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While its title and its availability on AMC+ (in addition to Sundance Now) might suggest otherwise, Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale is less akin to Interview With the Vampire or Mayfair Witches than to crime dramas like Big Little Lies or Mare of Easttown — albeit with less prestige gloss and more janky CG. Though that comparison doesn’t feel quite right, either.

What’s most memorable about the series is neither its supernatural elements, which are only vaguely explained, nor even really its central murder mystery. It’s the clear and unsparing portrait of its villain, a woman who weaponizes her genuine grief over the death of her son into a literal witch hunt, with shocking and horrifying results.

Upon first glance, Sanctuary looks every inch the Edenic retreat suggested by its name, a cluster of picturesque homes nestled amid rolling green hills. During a picnic for new neighbors, Sarah (Elaine Cassidy...

AMC+ and Sundance Now just released the first official trailer for the drama Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale, based on the novel by V.V. James. The two-minute trailer introduces the town of Sanctuary, a haven for witches until a horrific accident changes everything.

The seven-episode season stars Elaine Cassidy as Sarah Fenn, Hazel Doupe as Harper, and Amy de Bhrun as Abigail. Stephanie Levi-John is Maggie, Valerie O’Connor plays Bridget Patterson, Kelly Campbell is Julia Garston, and Stephen Lord plays Ted. Debbie Horsfield created the series and adapted James’ novel. Lisa Mulcahy and Justin Molotnikov direct, and Monumental Television executive produces.

Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale premieres on January 4, 2024 with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes arrive on Thursdays.

Poster for AMC+ and Sundance Now’s ‘Sanctuary A Witch’s Tale’

“Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale is set in a contemporary world where witchcraft is real. It takes place in...

Stars: Daniel Caltagirone, Adam Deacon, Lois Brabin-Platt, Max Lohan, Eric Roberts, Marco Leonardi, Georges St-Pierre, Lucas Aurelio, Elijah Rowen, Bentley Kalu | Written and Directed by Savvas D. Michael

Twenty-five years on from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels the British gangster revival is still going strong. Case in point Hitmen, the new film from writer/director Savvas D. Michael who has already made several contributions to the genre including The Bezonians, Smoking Guns and Original Gangster.

Luke and Lauren are having marital issues. But that doesn’t mean she’s thrilled when Jackie starts hitting on her and when she mocks him, hitting her. This leads to a beating which in turn leads to Jackie’s death.

That would be bad enough, but Jackie’s grandfather Michael is a wealthy CEO with some rather shady connections. When they’re acquitted by reason of self-defense he puts a million-dollar contract on the couple.

Couple who kill a man for harassing them in the pub are pursued by an army of his father’s goons. A few sparky performances can’t redeem this cartoonish thriller

One might start to wonder if the career of British writer-director Savvas D Michael (previously responsible for The Bezonians) may be propelled, like the scam in The Producers, by a deliberate intention to make crap movies for an investment write-off. Anything is possible in the wild and wonderful world of the film business. The only other explanation is that Michael thinks the laddish, nihilistically violent and yet not in the slightest bit amusing quasi-cartoon world he’s created in Hitman is entertaining. Could anyone be that deluded?

Hitmen’s inciting incident occurs when a bickering couple, office administrator Luke (Daniel Caltagirone) and estate agent Lauren are harassed in a pub by a drunken visiting American (Max Lohan) who is trying pick up Lauren.