Movies In Focus

Set in Los Angeles during Christmas,  Above The Line  sees six Hollywood wannabes get the invite of a lifetime when a mysterious messenger gives them the opportunity to steal the Best Picture Awards belonging to an unscrupulous film producer, played by Gregg Henry.  Directed by Jeffrey Scott Collins,  Above The Line  is an on-point black comedy that takes plenty of potshots at Hollywood and the fi...

Over the course of the last half century, Gregg Henry has become one of the most prolific - and one of the best character actors around. A man who has notched-up five guest-starring roles in  Murder, She Wrote  alone and who has starred in six Brian De Palma projects as well as movies like  Payback, Jason Bourne and the Guardians Of The Galaxy  films - to name but a few.  I first noticed him oppos...

A faux documentary that charts the chaos around the making (and therefore the unmaking) of a fictitious $500 million epic called  Dissident ,  Chapter 51  positions itself as a true crime documentary which delves into the murder of three lead actresses during production.  This is essentially flawless filmmaking, a rare cinematic gem that delivers on an intriguing premise. It would be great without...

John Brownell’s  Coin  is a crypto comedy that sees two slacker friends who, through a series of events, manage to misappropriate political campaign funds in order to launch a cryptocurrency so they can save their local park from developers. Things don’t quite go to plan and the pair find themselves pursued by a hitman. A sort of modern day take on the type of films where Kevin Smith made his name...

Filmmaker Jordan Ruttert joins the  Movies In Focus  podcast to talk about the first episode in a proposed independent TV series,  The Reverb , which is premiering at the  Dances With Films  festival on June 27th,  Pitched as a show written by Gen Z for Gen Z, the series will follow a band on the decline that is struck by an unexpected tragedy. They must then turn to old friends in a fight to unco...

Director-producer Jay Silverman joins this episode of the  Movies In Focus  podcast to discuss his new film  Yale .  The comedy-drama launches at the  Dances With Films  film festival on June 18th and it’s a smart, well acted piece that feels like it was lifted straight from the 1990s - and I mean that in a good way.  Starring Caitlin McGee and  Kevin Dunn ,  Yale  is based on a true story about a...

The wonderful David Morse and director Joseph T. Walker join this episode of the  Movies In Focus  podcast to talk about their new film,  Broken Land .  An excellent small scale drama, the film sees Morse play a widowed Texas rancher who takes an injured migrant (played by Jaklyn Bejarano) under his wing.  Broken Land  features strong performances and it has a real 1970s feel with characters and p...

Legendary horror icon, Barbara Crampton ( Re-Animator, Chopping Mall, Castle Freak ) and Desiree Staples ( My Divorce Party ), the stars of short film,  The Blue Diamond , join this episode of the  Movies In Foc us podcast, along with the film’s director and co-writer, Sam Fox ( Fck'n Nuts ). The Blue Diamond  is a quirky and energetic sci-fi short set in an 1980s ski resort which deals with p...

Jon Keeyes, the director of the new supernatural thriller,  Speed Demon   joins this special bite-sized episode of the  Movies In Focus  podcast. A gonzo mix of  The Exorcist  meets  Speed  by way of  Murder On The Orient Express ,  Speed Demon sees a Nun who has lost her faith battling demonic possession on a runaway train. Frankly, if that doesn’t make you want to watch the movie then nothing wi...

Filmmaker Paul Bunnell - the man behind  The Ghastly Love of Johnny X  - joins this episode of the  Movies In Focus podcast to talk about his new film, an offbeat reimagining of the now lost Lon Chaney horror film,  A Blind Bargain .  Shot on Kodak film, this 1970s set horror comedy sees Jake Horowitz’s Dominic Fontaine make a Faustian pact with Crispin Glover’s mysterious Dr. Gruder.  A fascinati...

Michael Schilf’s  The Wolf And The Lamb  is a real curio of a western-horror hybrid with a stacked cast that includes Cassandra Scerbo, Adrianne Palicki, Zach McGowan, James Landry Hébert, Q’orianka Kilcher and Clint Howard.  A strange blend of western series,  Deadwood  and Stephen King's   Salem’s Lot , this a true ensemble film that really plays with the horror slow burn as a quiet evil beg...

You might have certain expectations when going into a film called  The Yeti . However, filmmakers Gene Gallerano and William Pisciotta blow those expectations out of the water with their surprising new monster film. A horror pic with a difference, this period creature feature has a strong cast that includes Brittany Allen, Eric Nelsen, Jim Cummings, William Sadler and Corbin Bernsen. The Yeti  fol...

Returning guest Pen Densham joins this episode of the  Movies In Focus  podcast. Pen is a hugely talented writer, producer and director, who is probably best known for writing and producing Kevin Costner’s iconic 1991 adventure,   Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves  alongside his film-making partner, John Watson.  He also has a whole host of other interesting film credits to his name - including:  Blow...

Kathryn Ferguson’s  Nostalgie  is an exceptional short film that was given an Honourable Mention in the competition shorts section at the Belfast Film Festival, where it was Based on the short story by author Wendy Erskine (and adapted by Stacey Gregg),  Nostalgie  follows Drew Lord Haig (Aidan Gillen), a former ’80s pop star who is given a shot at reliving his glory years by taking a gig at a gat...

Jeremiah Kipp, the filmmaker behind the film adaptation of the video game,  The Mortuary Assistant  joins this episode of the Movies In Focus  podcast.  Now, as I admit in my chat with Jeremiah, I haven’t played the video game - but I did enjoy the film! It’s an atmospheric horror that reminded by quite of a bit of the 1962 genre classic  Carnival of Souls.  It's a small, contained chiller that cr...

Jesse V. Johnson’s  Thieves Highway  is a modern day western about cattle rustling, that sees Aaron Echkart’s cow cop tracking down a a bunch of seriously bad hombres.  Written by Travis Mills - the director of the recent  Frontier Crucible  -  Thieves Highway  has hints of Fred Zinnemann’s  High Noon  and Carl Franklin’s  One False Move . It’s a small, character-based thriller that has a strong c...

Collins' Mel Gibson starrer,  Hunting Season  is something of surprise. Yes, it gives you want you want from a Mel Gibson thriller, but it’s also a film that features some excellent and finely tuned performances. Gibson, as you would expect is great, but so is the supporting cast. There’s a lot going on here and it’s sure to really engage viewers.  The plot sees a reclusive survivalist (Gibson...

This is an exciting episode of the  Movies In Focus  podcast - because I’m not only joined by the mighty Thomas Jane ( The Mist, The Punisher, Deep Blue Sea ), the star and producer of the new western,  Frontier Crucible  - but I'm also also speaking to the film’s director, Travis Mills.  Travis Mills embraces the western and delivers an interpretation of the genre that not only looks back to...

Scott Martin, Michael Jai White, Charlotte Kirk and Stephanie Beran join this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to discuss their new film,  Exit Protocol .  Interviewed separately, these conversations offer thoughtful insights into the production of  Exit Protocol , creative decisions, and the collaborative energy that shaped the film. It’s an interesting look at bringing the Dolph Lundgren f...

James Badge Dale ( 13 Hours ,  The Standoff At Sparrow Creek ) and Michael Mando ( Better Call Saul ,  Spider-Man ) join this episode of the  Movies In Focus  podcast to talk about their roles in John Swab’s latest film,  King Ivory .  Swab’s drug thriller explores the dangerous world of fentanyl trafficking in the U.S., offering a gritty glimpse into a society fighting for survival. In this inter...

Filmmaker and actor Caleb Alexander Smith ( The Catch, Modern Family ) and his co-star David Krumholtz ( Oppenheimer, The Santa Clause, Supergirl ) join his episode of the the  Movies In Focus  podcast to discuss their thought provoking new film,  Forelock . It’s a work that could easily slip under the radar in today’s crowded cinematic landscape - and that would be a massive shame. Forelock  stri...

British film producer and the man behind Shogun Films, Jonathan Sothcott joins this episode of the  Movies In Focus  podcast to discuss his impressive and varied career in the film industry.  One of the most prolific figures in British genre cinema, Sothcott discusses his latest horror movie  Helloween , the realities of producing independent films and how he’s built a career telling stories that...

Film composer and singer-songwriter Tom Schraeder joins this episode of the  Movies In Focus  podcast for an in-depth conversation. Known for his emotionally charged music, Schraeder has built a career that bridges the worlds of songwriting and film scoring with ease. Composing music for films like  The Dark And The Wicked, We’re Not Safe Here  and  Vicious,  Schraeder is a musician who can add mu...

Writer-director  Kiah Roache-Turner ’s  Beast Of War  isn’t just another entry in the long tradition of shark films - it’s a pulse-pounding WWII thriller that delivers on both fronts. This Australian production stands out with its commitment to practical effects over CGI, keeping viewers on edge as a group of soldiers faces both a battle-scarred predator and the harsh realities of survival at sea....

This time around, Charlotte Kirk and Zach McGowan , the stars of Neil Marshall 's new erotic thriller, Compulsion join this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast. Co-starring Anna-Maria Sieklucka , Compulsion delivers a throwback punch, homaging the shadowy style of Italian giallo and the sleazy vibe of 80s and 90s erotic thrillers. Kirk and McGowan discuss what drew them to its dark, complex cha...