompsons is a sequel to the 2006 film The Hamiltons. Both films deal with a vampire clan in search of ever more blood to drink. This reviewer is unfamiliar with the first film, but this second title can be seen on its own. Centrally, The Thompsons is a story of Francis (Cory Knauf). His voice over narration guides the story from the United States over to the United Kingdom. His journey is full of violence with his brothers and sisters looking for aid for the fallen Lenny (Ryan Hartwig). They do not find help, but they do find a malevolent vampire clan bent on destroying them. The Butcher Brothers (Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores) have created a fantastic tale...

Fans of The Hamiltons - from the Butcher Brothers - will want to head inside for an exclusive clip to the anticipated follow-up, The Thompsons.

The sequel is making its VOD debut on November 22nd and is due to arrive on Blu-ray and DVD January 1, 2013.

In the sequel, a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the Hamilton vampire family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as "The Thompsons." Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires.

The original cast are reprising their roles, with Cory Knauf, Samuel Childs, Mackenzie Firgens and Joseph McKelheer being joined by newcomer Ryan Hartwig as the youngest sibling "Lenny." 

Read more...

We're starting to hear the name XLrator Media a lot lately, and with good reason: They've been snapping up primo horror properties left and right! Today they announced some VOD/DVD release dates we've been waiting for.

First out of the gate, and currently playing on VOD since November 2nd, is Bigfoot: The Lost Coast Tapes (review here). The film is directed by Corey Grant and stars Drew Rausch, Rich McDonald, Ashley Wood, Noah Weisberg, and Frank Ashmore. Look for it on DVD beginning February 5, 2013.

Synopsis

After a "Bigfoot Hunter" claims to possess the body of a dead Sasquatch, a disgraced investigative journalist stakes his comeback -- and the lives of his documentary film crew -- on proving the find to be a hoax.

Next is The Thompson, The Butcher Brothers' sequel to The Hamiltons, for which all the originals -- Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, and Mackenzie Firgens -- return.

XLrator Media has announced that The Hamiltons follow-up, The Thompsons, will be making a VOD debut on November 22nd with a DVD release to follow on January 1st

In the sequel, a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the Hamilton vampire family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as "The Thompsons." Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires.

The original cast are reprising their roles, with Cory Knauf, Samuel Childs, Mackenzie Firgens and Joseph McKelheer being joined by newcomer Ryan Hartwig as the youngest sibling "Lenny." 

Check out an early trailer inside...

Read more...

Good to see The Thompsons moving steadily in the right direction. Everything we've seen so far has indicated that The Butcher Brothers' sequel to The Hamiltons was going to get the type of rating that genre fans love, and today we've got glorious confirmation.

All the regulars return -- Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, and Mackenzie Firgens -- in this sequel that follows the Hamiltons as they sneak into a new town. Ryan Hartwig, Daniel O'Meara, and Selina Giles also star. The horror follow-up is rated R for brutal bloody violence, some strong sexuality, nudity and language.

Synopsis:

In the sequel a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as 'the Thompsons'. Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground...

The Thompsons

Stars: Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, Mackenzie Firgens, Elizabeth Henstridge, Daniel O’Meara, Selina Giles, Sean Browne, Tom Holloway | Written by The Butcher Brothers, Cory Knauf | Directed by The Butcher Brothers

The sequel to 2006′s The Hamiltons, The Thompsons sees the infamous family on the run following a massacre at a gas station in the Mojave desert. Resurfacing right here in Blighty under a new identity – the Thompsons of the title – with Lenny, the youngest of the family, injured and desperate for help in an unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a fellow vampires who they have been told will help them save Lenny’s life. But little do they know it could be at the expense of theirs…

The Hamiltons, a simple story of a family of four siblings try to fend for themselves after the mysterious death of their parents – who also just happen to be vampires,...

by Colleen Wanglund, MoreHorror.com

Written and directed by Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores Aka The Butcher Brothers, The Violent Kind is a film that I have mixed feelings about.

The movie opens with three members of a Northern California biker gang, Cody (Cory Knauf), Q (Bret Roberts) and Elroy (Nick Tagas) beating the crap out of someone over a bad drug deal or something. Okay so it’s established that they are a pretty violent crew. Three are headed to an isolated mountain cabin to celebrate Cody’s mom’s birthday with the rest of the gang. The party isn’t going so well for Cody—he’s been informed that he has to take on a crap job (he was born into the gang, his dad being an original member) and then his ex-girlfriend Michelle (Tiffany Shepis) shows up with another guy.

Cody’s mood lifts a bit...

We've updated our Film4 Fright Fest line-up story with tons of images. Read on to see what you may have missed and what's brand spanking new! Dig it!

Programme - Screen 1

Thursday Aug 23

Opening Film - The Seasoning House (World Premiere)

Special make-up prosthetics and splatter genius Paul Hyett makes his directorial debut with a harrowing exploration into tense claustrophobia, hard-hitting action and rollercoaster suspense. In a Balkan brothel, where girls kidnapped by soldiers in war-torn zones are prostituted to the military and civilians alike, Angel (Robin Day) is the deaf mute orphan enslaved to care for the inmates. But unbeknownst to her captors, she moves between the walls and crawlspaces of the seasoning house planning her escape. Psychological horror in the nerve-shredding Alfred Hitchcock and Roman Polanski style but with an ultra-modern twist.

89 mins Director: Paul Hyett UK 2012

Rosie Day – Angel

Sean Pertwee – Goran

Kevin Howarth – Viktor

David Lemberg...

The Hamiltons Starring: Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Mackenzie Firgens, Joseph McKelheer Director: Mitchell Altieri, Phil Flores (as The Butcher Brothers) Writers: Mitchell Altieri, Phil Flores (as The Butcher Brothers), Adam Weis Rated: R The Hamiltons opens with a scene familiar to any horror fan: a dazed and scantily clad young woman (Sweet Valley Highs Brittany Daniel), moving about a dark and dank room in search of an escape, stumbling…...

Here is the first trailer for "The Thompsons", the Sequel to "The Hamiltons", directed by 'The Butcher Brothers'. In the sequel, the Hamilton vampire family lives in the U.K. under a new identity as "The Thompsons". The original cast are reprising their roles, with Cory Knauf, Samuel Childs, Mackenzie Firgens and Joseph McKelheer being joined by newcomer Ryan Hartwig as the youngest sibling "Lenny." ...

Welcome to issue 8 of Trailer Trash our [more often than] weekly series showcasing the latest trailer releases – this issue once again features our all-new “excitement-o-meter” where we rate (in exclamation marks on a scale of 1 to 5) each and every trailer by how excited we are to see the film after watching it. This issue of Trailer Trash includes new trailers for Cosmopolis, Maniac, Bait 3D, The Thompsons and new trailers for Magic Mike and The Possession.

Cosmopolis

New York is in turmoil, the age of capitalism is drawing to a close and Eric Packer, a high finance golden boy is chauffeured across the city in his extravagant limousine to get a haircut. A visit from the President of the United States paralyses Manhattan and as the day goes by, an eruption of wild activity unfolds on the city’s streets. Eric watches helplessly as his empire collapses and as his paranoia intensifies during the 24-hour period,...

See, now this? This we like! Vampires that are vicious. There's no time for brooding or sparkling here, kids. The Thompsons are wicked hungry and looking to put you on the menu. Check out the gory sales trailer for The Butcher Brothers' sequel to The Hamiltons right here.

All the regulars will return -- Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, and Mackenzie Firgens -- in the sequel that follows the Hamiltons as they sneak into a new town.

Synopsis:

In the sequel a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as 'the Thompsons'. Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires.

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Meet your bloodthirsty...

We've been keeping a close eye on The Butcher Brothers' return to Hamiltons territory, The Thompsons.  A few months back, Shock was the first to show off the sales art you see to the right.

With Cannes upon us, we now have a Nsfw trailer!

In the sequel, a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the Hamilton vampire family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as "The Thompsons." Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires.

The original cast are reprising their roles, with Cory Knauf, Samuel Childs, Mackenzie Firgens and Joseph McKelheer being joined by newcomer Ryan Hartwig as the youngest sibling "Lenny."

Read more...

Back in 2006 filmmaking duo Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores (Aka The Butcher Brothers) introduced us to the disturbing vamps next door tale 'The Hamiltons'. And next year will see the release of its follow-up 'The Thompsons'. The family have moved over to the UK and have had a bit of an identity change due to the authorities not looking favourably on vampiric killing. The first new piece of artwork from the sequel, which will see the returning family members of the Hamilton crew played by Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, Mackenzie Firgens and co-writer Cory Knauf, has been revealed below. Check out the poster further down along with the brief plot synopsis. Elizabeth Henstridge, Sean Browne, Tom Holloway, Ryan Hartwig, Daniel O'Meara, Selina Giles and Sean Cronin all co-star in the sequel....

It was exactly a year ago to the day that we did our last news story about the Butcher Brothers' upcoming sequel to the vampire flick The Hamiltons, known as The Thompsons, and we've got your first look at the artwork straight from Berlin's Efm! Dig it!

All the regulars will return -- Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, and Mackenzie Firgens -- in the sequel that follows the Hamiltons as they sneak into a new town.

Synopsis:

In the sequel a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as 'the Thompsons'. Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires.

Look for more soon!

Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!

Got news? Click here to submit it!

Meet...

Cody (Cory Knauf) is a second-generation member of a California biker gang. One night, he and his best friend Q (Bret Roberts) along with assorted other members of their biker fraternity head out to a remote farmhouse for a party. Most of the revellers have drifted off when it all starts to get a bit weird, then bloody. The cars won’t start, the lights are on the fritz and all of a sudden one of their number is possessed by an other-worldly entity and a 1950′s rockabilly band start dishing out some genuinely unpleasant violence on the rest of them.

*****

As is sadly all too often the case with films like this, here we have an independently minded film, with plenty of good ideas, fatally hamstrung by the director and screen-writer’s inability to keep it on track and coherent. Drummed up as bikers vs aliens (which sounded like...

Beginners (15)

(Mike Mills, 2010, Us) Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent. 105 mins

Mills doesn't iron out the hipster-auteur quirks here – a subtitled dog, freeform photomontages, felt-tip illustrations – but he puts them to the service of an authentic drama. McGregor is an La loner whose widowed father (Plummer) came out as gay and enjoyed a few hedonistic years before his death. Not your standard indie baggage, this warm, smartly told story deals with it sincerely, and gets the sweet/sad balance just about right.

Horrible Bosses (15)

(Seth Gordon, 2011, Us) Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis. 98 mins

Clearly aiming for the post-Hangover fratcom market, this sees three guys' plan to off their bosses go awry from the outset, with occasionally amusing, but often crude consequences. Colourful big-name cameos gloss over some political dodginess.

The Big Picture (15)

(Eric Lartigau, 2010, Fra) Romain Duris, Marina Foïs, Niels Arestrup. 115 mins

Duris proves his leading man capabilities amply...

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Truly one of the strangest and most uneven horror-thrillers to come down the pipe in quite some time, The Violent Kind – the latest cheapo effort from the Butcher Brothers – is for the most part a bland, pedestrian venture, but at least it distinguishes itself somewhat – albeit rather incomphrehensibly – in its barmy third act. Whether you’ll perservere with it long enough to see that through, however, is another case altogether…

The film’s opening scenes are perhaps best described as resembling a modestly-budgeted porno, employing performers whose acting chops aren’t much better, albeit lacking any actual nudity. As a group of burly bikers and their girlfriends descend upon a remote Californian farmhouse to party the night away, each scene seems to set up any excuse to leer exploitatively at scantily-clad femmes rather than make even the least morsel of sense or even, really, just fess...

Metrodome are set to release The Butcher Brothers’ The Violent Kind in the UK next Monday and they’ve just sent us the UK artwork and trailer for the film which stars Cory Knauf, Taylor Cole, Bret Roberts, Christina Prousalis, Tiffany Shepis and Joe Egender, and sees:

…troubled Cody (Knauf), a second-generation member of a violent and notorious Nor-Cal biker gang, ride out with his friends to party at a cabin located deep within the redwood forest. At the end of the wild evening, things take a turn for the worse when Cody’s ex-girlfriend Michelle (Shepis) is discovered wandering aimlessly and covered in blood, screaming and convulsing as if she were possessed by something unworldly. Cody and the others try desperately to help Michelle while stuck in the middle of nowhere, but their plans are quickly ruined when another malicious gang, seemingly from the 1950s, shows up “looking for a few kicks…...

The Violent Kind is the latest low budget offering from The Butcher Brothers (The Hamiltons). The story follows our likable lead character Cody (Cory Knauf) and Q (Bret Roberts) who are tough neighborhood punks who like to fight, a lot! Throw Cody’s ex-girlfriend Michelle (Tiffany Shepis) , her younger sister Megan (Christina Prousalis) and several strong supporting cast members in and we have us a weird, twisted and ultra violent party movie.

The story takes our “gang” up to the woods to a cabin to, what else? Party! It’s all good times when all of a sudden the camera shows us that there are others watching. We watch Cory deal with his ex Michelle who is at the cabin with her new bf. Cory is the cool, calm and collected one of the entire group and plays it cool. Of course, we have our hot-heads, funny guys and beautiful...

The Violent Kind Advertised as being from the producers of Halloween and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre comes The Violent Kind. After causing some ruckus on the film circuit scene, The Violent Kind is coming to DVD/Blu-Ray from Image Entertainment on May 10, 2011. Directed by The Butcher Brothers, the directors behind such horror efforts as The Hamilton's and the ill advised April Fool's Day, The Violent Kind is sure to become a modern day cult classic.

One night at a secluded farmhouse deep in the Northern California woods, a small group of hardened young bikers and their girlfriends are tormented when one of the girls becomes savagely possessed and a gang of "Rockabillies" seemingly from the 1950's descends upon them to collect what is growing inside her.

The Violent Kind stars Cory Knauf, Taylor Cole, Bret Roberts, Tiffany Shepis, Nick Tagas, Joe Egender, Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer and introducing Christina Prousalis.

Remember that film from a few years ago called The Hamiltons? Well that rad little gem has itself a sequel in the works entitled The Thompsons, and two new stills have surfaced online. The Butcher Bros. who directed the original film are back in the director’s chair with this, along with the original cast. It will feature Cory Knauf, Samuel Childs, Mackenzie Firgens, Joseph McKelheer and new addition Ryan Hartwig. The film is being produced by Film Harvest and Snowfort Pictures.

In the sequel, a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the Hamilton vampire family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as “The Thompsons.” Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires.

Source: Shock Till You Drop...

Here's a new poster for "The Violent Kind". The film stars Tiffany Shepis, Cory Knauf, Taylor Cole, Bret Roberts and Joe Egender. After messing up a drug deal, Cody, the leader of a biker gang, heads for a birthday party at a remote farm with his friends. As the celebration is winding down, the group finds Cody's old girlfriend, Michelle, covered in blood, incoherent and, maybe, something else.....

The Butcher Brothers are knee-deep in production right now on the sequel to their After Dark Horrorfest hit, The Hamiltons, entitled The Thompsons, and yet another still has come forth!

All the regulars will return -- Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, and Mackenzie Firgens -- in the sequel that follows the Hamiltons as they sneak into a new town.

"In the sequel a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as 'The Thompsons'. Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires."

Look for more soon!

- Uncle Creepy

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Got news? Click here to submit it!

Meet your bloodthirsty new neighbors in the comments section below!

The Butcher Bros. are returning to the tale that put them on the horror map with The Thompsons , a follow-up to The Hamiltons which was released a few years back through After Dark Films. We have a look at two stills from the production which is now shooting for Film Harvest and Snowfort Pictures. In the sequel, a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the Hamilton vampire family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as "The Thompsons." Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires. The original cast are reprising their roles, with Cory Knauf, Samuel Childs, Mackenzie Firgens and Joseph McKelheer being joined by...

The Butcher Brothers are back. Makers of genre flicks such as 'The Hamiltons' and the more recent 'April Fool's Day' redo return with 'The Violent Kind', their new horror that will be released a little later this year. A new international one-sheet poster has popped up giving us a rather sinister and 'less is more' feeling. The movie stars Cory Knauf, Taylor Cole, Bret Roberts, Joe Egender, Christina Prousalis and the sexy scream queen Tiffany Shepis (whom you can check out in some bloody-stained stills below). Check out the new one-sheet below....

                                                                 

Speaking of The Butcher Brothers, the first image from their sequel to The Hamiltons aka The Thompsons has surfaced and it looks bloody cool.  Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, and Mackenzie Firgens return for some more indie vampire neighborly carnage. Dig on the image courtesy of Bloody-Disgusting.

Synopsis:

In the sequel a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as 'The Thompsons'. Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires.

                                                                  

The Butcher Brothers film The Violent Kind has a love/hate relationship with the few who have seen it but that hasn't stopped them from  releasing a new poster for the film.  The film stars Tiffany Shepis, Cory Knauf, Taylor Cole, Bret Roberts and Joe Egender.

Synopsis:

 

After messing up a drug deal, Cody, the leader of a biker gang, heads for a birthday party at a remote farm with his friends. As the celebration is winding down, the group finds Cody's old girlfriend, Michelle, covered in blood, incoherent and, maybe, something else.

With The Hamiltons, their film for the first After Dark Horrorfest, the Butcher Brothers put themselves on the horror map by delivering a very different kind of vampire tale that delivered some smarts as well as the expected gore.

With its sequel, The Thompsons: The Hamiltons 2 filming right now, Bloody Disgusting nailed down the first ever still depicting our main characters, who look like they've been busy feeding.

All the regulars will return -- Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, and Mackenzie Firgens -- in the film that follows the Hamiltons as they sneak into a new town.

"In the sequel a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as 'The Thompsons'. Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy...

Film Harvest and Snowfort Pictures announced today that filming is finally underway on The Butcher Brothers' The Thompsons, their vampire sequel to the indie smash The Hamiltons (cute title, right?) "In the sequel, a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as The Thompsons. Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires." The original cast are reprising their roles, with Cory Knauf, Samuel Childs, Mackenzie Firgens and Joseph McKelheer being joined by newcomer Ryan Hartwig as the youngest sibling Lenny. The film is being produced by Film Harvests Eben Kostbar and Joe McKelheer and Snowfort Pictures Travis Stevens (A Horrible Way to Die). The script was written by The Butcher Brothers and Cory Knauf.

We told you a couple of weeks ago that Image Entertainment nailed down the distro rights for The Butcher Brothers' (Mitchell Altieri, Phil Flores) latest foray into lunacy, The Violent Kind, and today a new one-sheet has made its way online!

The flick will hit limited theaters before going to both DVD and Blu-ray so stay tuned for some official dates soon. Cory Knauf, Christina Prousalis, Taylor Cole, Tiffany Shepis, Bret Roberts, Nick Tagas, Joe Egender, Joseph McKelheer, and Samuel Child star.

Check out the goods below courtesy of The Imp Awards.

Synopsis

One night at a secluded farmhouse deep in the Northern California woods, a small group of hardened young bikers and their girlfriends are tormented when one of the girls becomes savagely possessed and a gang of "Rockabillies" seemingly from the 1950's descend upon them to collect what is growing inside her.

- Uncle Creepy

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