Twistedwing

NEWS: SNOWPIERCER PULLS IN NEXT TO YOUR SOFA

2016-11-22T09:50:00.000+00:00

We've seen some strange films in our time, but when it comes to Joon-ho Bong's 2013 action thriller, we were almost lost for words. Not that the movie is especially bonkers, you understand. It's just that we were expecting something completely different. In truth, I don't know what we were expecting, because for once we went into a movie cold. Which, looking back now, is kind of appropriate really. We may have had no idea what to expect from Joon-ho Bong's runaway train, but Memories of Murder, The Host and Mother are three of our favourite films, so we were convinced we would be in safe hands.

However, doubts had already started to creep in. At the time of viewing, the film still didn't have an official release date in the UK (rarely a good omen) and copies were hard to come by. What's more, Korean directors had already started dipping their toes in Hollywood waters with mixed success. Kim Jee-woon (The Last Stand) stumbled out of the blocks with his Arnie comeback vehicle and Chan-wook Park failed to set the world alight with Stoker. Not the disasters they could have been, don't get me wrong, but both directors were capable of so much more.

Snowpiercer stars Chris Evans (Captain America), John Hurt (Hellboy), Tilda Swinton (Vanilla Sky) and Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot), with Korean presence provided by Kang-ho Song (The Host) and Ah-sung Ko (The Host). Set in the future, we soon learn that a failed climate-change experiment has killed all life on the planet, except for a 'lucky few' on board the Snowpiercer; a train that travels around the icy globe encasing man's last hope.

A class structure has emerged on the train and Curtis (Chris Evans) has had just about enough of the protein bars he's been dining on for the past 17 years. So he joins forces with the other passengers at the back of the train and together they aim to turn their fortunes around. One carriage at a time.

The opening act is a little messy, tonally awkward and hard to connect with. It doesn't really find its feet until Curtis and his motley crew start making their way up the train. It's a striking production and the snowy exterior provides the effects team with a few meaty challenges. Inside however, is where the film really comes to life. The dark greys of the lower classes are soon replaced by, among other things, an aquarium, sushi bar, mirrorball nightclub and perhaps best of all, a colourful classroom where the privileged children learn and sing.

That was the moment my mood turned for the better. It's a wonderful sequence; zany, cool and very amusing. Tilda Swinton is unrecognisable as a vocalist for the elite, resembling a cross between Bugs Bunny and Deirdre Barlow. It's a quirky performance that feels out of place at first but things get loopy very quickly and before long she is getting cosy with a memorable cast of oddballs and eccentrics.

From that moment forward the action comes thick and fast, with the South Korean helmer really finding his feet in the home straight. The final act had me hook, line and sinker, serving up a heady dose of action, drama and visual panache. After a shaky start I had been swept along for the ride. Not a subtle ride by any stretch of the imagination, but with Joon-ho Bong in the drivers seat, Snowpiercer feels as fresh as the morning snow.

The good news is Snowpiercer is being re imagined for TV screens. The new take has been granted both a pilot and a potential series by US network TNT. There will be changes of course, according to online sources the show will be set seven years after the deep freeze. Overseeing the show is Josh Friedman, whose film credits include writing War Of The Worlds and co-writing the upcoming Avatar 2. He also served as showrunner/executive producer of the TV series, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. It's early days on this one but it could be worth the wait.

NEWS: TRAIN TO BUSAN ARRIVES ON TIME...

2016-11-19T04:31:00.001+00:00

Arguably one of the most anticipated U.K. DVD and Blu-Ray releases of recent times, Train to Busan arrives on February 27, 2017. A mysterious viral outbreak pushes Korea into a state of emergency and as an unidentified virus sweeps the country, Korean government declares martial law.

Those on an express train to Busan, a city that has successfully fended off the viral outbreak, must fight for their own survival… 453 km from Seoul to Busan. The struggle to survive by those who have others to protect. Get on board to stay alive. Check out the trailer below and believe the hype. Can't wait for this one.

TRAILER: PANDORA

2016-11-16T17:53:00.000+00:00

We recently posted a teaser trailer for upcoming disaster film, Pandora. You can check it out here. Now we have the first full length trailer and it all looks pretty epic. We're sure there will be some melodrama thrown in for good measure. Check it out below. Pandora stars Kim Nam-Gil, Kim Young-Ae and Moon Jeong-Hee.

The new movie is directed by Park Jung-Woo (Deranged), revolving around an explosive nuclear disaster with Kim Nam-Gil taking centre stage, trying to save both his family and country. Pandora is set for release in South Korea this December.

NEWS: TEASER TRAILER FOR FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST DELIVERS ON SPECTACLE. BRIEFLY.

2016-11-16T17:43:00.000+00:00

A teaser trailer has been released for Fullmetal Alchemist and all we can say is, impressive. It's early days of course but the effects look pretty cool and this could be the film fans are praying for. We have a long time to wait, however, Fullmetal Alchemist premieres sometime during winter, 2017 in Japan.

Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Fullmetal Alchemist, the film is set in a fictional universe in which alchemy is one of the most advanced scientific techniques. The story itself follows two alchemist brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric, who are searching for the philosopher's stone to restore their bodies after a failed attempt to bring their mother back to life.

Fumihiko Sori (Ichi, Ping Pong) will direct the film and principal photography ran from June to August 2016 in Italy. The film will star Ryosuke Yamada (Assassination Classroom) as Edward Elric, Tsubasa Honda (The Mole Song 2) as Winry Rockbell and Dean Fujioka (Ninja the Monster) as Roy Mustang. The anime was voted Japan's most popular of all time. No pressure then.

IN OUR SIGHTS: YOUR NAME

2016-11-16T17:24:00.001+00:00

WHAT IS IT: A new Japanese animation touted as this years Spirited Away. The less you know about it the better, but the story involves a small-town high-school girl called Mitsuha (Mone Kamishiraishi), and a Tokyo boy of the same age named Taki (Ryûnosuke Kamiki), who start possessing each other’s bodies. From there, a strange relationship develops between them.

WHY? It's getting rave reviews all around the world. Empire magazine said, "If you only see one Japanese animated feature this year, see this one, and see it more than once." While Total Film commented, "A brain-scrambler to make hearts swell, Shinkai’s giddy romance brims with emotion and invention."

WHEN: Directed by Makoto Shinkai, Your Name opens this Friday in the U.K. Check out the weird and wonderful trailer below.

IN OUR SIGHTS: WE ARE THE FLESH

2016-11-15T19:14:00.000+00:00

WHAT IS IT? A new Mexican horror movie whipping up a storm on the festival circuit. After wandering a ruined city for years in search of food and shelter, two siblings find their way into one of the last remaining buildings. Inside, they find a man who will make them a dangerous offer to survive in the outside world.

WHY? It looks like a tough watch but one that could prove to be worth the effort. One review called it, "An extreme Mexican fiesta of incest, cannibalism and explicit sex that should earn detractors and fans in equal measure." Another review was a little more straightforward, summarising with, “Jesus Christ, that was one weird-ass movie.” One thing's for sure, We Are The Flesh will get everybody talking.

WHEN? Emiliano Rocha Minter's first full length feature, We Are The Flesh, will have a limited run in U.K. theatres from November 18th.

NEWS: TAKE THAT SUPER TED! HURRICANE POLYMAR HEADS TO THE BIG SCREEN...

2016-11-15T18:46:00.001+00:00

And I thought we had cool cartoons when I was a kid. Junpei Mizobata has been cast in new live-action film, Hurricane Polymar. For those of us raised on Bananaman and Super Ted, Hurricane Polymar is based on a TV show which aired on channel NET (now TV Asahi) from 1974-1975.

Junpei Mizobata will play the main character, Takeshi Yoroi. You can see him in all his glory in the original title sequence below. He is a private investigator who comes into possession of a special suit made out of artificial polymar. With the suit, Takeshi Yoroi turns into, you guessed it, Hurrican Polymar. Which also means he has the ability to turn into five different vehicles.

Also cast in supporting roles are Yuki Yamada, Mikie Hara and Yurina Yanagi. The new movie will be directed by Koichi Sakamoto, with a release date set for May 2017. No official trailer yet, obviously, but we're sure it won't be long before the first teaser reaches our screens.

NEWS: SEEDING OF A GHOST ON DVD & BLU-RAY

2016-11-14T20:04:00.000+00:00

Well it didn't take us long to get back to a suitable level of distaste. Originally planned as part three of the Shaw Brothers Black Magic Trilogy, due to it's over the top blood-splattering nature and gross-out shock levels, Seeding Of A Ghost ran into censorship problems and was released under a new moniker.

It's an erotic gore-fest rivalling Hollywood's best. Filled with gratuitous nudity, the film stars the highly touted martial arts star, Kao Fei, in a non-fighting role as taxi driver Chou Tung, who seeks revenge against the hooligans that raped and killed his wife.

By soliciting the help of a demented magician, who agrees to assist him in finding and punishing his wife's rapists, Chou takes great pleasure in seeking vengeance. It's a twisted delight and it's yours to own from January 16, 2017 on Dual Format DVD and Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films. Check out the ludicrously entertaining trailer below.

NEWS: NORMAL SERVICE WILL RESUME AFTER THIS DISNEY INFUSED COMMERCIAL BREAK...

2016-11-14T16:42:00.000+00:00

We're going to take a break from horror, bloodshed and extreme violence for a couple of minutes to sit back and enjoy the wonder that is Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast. I'll let you in to a little secret now, Beauty and the Beast is my favourite Disney animation. I mean, besides The Lion King. But that doesn't count, right? Everybody loves The Lion King.

Last years The Jungle Book was pretty solid entertainment so it looks like we'll be revisiting all the Disney classics over the next few years. It doesn't hurt to have Emma Watson and Dan Stevens playing Belle and The Beast, and with Luke Evans taking dashing and dastardly to the max, we couldn't think of anybody better to bring Gaston to life. Ewan McGregor is on board too, as well as Emma Thompson. Not convinced by Chip though, but it's early days on that one.

The trailer looks fantastic though, not to mention incredibly faithful to the 1991 original. Want to check out the trailer for yourself? Be our guest. Beauty and the Beast is released on March 17 in the U.K. and the U.S.

ONE TO WATCH? THE MONSTER

2016-11-13T20:08:00.001+00:00

Two strong performances carry Bryan Bertino's (The Strangers) latest movie, simply titled The Monster, through some dank and dirty terrain. The set up is straightforward enough; a broken down car, a rainy, deserted back road and a killer on the loose. In The Monster, however, the killer in question is a genuine monster and not just the figurative kind. Spending the first half of the movie lurking in the shadows, the very first glimpse of The Monster is reminiscent of H.R. Giger's original Alien creation, which bodes well for the rest of the movie.

After hitting a wolf in the road, a reluctant mother and her put upon daughter are forced to fight for their lives against a formidable foe. Regular flashbacks provide our two leads, Kathy (Zoe Kazan) and her daughter Lizzy (Ella Ballentine), with a ballsy back story. In truth, The Monster is at its best when it strays away from genre convention, and the flashbacks provide Kazan and Ballentine with the meatiest scenes. Not bad for a movie with a flesh eating monster.

The Monster isn't just a monster movie though. At its heart, Bryan Bertino has delivered a hard-hitting drama about motherhood. Kathy is a bad mom. A really bad mom. She is fully aware of this though, which is why she is taking Lizzy on a road trip to live with her father. Both girls are fantastic in their roles, especially Kazan. Kathy has never had the courage to fight for anything in her short, miserable life. She's a selfish addict and a terrible parent, but can she overcome her shortcomings in order to save her daughter?

Unfortunately, that's where The Monster loses momentum. As cool as the monster effects are at first, its the mother/daughter relationship that has the real teeth. The final act is a little too formulaic, unlike the gritty flashbacks, and genuine scares are few and far between. The monster of the title too, effective in the shadows, looks far less menacing as the climax rears its ugly head. In fact, it very much resembles the man-in-rubber-suit Alien finale. Maybe we should give the effects team the benefit of the doubt and call it a nod to Ridley Scott's masterpiece. Perhaps not.

Two strong leads and an effective first act can't disguise the fact that The Monster is a pedestrian horror movie. At just over 80 minutes long it doesn't outstay its welcome, but the quality dips whenever Kazan is off screen. Worth a look but ultimately forgettable.

The Monster Trailer

TRAILER: GHOST IN THE SHELL

2016-11-13T16:08:00.000+00:00

Well this is bound to upset a few people. Is it safe to watch the first trailer yet? "Everything they told you was a lie." Here it is folks, take a deep breathe and check out the first trailer for Ghost in the Shell, directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Scarlett Johansson and Takeshi Kitano. First thoughts? Scarlett looks fantastic in her figure hugging outfits. It might take me a little while to process the rest.

Synopsis: Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, Ghost In The Shell follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic's advancements in cyber technology.

See, that wasn't too bad now, was it?

FEATURE: MEMENTO MORE PLEASE (UPDATE)

2016-11-13T15:02:00.000+00:00

Two new additions for you this week, as I continue in my quest to revisit every Asian movie in my collection. First up is Ryuhei Kitamura's follow up to breakout hit, Versus. That would be Azumi then, a film I wasn't completely bowled over by first time around. Will it hit the spot all these years down the line? And secondly, The Pang Brothers scored their first big hit with Bangkok Dangerous. Check out the reviews by clicking on the image below.

"There comes a time in every man's life..." Wait, that's not it. Give me a second here. "Every now and then we take stock, look back and..." Nope, that's not it either. "The truth is, no man is an isla..." Forget it. Here are a selection of easy-to-digest reviews of the films that shaped my love of Asian cinema. I'll be updating this feature on a regular ba...

I'll be updating this feature infrequently, but hey, that doesn't mean I don't care. It occurred to me recently that I have a whole room dedicated to Asian cinema and I've only watched most of the films once. Pretty sure I'm not alone in this. So I'm starting from scratch. Going back to the beginning. Maybe, just maybe, learning a few life lessons along the way.

Worst case scenario, I'm watching a lot of mediocre films that seemed like a good idea at the time. That's life I guess. A lot of mediocre moments strung together by the faint whiff of fulfilment. Kind of like a Woody Allen movie if you make it to the end."

NEWS: KICKING UP AN S STORM ON DVD & BLU-RAY

2016-11-11T10:16:00.002+00:00

Z Storm director David Lam and leading man Louis Koo return for the sequel, S Storm, with a cast that includes Julian Cheung, Bowie Lam, Ada Choi and Shek Sau, as well as Lo Hoi Pang, Dada Chen and Taiwan actor Vic Chou. The English subtitled DVD and Blu-ray can be pre-ordered here ahead of the official release date of November 25, 2016. You can check out the trailer below.

Synopsis: ICAC agent Luk (Louis Koo) is investigating the case of a Jockey Club trader suspected of accepting bribes and fixing sports betting odds. The suspect, however, gets murdered in broad daylight by a hitman (Vic Chou), and Luk is the only witness. Detective Lau (Julian Cheung) is put in charge of the murder case, but is unable to get much information out of Luk. The two agencies delve into the victim's connection with illegal bookmaking operations and discover that there is a mysterious and ruthless big boss pulling the strings.

TEASER TRAILER: BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL

2016-11-11T09:37:00.000+00:00

As you might expect, things are moving fast on this one. We first brought you news that Hana Sugisaki (Mozu The Movie) had been cast in the upcoming live-action film, Blade of the Immortal, starring Takuya Kimura.

Just a few days ago we discovered the supporting cast had been announced, including the likes of Sota Fukushi (As The Gods Will), Hayato Ichihara (The Grudge 2), Erika Toda (Death Note), Ebizo Ichikawa (Over Your Dead Body), Tsutomu Yamazaki (Space Battleship Yamato), Min Tanaka (The Eternal Zero), Kazuki Kitamura (Killers), Chiaki Kuriyama (Kill Bill ) and Shinnosuke Mitsushima (Over The Fence).

The new movie, directed by Takashi Miike and based on the manga series “Mugen no Junin” by Hiroaki Samura, now has a teaser trailer. You can watch it below. Remind anybody of 13 Assassins? That can only be a good thing. Blade of the Immortal will be released April 29, 2017 in Japan.

TRAILER: VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS

2016-11-10T16:47:00.001+00:00

Catchy title, huh? Valerian (we'll go with that for now) is the latest bonkers feature film from Luc Besson, the French visionary who directed, amongst others, The Fifth Element, Lucy and of course, Leon. The film is based on the French sci-fi series, Valerian and Laureline. It stars Dane DeHaan as Valérian and Cara Delevingne as Laureline.

The trailer suggests a curious blend of The Fifth Element and, um, The Phantom Menace, but it's anybody's guess as to how this will turn out. Promising start though. It's certainly a colourful first glimpse. The new film is scheduled for release on 21 July 2017 worldwide and on 26 July in France. Check it out below.

IN OUR SIGHTS: THE EVIL WITHIN

2016-11-09T17:17:00.000+00:00

WHAT IS IT? Judging by the trailer, it's a really creepy horror movie, one that may or may not involve cannibals but certainly involves sleepless nights.

WHY? Because the trailer has us really intrigued. The long-delayed movie stars Frederick Koehler (from every decent TV show known to man) and Sean Patrick Flanery (The Boondock Saints). You should also recognise horror icon Michael Berryman, and if he isn't a big enough draw we don't know what is. The Evil Within is the first and only film written and directed by the late Andrew Getty, grandson of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. The Evil Within was his passion project that took over a decade to complete. Getty and his FX team created their own complex special effects and animatronics and shot much of the principal photography in his home.

WHEN? No official release date yet but we'll keep you posted. The Evil Within (aka The Storyteller) made a big splash at the American Film Market and Vision Films has acquired worldwide rights, planning a domestic release in North America in 2017. For now though, sit back and enjoy the trailer.

TRAILER: SHINJUKU SWAN 2

2016-11-09T16:37:00.000+00:00

Just when we thought our coverage was getting a little too safe and predictable, along comes Sion Sono to shake things up again. Fans of his will be pleased to know that a new trailer and teaser poster have just dropped for Shinjuku Swan 2, starring Gou Ayano and Tadanobu Asano.

The new film is based on the manga series, Shinjuku Swan Kabukicho Skauto Sabaibaru, by Ken Wakui. Word is, the storyline has Tatsuhiko Shiratori (Gou Ayano) moving from Shinjuku to Yokohama, where he finds trouble in the shape of Tadanobu Asano.

The release date for Shinjuku Swan 2 has now been set for January 21, 2017 in Japan, so we can expect a DVD release to follow at the start of Spring. What can we expect to see? More of the same really. Shouting, angry faces, fighting, pretty girls, chases, the occasional screen-chewing. Should be a blast.

Synopsis: Tatsuhiko Shiratori works as a scout, recruiting girls to work in the adult entertainment business. He movies to Yokohama from Shinjuku, Tokyo. He comes face to face with Masaki Taki, who is the CEO of a scouting company. Shit gets real.

TRAILER: MISSING

2016-11-09T16:19:00.000+00:00

The main trailer has just been released for upcoming South Korean mystery thriller, Missing, starring Uhm Ji-Won (The Good, The Bad, The Weird) and Kong Hyo-Jin (Volcano High). The new movie is directed by Lee Eon-Hee and follows a mother (Uhm Ji-Won) as she searches for her daughter who went missing with her babysitter (Kong Hyo-Jin). Missing will be released November 30, 2016 in South Korea. It's an atmospheric trailer and let's face it, who doesn't love Korean thrillers these days? Check it out below.

Synopsis: Ji-Sun is divorcing her husband. She works hard and raises her daughter Da-Eun alone. She has a babysitter, Han-Mae, who takes care of Da-Eun when she works. One day, Han-Mae disappears with her daughter.

NEWS: AMERICAN WEREWOLF REMAKE IS OFFICIAL

2016-11-08T15:53:00.000+00:00

Do we really need a remake of An American Werewolf In London? We've already had to endure a lukewarm retread in 1997, when Anthony Waller switched locations to Paris and dressed his monstrosity in sheep's clothing. Well, Max Landis is reported to be on board for the remake, taking over from his father, John. Landis is set to write and direct the new film and there really isn't a lot of information besides that. Looks like Jack won't be dead for long.

The Walking Dead's David Alpert and Robert Kirkman will produce alongside Andy Trapani, who has been trying to put this film together for nearly a decade. Landis, by the way, wrote Chronicle, so there is a silver lining if you want to look on the bright side of things. He also wrote Victor Frankenstein. Take from that what you will. An American Werewolf is one of our favourite horror movies so perhaps we're being unfair, but I'd rather take my chances at The Slaughtered Lamb than sit through another CGI schlock-fest. Think we'll keep clear of the moors on this one.

NEWS: HERE COMES THE BRIDE...

2016-11-07T16:00:00.000+00:00

Like a big white (red) wedding, do you? Good. November 11, 2016 is the day you can take The Bride over the threshold. Produced and co-written by horror veteran Ichise Takashige (Ring, The Grudge), The Bride is a twisty, atmospheric horror tale starring popular actors Chris Wu (Wake Up), Nikki Hsieh (The Assassin) and Yan Zheng Lan. The English subtitled, Hong Kong version is yours to keep in four days time and you can order it here. So get your confetti at the ready folks...

Synopsis: With a booming career as the producer of a supernatural TV show and a loving fiancee (Nikki Hsieh), Liu Cheng Hao (Chris Wu) is on top of the world, professionally and personally. However, things start to go awry when one day, he picks up a stray red pocket on the street. High school student Lin Yin Yin (Yan Zheng Lan) has been struggling with being able to see the dead for most of her life. On the eve of her 16th birthday, her power becomes stronger than ever, and she finds herself haunted by a female ghost. When these two seemingly unconnected incidents come to a head, a tragic secret is revealed.

TRAILER: KUNG-FU YOGA

2016-11-07T10:33:00.000+00:00

It's been a little while since we truly enjoyed a new Jackie Chan movie, and the trailer for Kung-Fu Yoga doesn't really suggest that run of bad form will end any time soon. However, we did find ourselves laughing at the comedy lion so, you know, it's a start. Kung-Fu Yoga doesn't exactly break the mould, this new trailer comes complete with car chases, ludicrous stunts, good CGI, bad CGI and lots of hysterical over-acting. Pretty standard stuff then. Directed by Stanley Tong (The Myth), Kung-Fu Yoga is due out January 28 in China.

Synopsis: Chinese archaeology professor Jack (Jackie Chan) teams up with beautiful Indian professor Ashmita and assistant Kyra to locate lost Magadha treasure. In a Tibetan ice cave, they find the remains of the royal army that had vanished together with the treasure, only to be ambushed by Randall (Sonu Sood), the descendant of a rebel army leader. When they free themselves, their next stop is Dubai where a diamond from the ice cave is to be auctioned. After a series of double-crosses and revelations about their past, Jack and his team travel to a mountain temple in India, using the diamond as a key to unlock the real treasure.

NEWS: BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL JUST GOT DEADLIER

2016-11-07T09:44:00.000+00:00

Last Tuesday we brought you the news that Hana Sugisaki (Mozu The Movie) had been cast in the upcoming live-action film, Blade of the Immortal, starring Takuya Kimura (Space Battleship Yamato).

Well now it looks like she has back up, with the supporting cast including the likes of Sota Fukushi (As The Gods Will), Hayato Ichihara (The Grudge 2), Erika Toda (Death Note), Ebizo Ichikawa (Over Your Dead Body), Tsutomu Yamazaki (Space Battleship Yamato), Min Tanaka (The Eternal Zero), Kazuki Kitamura (Killers), Chiaki Kuriyama (Kill Bill ) and Shinnosuke Mitsushima (Over The Fence). It's a fine, fine cast. The new movie will be directed by Takashi Miike and is based on manga series “Mugen no Junin” by Hiroaki Samura.

For those of you well versed in the manga, Sota Fukushi will play Kagehisa Anotsu, Hayato Ichihara will play Shira, and Erika Toda is to take on the role of Makie Otonotachibana. “Blade of the Immortal” will be released April 29, 2017 in Japan.

IN OUR SIGHTS: THE NIGHT WATCHMEN

2016-11-06T10:41:00.000+00:00

WHAT IS IT? A new horror-comedy in which three inept night watchmen, aided by a young rookie and a fearless tabloid journalist, fight an epic battle to save their lives. A mistaken warehouse delivery unleashes a horde of hungry vampires, and these unlikely heroes must not only save themselves but also stop the scourge that threatens to take over the city of Baltimore. The occasional snigger, gratuitous topless shots and gore aplenty are most likely to follow.

WHY? They have zompires. It's a thing apparently. The Night Watchmen is helmed by Mitchell Altieri, who also directed Raised By Wolves, a surprisingly effective found footage thriller. Mitchell and long time film partner Phil Flores are perhaps better known as their film making alter egos, The Butcher Brothers. Their first film, The Hamilton's, was the highly acclaimed award winner of the Santa Barbara and the Malibu International Film Festivals. The cast includes Ken Arnold, Dan Deluca and Kara Luiz.

WHEN? Not quite sure on this one, though we can expect to see it before the year is out.

NEWS: STUDIO GHIBLI IN THE REAL WORLD

2016-11-04T15:35:00.000+00:00

Well this is a beautiful way to start the weekend. If you ever wondered what the characters of Studio Ghibli movies would look like in the real world, now you can find out. The original video was created by Kojer and you can check out his social media pages below. It's a fantastic piece of work and in desperate need of sharing. Happy Friday!

Kojer on Vimeo Kojer on Instagram Kojer on Facebook

TRAILER: SUICIDE SQUAD EXTENDED CUT

2016-11-02T14:44:00.001+00:00

A new trailer has been released for the extended cut of David Ayer's Suicide Squad, set for release on digital download on 28 November and Blu-ray on 5 December. We weren't big fans of the original cut here at TwistedWing, you can check out our review below, but we did enjoy the extended edition of Dawn of Justice. So maybe there is hope for the movie yet. The trailer certainly doesn't give much away but apparently there are 13 minutes of extra footage. Time will tell I guess.

"Let me start by saying I enjoyed Dawn of Justice. I just want to get that off my chest before the clowns rock up at my door and wheel me away. It was by no means perfect, but for me the extended edition was solid, unspectacular superhero fare. Of course, I love pretty much all the Marvel movies. They've truly nailed the superhero formula, and I don't expect to see that success end anytime soon. Having said that, I still struggle with Iron Man 2.

Suicide Squad hasn't had the best of reviews, they're a mixed bag for sure, but something told me I would enjoy this more than most. I didn't. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty to enjoy in David Ayer's metahuman mash-up, but the word 'underwhelming' fizzes on my tongue like a lethal dose of Acid Drops. The opening act is a giant mess. Choppy editing distracts from the get-go and action sequences are over before they begin. Because David Ayer (Training Day) is determined to cram in as much information as possible in the first twenty minutes, he has nowhere to go but to neglect pacing and structure in favour of music video storytelling. The soundtrack, however, is first class.

As are some of the performances. Much has been made of Margot Robbie's portrayal of Harley Quinn and rightly so, she's the one character they get absolutely right. Here's hoping they do the honourable thing and give the girl her own movie. Jared Leto might be unhappy about the scenes they cut out but I went to see his band play a few years back and his half-arsed performance left me stone cold. So I know how that feels, karma came back and sang him a chorus or two. Which is kind of ironic if you ask me. He's pretty good here though, even if, ultimately, his role proves as fruitless as the underwhelming Batman cameos. There's that word again.

So what about Will Smith? He was hands down the best thing about the first act; a big screen actor with blockbusting charm. However, by the end of it I had started to think that this was less an ensemble piece and more a 90s Will Smith vehicle. In truth, his appearance was both a blessing and a curse. The rest of the group barely registered for me, and the big bad felt like it belonged in another movie entirely. Despite the fantastical elements at play here, Suicide Squad worked best when it played on the neon-soaked grit and darkness. There were times when I thought I was watching a Mummy sequel, and I swear to God, at one point I thought they had let Joel Schumacher back behind the camera.

Overstuffed and rather flat, Suicide Squad could have and should have been a whole lot wilder. There is a fun movie struggling to break out, but the bigwigs at Warner Bros. are so intent on catching up with Marvel, they've forgetting about quality filmmaking and cast the DC Universe to the shadows for some time yet."