The Demon Dead: Troubled Waters

  Let me start by telling you that this book is the sequel to The Demon Dead: Tres Zombies, which is my favorite zombie book of all time. Then let me add, this book is my new favorite. Arthur M. Wyatt is a master story teller. Both books are deeply involved with what happens to the spirits of the people once the person has become a zombie. Any fans of my own work will understand why that would be so fascinating to me. That's exactly what my books are about!

  Troubled Waters continues the story from Tres Zombies exactly where we left off. The protagonists can never seem to catch a break. In the first book, there were several interactions between our heroes and various people and zombies. As we go through this narrative, we re-visit all of them and see how their stories turned out. It gives a delicious, often depressing finality to their stories. But that's not even my favorite part of this book.

  Without giving too much away, I will tell you that at several points in the story, we will be given the backstory to a zombie that has just attacked our heroes. These poignant and touching vignettes add a richness and depth of character rarely seen in zombie stories. I actually care about the zombie who just got his head blown off because he was trying to eat my hero. That is my favorite part about this book. I cried so many times throughout reading it.

  Do yourselves a favor and pick this one up. I know that a lot of people think that the zombie genre is tapped out, but there are so many unexplored avenues of story possibilities and Arthur M. Wyatt is a pioneer in the field of spiritual zombie stories. Brian Keene, David Wellington, and I can only watch as he forges new ground.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Biopic Announces Full Line-up!

Los Angeles, California : Navarone Garibaldi, son of famed actress Priscilla Presley, is among the actors cast in the Lynyrd Skynyrd biopic Street Survivors  : The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynrd Plane Crash (formerly known as Free Bird). Film tells of drummer Artimus Pyle’s experience of the events surrounding the plane crash on October 20th, 1977. Ian Shultis plays Pyle, while Taylor Clift will be Ronnie Van Sant, Samuel Kay Forrest is Steve Gaines, and Rich Dally III is Allen Collins. 30-year old Garibaldi, frontman of the band Them Guns , plays Gary Rossington, one of the founders of the Southern rock band.  Despite breaking both arms, both legs, both wrists, both ankles and his pelvis in the traffic plane crash, he recovered and returned to music. At present, he is the last original member of the band. Sean McNabb, who has performed for Dokken and Quiet Riot and appeared on FX’s Sons of Anarchy, has also been in the cast. Jared Cohn, whose varied credits include Little Dead Rotting Hood, Wishing for a Dream and Devil’s Domain, directs.  Brian Perera, founder of Cleopatra Records, produces. Production on Street Survivors  : The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynrd begins late April in Los Angeles.

Beacon Point

     This movie is quite well acted. Rae Olivier, the lead actress turns in a heart-felt performance as Zoe. She can be angry, seductive, and even produce real tears. Several elements of this movie remain a mystery right up until the final scene. You see them and wonder what they mean, and then it wraps up perfectly in a stunning turn of events that leaves you wanting to know more. There is definitely room for sequels here and I'd watch them if they are ever made. You can view the trailer here: Beacon Point trailer

     Take a trip to Beacon Point this May when the highly-anticipated science-fiction thriller lands on VOD via Uncork'd Entertainment.

     The film, called "an intelligent and interestingly innovative inferno of horror, science fiction, folklore, and thrills," hails from talented newcomer, Eric Blue.

     Zoe has quit her job to hike the Appelachian Trail as a tribute to her deceased father. She joins a small group of inexperienced hikers for an adventure of a lifetime. The group is Dan, recently divorced and looking for a change from Silicon Valley, Cheese, a 17-year-old kid, and Brian, his half brother that he just met. They are led by Drake, a hot-headed trail master with a questionable past. They are upbeat as they set out on the ten-day trek through the Great Smokey Mountains. Drake leads them away from the main trail and the tourists, promising a grand adventure and sights they'd never see with the standard tour. After a gruesome discovery, they become lost deep in the mountains. The adventure spins out of control when they are terrorized at their campsite by an unseen force.

     Rae Olivier, Jon Briddell, Eric Goins, Jason Burkey, and RJ Shearer star in this Eric Blue film written by Blue and Traci Carroll.

Evil Nanny

     Evil Nanny is based on a true story and is all the more terrifying for that! This movie is amazingly well-made and has twists and turns that keep you guessing. The ending was unexpectedly touching.

     Famed filmmaker Jared Cohn made this movie, Evil Nanny, which is due out in May.

     A couple hires a live-in nanny to watch the offspring while they work. At first, everything goes perfectly, but when an unsafe incident means the parents no longer want the nanny around, they find out this nanny is savvy at not being evicted from her live-in situation. So savvy, in fact, that she can make these parents' lives a true nightmare.

Devil's Domain

     After becoming the victim of vicious cyber bullies, Lisa makes a deal with the devil to exact revenge on her tormentors. Stars Michael Madsen ("The Hateful Eight") This movie also stars my friends Angie Stevenson and Shawn C. Phillips.

     Famed filmmaker Jared Cohn has made three new films: Devil's Domain, Evil Nanny, and King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - all due out in May. Cohn, who is gearing up to direct the Lynyrd Skynyrd movie, has had a successful run in horror and thrillers, with such films as Buddy Hutchins, Jail Bait, Wishing For A Dream, and Little Dead Rotting Hood to his name. These three new films add something different to his dynamic.

The Jurassic Games

Los Angeles, California: Galen Christy's High Octane Pictures, in association with the Oklahoma Film+Music Office (OF+MO), have kicked off production on Ryan Bellgardt's The Jurassic Games.

Starring Ryan Merriman (Final Destination 3) and Perry Reeves (Entourage), the film imagines a world set in the near future, wherein ten death row convicts are chosen to compete in the Jurassic Games, the ultimate virtual reality game show that pits its players against dinosaurs and each other. However, there is a catch. If you die in the virtual game, you also die in reality; and for Anthony Tucker (Adam Hampton), survival is his one chance to be reunited with his children after having been wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of his wife. As the devious Host continues adding improbable challenges, the characters will find the odds stacked against them as only one victor can emerge as winner and claim their freedom.

The Jurassic Games is the third film from Emmy Award-winning director Bellgardt, whose highly anticipated creature feature Gremlin will be released this summer.

Says "High Octane Pictures is very excited to be back in business with Ryan Bellgardt - inarguably one of the most talented new filmmakers in the business. The Jurassic Games is a very exciting concept - it's part Hunger Games, part Jurassic Park, and just a hell of a lot of fun. With Bellgardt behind the camera, and the fantastic cast we've lined up for the film, it's definitely a movie for film fans to anticipate. It's gonna be dino-mite."

High Octane Pictures upcoming credits include buzzed-about horror title Clowntergeist, out mid-year, and high concept science-fictioner The Answer.

Psychos

     Psychos did something that movies rarely do, and that is it surprised me with the twist at the end. I pride myself in being able to figure out endings before they come, but this time I could not. I watched as an investigation of the crime scene and a news report (featuring a cameo by my friend, Johanna Rae) set up the ending. They told you how it was going to end, but not how we were going to get to that ending. This is one of those rare movies where character development drives the story forward. I highly recommend this movie. I'm usually not a fan of torture horror, but this kept that to a minimum and it was actually relevant to the story, so it was justified. Watch the trailer here: Psychos Trailer

This March they're back for bloody revenge. Writer-director Sandy Chukhadarian's Psychos attacks VOD 3/17 from Leomark Studios.
When three young women receive shocking videos anonymously, a nightmare is reawakened that ignites a thirst for bloody vengeance. They embark on a journey to locate the house, their sadistic captor and to discover the truth behind those locked doors. But, the most shocking revelation of this chilling tale is the identities of the victims. Angelica Chitwood, Deniele Cloutier and Melissa Elena Jones "bounce off one another wonderfully in an energetic and unpredictable ensemble" (More Horror) in Psychos, on VOD this March. 

On VOD March 17th 2017
 
Studio: Leomark Studios
Director: Sandy Chukhadarian

The Never-Ending Story Actress Returns To The Big Screen!

Los Angeles, California : 30 years later, The Never-Ending Story’s Tami Stronach makes her much welcome return to the big screen.

The actress, forever remembered for her role in Wolfgang Peterson’s 80’s classic, has signed to appear in writer-director Nicholas Gyeney’s Ultra-Low starring Lauren Holly.

The film, a meta drama that takes an unfiltered look at the lives of an independent filmmaking team as they struggle to break down the doors of Hollywood, features most of it’s players as themselves. 
“The script is about how hard it is to make a movie--as someone who has produced a lot of dance and theater I really related to the script and Nicholas makes that pain funny”, Stronach, also known for her years in dance, says. “Also I thought it was amusing to reintroduce myself back into film by playing myself trying to get back into film.”

Described as a cross between Clerks, Good Will Hunting, and Entourage, the film takes the audience into the tough world of independent filmmaking like no film has before.
The story begins with a filmmaking team that’s already sacrificed to make several feature films. While having significant indie budgets and films starring name actors, they can’t seem to get the attention of the industry elite. Upon learning the news that their latest endeavor will not be accepted into any top tier film festival, the team has hit rock bottom. With heavy hearts, they push each other to pick up and move forward on development of their next feature film, a supernatural thriller called The Red Vision, in hopes that it will be the one that finally turns heads their direction. As development progresses, the team lands actress Lauren Holly and her voice shines as a guiding light of wisdom for the young filmmakers as they fight through the trenches.

The long game plan for Ultra Low takes it beyond the movie and into producing the film within the film, The Red Vision; A supernatural thriller and love story described as a cross between Insidious, Ghost, and Unbreakable, which aims to enter production soon after wrapping production on Ultra Low.
Ultra Low is produced under Gyeney’s Seattle-based production banner Mirror Images LTD (Second Nature, Beta Test, Matt's Chance, The Penitent Man). It begins production in Seattle on March 6th.

Bethany

     I've been blogging about James Cullen Bressack's movies ever since To Jennifer came out. I've watched as his career has taken him to some amazing places! It's been an honor to call him my friend and to actually meet him in person at the premiere of Pernicious! So it is with special pride that I screened his last horror movie, Bethany.

     Bethany is chilling and creepy from the very first scene. At times it reminded me of The Ring, sometimes it reminded me of Poltergeist, The Grudge, or What Lies Beneath. Mostly though, it forges new territory with it's twists and turns. I pride myself in being able to figure out the endings of movies early, but this one kept me guessing. I honestly did not see the ending coming. Lead actor Stefanie Estes gave one hell of a performance as Claire. Zack Ward also does some strong acting. So many of the shot choices and cinematography added to the beauty of the story. The music, acting, camera work, and writing all went together gorgeously to spin this ghostly tale.

     You can watch the trailer here: Bethany trailer

Tom Green (Road Trip, Freddy got Fingered) and Shannen Doherty (Charmed, Beverly Hills 90210) star in the spine-chilling Bethany, from acclaimed filmmaker James Cullen Bressack (Pernicious, To Jennifer), in theaters and On Demand this April.
After Claire's mother dies, she and her husband move back to her childhood home only to have the abusive and traumatic memories of her mother come back and bring unrest into the house. Claire soon finds herself in a fog of past and present when her imaginary friend from childhood begins haunting her memories. What is this terrifying thing that is trying to reach out to her, and what does it want?
Stefanie Estes (If Looks Could Kill), Zack Ward (Restoration), Keith Jardine (John Wick), Leon Russom (TV’s Prison Break) and Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp) star in a film by James Cullen Bressack.
Written by James Cullen Bressack and Zack Ward, Bethany releases in theaters and On Demand April 7 via Uncork’d Entertainment. 

In Theaters and on VOD April 7th 2017

Studio: Uncork'd Entertainment
Cast: Stefanie Estes, Zack Ward, Tom Green, Shannen Doherty
Director: James Cullen Bressack

Peelers

      Peelers is not technically a zombie film, but it looks a lot like one. These people are infected, so it's more along the lines of 28 Days Later. It's a fun movie with clever dialog and some genuine humor. There is also lots of gore and nudity to satisfy any fan who loved Zombies vs. Strippers or Strippers vs. Zombies.

     From Seve Schelenz, director of Skew, comes the gooey, gory instant classic Peelers premiering on VOD this March.

     Wren Walker, Caz Odin Darko and Madison J. Loos star in a "pretty damn fun trip" (Dread Central) that "any horror fan is going to love from start to finish" (HEAVY Magazine).

     Former baseball player Blue Jean Douglas is closing down her small-town strip club and leaving for good. But her plans are not so easily attained when a group of coal miners show up and with them a deadly contaminant. What starts out as a last hurrah for the infamous strip club, turns into a blood bath. With time running out, Blue Jean must step up to the plate to try and put a stop to the spread of destruction before it's too late and she loses everything she holds dear.

     Peelers, directed by Seve Schelenz and written by Lisa DeVita, available On Demand March 28 from Uncork'd Entertainment.

Released on VOD March 28th 2017

Studio: Uncork'd Entertainment
Cast: Wren Walker, Caz Odin Darko, and Madison J. Loos
Director: Seve Schelenz

     Watch the trailer here: Peelers Trailer