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Syndicate Collectibles is a new company on the horror scene, but the company’s owner is anything but new to the business. Jerry Macaluso, formerly of Sota Toys and Pop Culture Shock Collectibles, is the man behind Syndicate Collectibles, and he’s acquired all kinds of licenses including Ghoulies, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, The Howling, and Pumpkinhead.

Their upcoming collectibles are regularly teased on the official Syndicate Collectibles Instagram account, and this next one is an absolute dream come true for all Evil Dead fans.

The company took to Instagram this week to preview their full size wearable replica of Ash’s chainsaw hand from Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness, measuring 28-inches long!

Syndicate Collectibles writes, “Here it is, Dead Heads, Syndicate Collectibles’ Ash’s Chainsaw prop replica from Army of Darkness! After months of anticipation, we’re thrilled to reveal this life-size, wearable masterpiece with chainsaw sound...

Syndicate Collectibles is a new company on the horror scene, but the company’s owner is anything but new to the business. Jerry Macaluso, formerly of Sota Toys and Pop Culture Shock Collectibles, is the man behind Syndicate Collectibles, and he’s acquired all kinds of licenses including Ghoulies, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, The Howling, and Pumpkinhead.

These upcoming collectibles are regularly teased on the official Syndicate Collectibles Instagram account, where Jerry has revealed that he’s also got the Army of Darkness license.

In addition to an incredible Ash Williams statue, the company took to Instagram this week to tease a full size replica of Ash’s chainsaw hand from the 1992 Sam Raimi sequel!

The company writes, “Yes, we are actually making Ash’s iconic chainsaw hand from Army of Darkness! This finely crafted prop replica is not just for show — it roars to life with authentic sounds!

The 1984 cult classic Ghoulies is once again emerging from the toilet with a brand new 4K Ultra HD release on September 12, 2023, and action figures are also coming soon!

New company Syndicate Collectibles is on hand at San Diego Comic-Con this week and they’re showing off a wave of four upcoming action figures based on the original Ghoulies.

ToyArk notes, “Syndicate Collectibles is the new company from Jerry Macaluso, formerly of Sota Toys and Pop Culture Shock Collectibles. They’re tackling licenses that have been in dire need of collectibles, and revisiting some old favorites.”

Preview the Ghoulies toys below, and thank ToyArk for the photo from the Sdcc floor!

In the original Ghoulies, “A young man and his girlfriend move into an old mansion home, where he becomes possessed by a desire to control ancient demons.”

The post ‘Ghoulies’ Action Figures Coming Soon from Syndicate Collectibles! [Image] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!

After a quiet week of home media releases, April 23rd comes roaring back with a cavalcade of new titles hitting Blu-ray and DVD this Tuesday, including the 40th Anniversary 4K Edition of Alien, just in time for Alien Day on April 26th. Escape Room is also hitting multiple formats this week, and for those of you who dig on cult horror, we have two great films featuring some of the genre’s biggest talents being celebrated by Kino Lorber: The Strange Door and Scream and Scream Again.

Arrow Video has put together a Special Edition release of Scared Stiff that comes home on Tuesday, and for those of you who enjoy folk horror, be sure to check out Hagazussa when it hits both Blu and DVD.

Other notable releases for April 23rd include the 4K release of The Witch, I Spit On Your Grave: Déjà Vu, Destroyer, Backyard Epics, and 1st Summoning.

Scared Stiff (1987) will be available on Blu-ray April 23rd from Arrow Video

TV star Mary Page Keller (Pretty Little Liars) appears alongside Andrew Stevens as a couple terrorized by an age-old curse in this much-underrated late-80s offering from director Richard Friedman.

Keller plays Kate Christopher, a singer who moves into an old colonial mansion with her son and psychologist boyfriend David (Stevens). But when they make a strange and gruesome discovery in the boarded-up attic, it soon becomes clear that the mansion carries with it a dark and blood-stained past and one that is about to terrorize them in the present.

The second feature helmed by Richard Friedman, who went on to direct such genre favourites as Doom Asylum and Phantom of the Mall: Eric s Revenge, Scared Stiff (Aka The Masterson Curse) builds to an astonishing practical FX-laden climax sure to please fans of 80s horror. >/p>

Special...

[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Rick and Morty” Season 3, Episode 4, “Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender.”]

At its best, “Rick and Morty” is a show that’s been able to take the basic, ordinary parts of human life and spin them into grand, misshapen sci-fi horrors. Dogs taking over the world, parasites taking over happy memories, and a school dance becoming the platform for an army of Cronenbergs all came from a simple premise warped so fully that the result was twisted, unrecognizable bliss.

“Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender” is an episode as deceptive as its title. What starts as a means for a “Guardians of the Galaxy”-style adventure against a looming foe gets the “Rick and Morty” treatment by putting that formula in reverse. It’s no surprise that this show would take a premise with unlimited possibilities and trap this supersquad in a simplistic “Saw”-bstacle course. Even if some of it feels a little familiar, at least it’s sending things in a different direction.

[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Rick and Morty” Season 3, Episode 2, “Rickmancing the Stone.”]

When “Rick and Morty” premiered back in April with a surprise episode that only a small group of marketing people at Adult Swim knew was coming, it treated fans who had waited since the end of Season 2 with an episode that mainly delivered on some greatest hits. Aliens had captured Rick, hellbent on stealing a secret from his subconscious. Meanwhile, life back on Earth had descended into total chaos. The last shot was even a mirror of the “100 years Rick and Morty” monologue from the end of the show’s pilot.

So how do you follow that up and get audiences excited for what the rest of Season 3 has to offer? Apparently the answer is Badass Summer. It took descending into an all-out “Mad Max: Fury Road” battle for wasteland supremacy, but it looks like the show’s central duo now has a capable third member.

Read More‘Rick and Morty’ Season 3: Susan Sarandon,...

Twin Peaks stuck (mostly) to the facts this week, and the payoff was a gorgeous bounty of desperately sought information, correctly placed puzzle-pieces, and giddy fan service. Part 7 had me bouncing off the walls with joy, anticipation and deep Lynchian tension. Very surprising considering how little actually took place, and how “normal” (comparatively) the narrative was. Yes, a miniature version of the “Tree with a Brain” did pop out of a sidewalk to instruct Coop/Dougie to “squeeze the hand off” (?) of the little-person assassin. But otherwise there wasn’t too much kookiness getting in the way of good, solid plot.

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Fox's Frankenstein-inspired police procedural with a sci-fi twist, Second Chance, shouldn't have been written off so quickly...

Second Chance, the Fox channel’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic Frankenstein had, it would be fair to say, a somewhat turbulent production. With the number of episodes reduced from thirteen to eleven before the show even premiered and two late-in-the-day changes from original title The Frankenstein Code, it seemed as if Fox had early reservations about the direction and potential of the project. And the general reaction to Second Chance’s initial few episodes seemingly justified the scepticism. After the first two outings brought in poor numbers, the series was unceremoniously shunted to the infamous ‘Friday Night Death Slot’. The critics weren’t much kinder either, with the overarching feeling being the show lacked in originality, wasn’t particularly exciting and should have been better thought out both in concept and execution.

But despite under-par reviews and unimpressive ratings, there are a number of elements contained in Second Chance that shine through; a few ideas that really work well, engage viewers (the few there are) and display a promise suggesting that with a few tweaks and alterations, this monster could really have come to life. A second season has been ruled out by Fox, and here's why that's a shame.

As Second Chance begins, Jimmy Pritchard is a seventy-five year old man, living in disgrace after losing his job as Sheriff due to being found guilty of malpractice, or as he’d put it, “getting the job done”. Pensioner Jimmy has a penchant for booze and hookers and suffers a strained relationship with his straight-laced FBI agent son, Duval, who resents him due to his prioritisation of work over family and his maverick way of keeping law and order. When Jimmy finds intruders in his son’s home, he’s callously murdered, with the death being framed as suicide. Luckily, the old-timer has a rare genetic precursor and his body is recovered by the reclusive, billionaire genius Otto Goodwin to be the subject of his quest to reanimate a human being into an ‘ideal version’ of their younger self, complete with superhuman capabilities.

That’s more or less where the Frankenstein influence ends and it’s easy to see why the original ‘The Frankenstein Code’ moniker didn’t stick, as Second Chance very quickly reveals itself to be, essentially, a police procedural drama. Once the dust settles on Pritchard’s resurrection, the bulk of the series chronicles the now thirty-five year old solving crimes with his son as they struggle to repair their relationship along the way. The other primary source of plot concerns Otto and his twin Mary, the duo responsible for bringing Jimmy back from the dead. As Mary struggles with terminal cancer, the pair strives to understand the morality behind their breakthrough and begin to develop their own relationships with the ex-Sheriff, both working and personal.

Even its most staunch supporters would struggle to deny that Second Chance has several fundamental flaws, perhaps the most significant of which being the show’s ‘short term’ planning approach. The first episode, for example, is enjoyable enough with intriguing mysteries to keep its audience interested until the end and a magnetising protagonist, however all of the episode’s questions and plot points are neatly tied up and resolved by the end credits, leaving absolutely nothing to hook viewers into returning next week. This approach is highly frustrating, particularly as the ‘who were the intruders that murdered Jimmy?’ mystery could have easily been a season-long arc that motivated the lead character throughout the story, rather than being a cut and dry case contained to episode one.

This trend continues throughout the series’ run with Second Chance adopting a ‘crime of the week’ format and the few long-term story arcs that are introduced are largely restricted to family disputes and domestic tension. There is a welcome exception to this rule however, with the final trio of episodes coming together to deliver a quite stunning finale brimming with suspense and action and it just goes to show that when multi-episode narratives are utilised, Second Chance could really take off.

Other problems with the show include the formulaic and predictable nature of many stories, with Jimmy usually saving the day at the last second despite his son asking him to stop interfering in his cases. The writing itself doesn’t fare much better, with the show’s initial batch of scripts offering very little wit or emotive clout, often feeling very ‘by the numbers’ and without wanting to name names, some of the acting is not what you’d expect from a mainstream production.

As we said however, there are redeeming features present, not least of which is the fantastically grounded performance by lead actor Rob Kazinsky. Aside from memorable turns in Pacific Rim and True Blood, British viewers may best remember Rob for his time in Eastenders playing Sean Slater but the Sussex-born actor has been less prominent in the last two years. As such, it’s good to see the promising talent take on a meaty role such as this, and Kazinsky delivers a very affecting performance as Jimmy Pritchard. Never losing sight of the fact his character is actually a pensioner, the acting is layered with maturity and wisdom and his American accent is flawless. Part detective action-hero, part failed family-man and part seriously confused about not being dead, Kazinsky is an ideal leading man and it’s no exaggeration to say that there are times when his charisma carries the show.

There’s also an argument to be made that whilst Second Chance’s melding together of Frankenstein, cop show and family woes doesn’t quite work together as a cohesive narrative, the series does succeed when considered primarily as a detective-based crime drama with a slight, undead, twist. The featured cases may not have the delicate intricacy of Sherlock or inspire amateur sofa-sleuthing as feverishly as the CSI franchise but each episode’s felony hooks viewers in, keeping bums on seats until the bad guys are behind bars and Pritchard is safely back in his regeneration tank.

The developing relationship between the ex-corpse and his son Duval manages to bring at least a modicum of freshness to the table, and the way Second Chance handles Duval coming to terms with the revival of his father is more or less spot-on. If Pritchard’s son had accepted the news too easily the show would’ve looked foolish and naive, but drag the storyline on for too long and Duval’s reluctance to believe something the audience already knows to be true would have become infuriating. It’s a delicate balance but Second Chance doesn’t over or under-sell the unique scenario the characters find themselves in and ensures the exchanges feel believable without overcooking the conflict.

Unfortunately, however, this doesn’t fix the plot-hole of why Duval doesn’t recognise his 35 year-old father. Otto does offer a flimsy 'it’s the best version of him' explanation, hinting that Jimmy would have looked different when he was originally in his thirties but it’s a feeble attempt to paper over the fact that most sons would recognise their dad as a younger adult.

As alluded to previously, the series’ rigid formula and predictability does become an issue but any potential drop in interest is offset by scripts that improve dramatically as the show progresses, after a shaky few initial offerings. Gwendolyn M. Parker’s work on fourth outing Admissions, for instance, showcases Jimmy and Duval at their horn-locking best and the crime at the centre of the story is genuinely surprising in places. There’s even a hilarious scene involving Jimmy Pritchard’s family and an Ouija board. Despite being a season highlight however, Admissions does suffer from the same issues Second Chance is guilty of as a whole, namely the inductive leaps our detective protagonists sometimes resort to in order to wrap up their case inside the forty minutes running time. The occasionally too obvious and definitely too frequent plot devices provided by the Lookinglass company also irk as the series goes on.

Thankfully Lookinglass don’t just provide a variety of ‘get out of jail’ cards for the show’s writers, they’re also responsible from bringing the magnificent Arthur to life. Arthur is a seemingly omnipotent A.I. created by Otto Goodwin with a charmingly loveable personality, similar to A Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy’s Marvin but without the physical form and crippling depression. He also is a perfect example of Second Chance’s excellent design work, especially when it comes to the more futuristic technology on display. It really helps sell the show’s more fantastical concepts and builds a believable setting.

And it isn’t only the cinematography that triumphs, the direction and music also impress. The work behind the camera is always solid, noticeably altering to suit Second Chance’s two distinct areas of drama. The crime segments are nice and choppy, lingering on important visual clues for added impact but deliberately obscuring other elements to ramp up the tension, however the Lookinglass scenes take a more serene and streamlined approach. The series’ soundtrack also offers moments of inspiration with John Paesano’s subtle score often punctuated by modern pop tracks such as Gram Rabbit’s piano-led They’re Watching which appears over scenes of a brutal axe murder. The juxtaposition is funnier than it should be.

Realistically, if you’re the type of person to only watch a select few television shows a year, Second Chance isn’t going to be (and probably shouldn’t be) one of them. But for those who gobble up series like a surprise tub of Ben and Jerry’s you forgot was in the freezer, this spin on the Frankenstein story is a decent police procedural with a science fiction twist that isn’t quite as hopeless as the reviews and ratings would have you believe. Indeed, it could be said that Second Chance is a victim of the golden age of television we’re currently experiencing. With fantastic shows appearing continuously on mainstream and cable channels as well as streaming sites and on-demand services, projects like Second Chance receive a negative reception not because they are lacking in quality but because they don’t hold up to the abundance of excellent programming currently available at the touch of a button. Second Chance may not be a great show, but it’s certainly a good one and its lone season deserves to find the viewership that is undoubtedly out there for it somewhere.

Second Chance is currently airing on Universal Channel in the UK.

See related How Moffat’s Jekyll anticipated Doctor Who & Sherlock The Frankenstein Chronicles episode 1 review: A World Without God 25 upcoming Us TV shows: sci-fi, fantasy, horror, thrillers 50 upcoming comic book TV shows, and when to expect them TV Feature Craig Elvy Second Chance 15 Jun 2016 - 06:00 Fox Robert Kazinsky Craig Elvy...

Jurors go with the narrative that makes sense," Johnnie Cochran (Courtney B. Vance) explains to his fellow Dream Team lawyers in FX's The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. "Our job is to tell a story." That's the job of this 10-episode miniseries, created by writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski and produced under the Ryan Murphy banner, too. But the story it's telling isn't about whether or not the beloved ex-running back and small-time movie star savagely murdered his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and a 25-year-old actor/waiter named Ronald Goldman.

If the films of 2015 have a common denominator it’s the fearlessness with which filmmakers approached the medium and took it in new directions proving that innovation is still possible and that not everything, both in content and form, has been explored. From a comedy shot entirely on an iPhone starring transgender actresses, to a film in sign language designed to be screened without subtitles, to a stop-motion animated feature that emanates more humanity than most live-action efforts, to a new immersive vision of the Holocaust from an emerging auteur, or a Brazilian hand-drawn musical odyssey about the dangers of the modern world, all granted us experiences unlike anything we've previously seen.

It’s hard to tell how many films I watched this year but I’m sure they were many. From that vast pool of cinematic works the 30 films below are the ones that stood out the most and remained ingrained in my memory as rewarding, delightful, moving, and even harrowing accomplishments. There were also films that simply didn't connect as strongly with me as they did with other journalists and audiences, thus they don't appear here. This is after all, like all of them, a very personal and subjective list of the films I loved.

Even with such an extensive list there are still other great films that deserve to be mentioned such as "The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet," "Christmas, Again," "Mistress America," "Entertainment," "Felix and Meira," "Victoria," "Mustang," "The Wolfpack," "Xenia," Estonia's Oscar-nominated "Tangerines," "Buzzard," "The Salt of the Earth," "Guidance," "Cheatin'," "Black Souls,""The Mend," "Shaun The Sheep Movie," or "'71." One can only hope audiences will discover them and be compelled by their singular perspectives.

What were your favorite films of 2015?

Special Mention: "World of Tomorrow"

Don Hertzfeldt's thought-provoking and visionary Sundance-winning short "World of Tomorrow" is easily the best short film of the year, animated or otherwise. This 17-minute science fiction journey is a mind-bending study on the essence of humanity and how technology’s ferocious advances to know and control it all endanger our ability to notice what’s truly meaningful.

Read More: 'The 17th Annual Animation Show of Shows' is One of the Most Profound Cinematic Experiences of 2015

30. "It Follows"

The best horror film of the year proves that an intriguing premise embedded into an intelligently written screenplay can bring a refreshing point of view absent in most studio productions. Director David Robert Mitchell takes classic genre conventions and twists them into a terrifying tale with morally ambiguous undertones.

29. "The Gift"

Wearing multiple hats Joel Edgerton demonstrated his storytelling and acting talents in an unpredictable psychological thriller that’s as unassuming as it’s disconcerting. An old friend reappears in a married man’s life apparently seeking to rekindle their past bond, but soon enough his good intentions will unveil much more sinister motives that makes us question who the real villain is. A stunning and perversely brilliant film that thrives on its misguiding simplicity.

28. "Heaven Knows What"

An accomplishment both in technique and emotional power, “Heaven Knows What” is an eye-opening experience brimming with unflinching truth. From the streets to the screen, the unbelievable story of Arielle Holmes is a fascinating example of the rare occurrence when cinema and reality blend almost seamlessly.

Read More: 'Heaven Knows What' Directors Josh and Benny Safdie Are Addicted to the Truth

27. "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet"

Spearheaded by producer Salma Hayek, director Roger Allers and 8 of the world's most talented independent animators took Gibran's timeless poems and assembled a cinematic out-of-body experience that deconstructs our existential yearnings and translates them into mesmerizing animated wisdom.

Read More: Why 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet' is a Cinematic Out-Of-Body Experience Brimming with Animated Wisdom

Read More: Salma Hayek on 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet': 'His Poetry Talks About the Simple Things in Life That Unite Us All'

26. "James White"

This emotionally devastating character study put Josh Mond in the director’s chair for the first time and allowed Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon to delve into career-defining roles as a mother and a son struggling to accept each other’s shortcomings in the face of impending tragedy. Mond’s debut is an unforgettable portrait of unconditional love

25. "The Big Short"

The financial crisis and the white-collar criminals behind it are examined in an outrageously humorous and dynamically constructed adaptation of Michael Lewis's book. Director Adam McKay crafted his own visual language to paint a picture of capitalism in America that’s as brutally honest as it’s infuriating. His entire cast, in particular Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell, play along in this satirical exposé.

24. "The Second Mother"

Anna Muylaert’s crowd-pleasing, yet thematically complex gem delves into the intricacies of class in Brazilian society through the eyes of an endearing live-in maid. Regina Casé, in an Oscar-worthy performance, becomes Val, a diligent and humble housekeeper that has worked with the same wealthy family in Sao Paulo for many years and who only questions her role within this environment when her strange daughter comes to visit.

Read More: Anna Muylaert on Why the Protagonist of 'The Second Mother' is a Super Hero

23. "Kumiko The Treasure Hunter"

Losing grip on reality Kumiko, a solitary Japanese woman, leaves her monotonous and life and her adorable bunny Bunzo behind to search for the money Steve Buscemi’s character hides in the Cohen Brothers’ film “Fargo.” Knowing very little English and with no American contacts, she ventures in the Minnesotan wilderness. Armed with Rinko Kikuchi ’s outstanding performance, David Zellner and Nathan Zellner managed to create an endearing and poignant adventure at the intersection between fiction and reality.

22. "When Marnie Was There"

Notably current while still unequivocally timeless, Studio Ghibli’s latest film was confected with equal doses of heart-rending drama and life-affirming beauty. More than just a visually delightful tearjerker, "When Marnie Was There" is an animated lullaby that reassures our broken hearts will eventually heal- even from the most indomitable tricks of fate.

Read More: Review: Wondrous 'When Marnie Was There' is One of Ghibli's Most Profoundly Moving Works

21. "The Hateful Eight"

Sharp dialogue and the search for violent retribution are Tarantino staples, and in his latest Western the revered director channels these through a group of deceitful characters confined to a single location. Race relations are examined via the peculiar interactions of the murderous bunch - each with their ulterior motives and frightening reputation. With a magnificent score by Ennio Morricone, impeccable cinematography by Robert Richardson, and tonally perfect performances by the ensemble cast, in which Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kurt Russell are the highlights, “The Hateful Eight” is a highly entertaining addition to Tarantino's selective filmography.

20. "What We Do in the Shadows"

This masterful mockumentary capitalizes on the general public’s obsession with reality shows and the allure of vampirism and its promise of eternal life. Four ancient bloodsuckers share a house in Wellington, New Zealand and decide to let a crew film their day-to-day routines as vampires living in the modern world. What ensues are a series of intelligently written occurrences that transform every known convention about these creatures of the night into hysterical gags.

19. "The Revenant"

To say Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest is breathtaking would be an understatement. Emmanuel Lubezkii’s work is absolutely astonishing. No other film this year captured this much beauty in every single frame. The Mexican-born Oscar-winning director has reached a new level of artistry here. Leonardo DiCaprio, in one of the best performances of his career, plays Hugh Glass, a man who escapes death to take revenge on the man who killed his son.

18. "Inside Out"

Pixar ventured into the difficult task of decoding the complexity of the human psyche in one of their best features to date. Emotions take on humanoid form in the brain of a young girl adjusting to life in anew city. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust must work together to shape her blossoming personality. “Inside Out” also gifted us Bing Bong, who will go down as one of the most memorable animated characters to ever grace the screen.

17. "Ex Machina"

Artificial intelligence crosses the boundaries of mere functionality to become self-aware and to replicate the behaviors of mortals in Alex Garland “Ex Machina.” The provocative screenplay evolves into a fascinating and often unsettling dissection of what it means to be a human being and the seemingly godlike power that comes from creating technology that resembles such qualities. Alicia Vikander is riveting as Ava - a mysterious female A.I.

16. "The Diary of a Teenager Girl"

Bel Powley is this year’s acting revelation and Marielle Heller the woman behind this charming, uncompromising, and original coming of age film, is one of most exciting new directors to emerge in recent memory. Burgeoning female sexuality is treated without moral judgment or shame, and it’s instead embraced in an empowering manner that overflows with truthfulness and charisma. Both Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgård are outstanding in substantial supporting roles.

15. "Taxi"

Despite being banned from filmmaking by the Iranian government, Jafar Panahi continues to bravely expose the political and social problems of his home country with films shot in secrecy. “Taxi” takes the director through the streets of Tehran as he picks up an array of passengers with distinct concerns, beliefs, and opinions on the Islamic nation’s current situation: a young girl trying to make a “distributable” film, a guy who considers selling pirated films a cultural campaign, or a pair of elderly women whose fate depends on the survival of a couple fish. Though scripted, each encounter exudes honesty.

14. "The Duke of Burgundy"

Intoxicatingly atmospheric and full of evocative imagery, Peter Strickland’s follow up to his similarly unusual debut “Berberian Sound Studio” looks at the psychology of sexual desires with a seductive gaze. The line dividing power and submission is blurred and interchangeable between two lovers whose turbulent relationship is juxtaposed with the nature of butterflies. Eroticism derived from degradation and punishment is elegantly approached that suggest more than it explicitly shows.

13. "Phoenix"

The final sequence in this new collaboration between writer/director Christian Petzold and actress Nina Hoss is one of the best conclusions ever written. It’s subtle, yet strikingly revelatory. Departing from a Hitchcockian mistaken identity plot from the point of view of a concentration camp survivor, Petzold delves into Germany’s post war sentiments of guilt and the beginning of the long road to rebuild a superficially and morally shattered nation. “Phoenix” is also a love story coated in betrayal and the harsh realization that, when tested, even the strongest bond can be destroyed. Hoss gives an awards-deserving, restrained and perfectly nuanced performance.

Read More: Christian Petzold's 'Phoenix' is a Deeply Moving Film About Survivors Rebuilding Their Lives

12. "Timbuktu"

Today, perhaps more than ever, a film like Abderrahmane Sissako’s spellbinding “Timbuktu” is imperative. Capturing some of the most beautiful African landscapes ever seen on film and delicately arranging his stories to create a tapestry of human experiences, Sissako’s latest doesn’t abide by any political or religious dogma. Instead, his vision preaches openness and denounces the terrifying absurdity of the world according to extremist.

Read More: Promoting Tolerance: Abderrahmane Sissako on 'Timbuktu' and a Different Kind of Islam

11. "The Voices"

Playing Jerry, the most charming serial killer you’ll ever meet, Ryan Reynolds gives the best performance of his career in Marjane Satrapi’s wonderfully insane horror comedy. Adding to his already outstanding work as the lovable, if unstable young man, Reynolds also voices both of his character's opinionated pets. Stay tuned after the film for one of the most ridiculous credit sequences ever.

Read More: Too Insane To Ignore: Marjane Satrapi On Her Fascinating Sundance Horror-Comedy 'The Voices'

10. "Güeros"

Using one of the most cosmopolitan and complex cities in the world as his canvas, Mexican filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios delivered an audaciously original story that delves into many unique aspects of Mexican society wrapped up into a road trip adventure that helps two estrange brothers reconnect.

It’s a revitalizing work, and one of the best Mexican films of the last decade.

Read More: In 'Güeros' Dir. Alonso Ruizpalacios Rediscovered Mexico City Via a Unique Road Trip

9. "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"

Read More: How Alfonso Gomez-Rejon Used Determinación to Go From a Small Town to Nyu to Sundance

Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's Sundance champion is a tonally nuanced and visually inventive work that ingeniously beguiles you to fall in love with every instant of its strangely imaginative magic. This tragicomedy invokes tropes from a familiar realm and deconstructs or tailors them to the uniquely poignant circumstances of it's characters. It's nothing short of a cinephile's dream come true.

Read More: This is the Review That Tells You Why 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' is a Cinephile's Dream Come True

8. "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence"

Constructed of gorgeously understated vignettes, which guide us through the grandeur of life by methodically focusing on the smallest but most resonant instants of it, "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" by Swedish writer/director Roy Andersson won the Golden Lion at last’s year’s Venice Film Festival. Delving into a wide range of quotidian dilemmas via darkly comedic exploits, this episodic tour de force is as insightful as it’s blissfully entertaining and distinctively stylized.

Read More: 7 Reasons Why Roy Andersson's Latest Film is a Must-See Philosophical Wonder

7. "Tangerine"

Sean Baker's riotous and perfectly acted latest film shot on an iPhone “Tangerine” centers on Alexandra (Mya Taylor) and Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), two transgender sex workers on Santa Monica Boulevard who struggle to get by while dealing with heartbreak, revenge, and their dreams.

Baker captured an unseen side of Los Angeles through the eyes of two equally underrepresented characters who get a chance to showcase their comedic brilliance.

Read More: How Sean Baker Used Beautiful Accidents and New Talent to Deliver one of the Best Films of the Year

6. "The Look of Silence"

For “The Look of Silence,” the indispensable companion piece to "The Act of Killing," director Joshua Oppenheimer focused on the survivors, specifically on a brave family that persevered through the immeasurable pain that quietly permeates Indonesian society even half a century after the genocide. The subjects here are often quiet and contemplative, but their anguish transcends even when words fail to describe their tumultuous sentiments.

Read More: 12 Things Joshua Oppenheimer Wants You to Know About 'The Look of Silence'

5. "Anomalisa"

In "Anomalisa," a delicately melancholic observation on loneliness and the flawed human condition, acclaimed writer-director Charlie Kaufman and co-director Duke Johnson use stop-motion animation to tell a story of small proportions and big ideas. These existential observations include our fears, failures, insecurities and our desperate need to be loved by someone who can look pass our conspicuous scars.

Read More: Human at the Seams: Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson Make Yearning Tangible in 'Anomalisa'

4. "The Tribe"

“The Tribe,” by Ukrainian debutant Miroslav Slaboshpitsky, is a film that communicates with its audience in a non-verbal manner. There are no subtitles or any other way to know exactly what the characters on screen are saying, but that’s never an issue for it to powerfully make its message heard. It’s the purest form of cinema because it can be shown anywhere in the world without modification, and the devastating result would be the same.

Read More: Interviewing Yana Novikova, Star of 'The Tribe,' Was a One-of-a-Kind Experience

3. "Boy and the World"

Alê Abreu’s “Boy and the World” is unequivocally the best animated film of the year. Drawn with the finest ends of an artist's heartstrings and painted with the colorful essence of undefeatable hope, Abreu’s utterly lyrical, visually captivating, musically driven, and extraordinarily sophisticated treasure is the animated equivalent of a childhood dream that thrives on sweet innocence and the pure ability to see the world truthfully for its dazzling beauty and its man-made dangers. As it continues to spellbind the globe with its unconventional artistry and thought-provoking observations, an Oscar nomination would be a more than deserved crown jewel.

Read More:Review: Why Alê Abreu's Sublime 'Boy and the World' is the Best Animated Film of the Year

Read More: How "Boy and the World" Director Alê Abreu Handcrafted His Heartfelt & Dazzling Animated Masterpiece

2. "Carol"

Exquisitely photographed and fueled by the two best performances of the year, Todd Haynes “Carol” depicts an ethereal and ravishing romance that’s sure to take your breath away. Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett play two women from opposite worlds that meet serendipitously and fall madly in love for each other in a time yet unwilling to accept them. Carol (Blanchett) is a wealthy mother and wife whose desires are used against her threatening to stripped her of what she loves the most. On the other hand Therese (Mara) is a working class girl discovering herself and who finds the strength to follow her true instincts in Carol. Heartbreak has rarely been portrayed with such a delicate touch, thoughtfulness, and sincerity. Beneath the glossy Christmas-tinted frames is a story as universal as it is particular in which a single pleading look disarms you. Few films will make you feel such tangible and pure yearning to connect with another soul as Haynes masterwork does.

1. "Son of Saul"

First-time director László Nemes decided to look at the terrifying apparatus behind the Holocaust from the perspective of the Sonderkommando, a group of men whose experience was exponentially more harrowing than that of the average victim. Nemes focuses on a particular man, Saul (Géza Röhrig), a fictional character created from the limited information available on this special group and the filmmaker’s artistic sensibilities.“Son of Saul” is not only the best film of the year, but also the most ambitious debut in ages. Both conceptually and visually, the dynamic, yet organically contemplative vision of one man’s ordeal as he walks through the gates the hell is the work of a master auteur.

Read More: 12 Things Director László Nemes and Star Géza Röhrig Want You to Know About 'Son of Saul'...

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Mr Robot, Cucumber, Inside No. 9...Here are Den Of Geek writers' top 15 TV episodes of 2015. Did your favourites make the cut?

The votes are in.

Earlier this month, over thirty of Den Of Geek's writers nominated up to five of their favourite television episodes of the year, ranked in order of preference. Points were allocated. Favourites emerged. And the sanity of the site's TV editor was offered once again as a festive sacrifice to the God of Microsoft Excel worksheets.

Over eighty individual episodes were nominated in total, and below are the fifteen that placed highest overall...

15. Rick & Morty – Total Rickall

What our writer said:

“Clip shows are traditionally seen as ways to save money, building a flimsy narrative framework of nostalgia-fuelled new footage around flashbacks to previous episodes. Somehow, Dan Harmon's shows usually manage to put more effort into spoofing this type of episode than any other episode.

So if you know anything about The Grateful Dead, you know that this is their 50th anniversary. Their final shows will take place in Santa Clara, CA (2 shows) and in Chicago at Soldier's Field (3 shows). (A live webcast of all five concerts will be available for $79.95 at Dead.net.) To celebrate this historic milestone, Dead.net has just started taking advance orders on their new 80-disc box set -- Thirty Trips Around The Sun -- featuring 30 unreleased shows; one show from every year of touring! (It's planned for a September 18th release date.) You may not have enough time to listen to all 80 discs, but if you're a Deadhead, how can you say no? There will also be a 4-cd sampler set -- Thirty Trips 1965-1995 -- that serves as an introductory sampler to the Dead’s live canon, including 30 unreleased performances — one from each concert in the boxed...

Pop culture comes to life in St. Louis next month! It’s the Wizard World Comic Con May 22nd through the 24th at America’s Center downtown (701 Convention Plaza – St. Louis, Mo 63101), and boy oh boy, do they have an amazing line-up of guests!

Sure, you got the comic artists and cosplayers, wrestlers, a St. Louis Ram, a Power Ranger, and of course the ubiquitous Walking Dead stars, but what We Are Movie Geeks is most excited about are the celebrities from movies that will be on hand: Horror legend George Romero, Sharknado legend Tara Reid, horror hostess with the mostest (if you know what I mean) Elvira, Guardians Of The Galaxy tough guy Dave Bautista, Henry the serial killer himself Michael Rooker, Do The Right Thing’s ‘Buggin Out’ Giancarlo Esposito. Lord of the Rings Trilogy’s Pippin Billy Boyd, Captain America squeeze Hayley Atwell, and Silent Bob’s buddy Jay aka Jason Mewes.

Netflix has scooped up a new documentary on Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir, The Other One: The Long Strange Trip of Bob Weir, which will premiere on the streaming service on Friday, May 22nd, Variety reports.

Directed by Mike Fleiss — a producer for The Bachelor and numerous other shows, as well as the director of the 2011 documentary, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne — The Other One offers an in-depth look at Weir's life, from his childhood in Palo Alto, California to his success with the Dead and beyond.

The movie also...

FX

“This war is coming to Charming now, and it’s going to get a whole lot bloodier.

Episode five is in the books, and things have spiraled even further out of control in the “idyllic” hamlet of Charming, California. With Diosa in ruins and a large segment of Samcro’s workforce lying in the morgue, things have escalated to a level we’ve never seen in the previous six seasons.

“Some Strange Eruption” followed up on the events at Diosa with an intense confrontation between The Lin Triad and Jax and Chibs, (orchestrated with a little help from Charlie Barosky), the continuing saga of Gemma and Juice, an evolving romance between Chibs and Sheriff Jerry, and a high-pressure moral dilemma for Nero.

We’ve gotten the set-up out of the way and now we’re digging in to the meat of the plot, tearing away at the story that...

The spate of TV shows currently being adapted from films could learn a great deal from FX’s Fargo…

Feature

Twelve Monkeys. Scream. From Dusk Till Dawn. Fargo. Us networks are steadily transforming the TV listings into the ‘New Releases’ shelf of a 1996 Blockbuster. We can either stamp our feet with ‘why aren’t there any new ideas?’ rage whenever a new film-to-tv adaptation is greenlit, or we can do what we’ve always done with new shows: sift through the pile to see what actually works.

Fargo, nearing the halfway point in its Us and UK broadcasts, works.

Messing with a much-loved, much-respected film like Fargo was a risk. Screw up a TV version of Jingle All The Way and who’ll care, but screw up Fargo? You’d be the devil himself. NBC’s Warren Littlefield, now producing the FX series, passed on a Fargo TV pitch in...

Ah, Valentine’s Day- that special time of year when, if you’re in a relationship, everything seems just wonderful. If you’re not, you pretty much wish everyone around you would stop being so damn lovey-dovey and just grow up already.

The horror genre has seen its share of passionate lovers and soul mates over the years willing to fight it out to the end, whether they’re being chased by creatures, psychotic serial killers, Mother Nature or even as they struggling against internal forces that threaten those they love most in the world.

To celebrate Valentine’s Day this Friday, I decided to pay homage to some of my very favorite couples in the horror that demonstrate to the very fullest the idea, “til death do us part.” Check out the first part of my 14 Favorite Horror Couples countdown below and look for part two later this week right here on Daily Dead!

To preface this article, I’d like to openly acknowledge the fact that there isn’t a single “great” film on this list. Furthermore, given the concept of this piece, it’s safe to say that you’re not going to read about any significantly original films either.

The whole remake thing kind of blew those hopes out of the water. That said, we’re going to eye 10 remakes/reboots/reimaginings that were forced through the meat grinder upon arrival, despite the fact that they didn’t entirely deserve such brutish treatment.

Believe it or not, there are a few remakes out there worth watching. The horror world would have you believe that not a single film on this list qualifies, but I’m here – battling valiantly – to prove the voices of many wrong. Dig in for a closer look at some remakes that, while not monumental, still offer some redeeming qualities.

There’s a certain kind of oddball film that seems like it could only have its coming-out party at a place like Sundance. Marjane Satrapi’s dark serial killer comedy The Voices is one of those films. The best way I can think to describe it is: imagine Fight Club if Brad Pitt’s part was played by a talking dog and cat.

Tyler Durden comparisons aside, Satrapi, the Iranian director of 2007′s Persepolis, has created a totally unique, genre-defying film. Which isn’t to say The Voices is great. Far from it. It’s wildly uneven and it never...

Much like the movie business, the toy business is a fickle one, and things don't always go as planned. Over the years, many different toys have been shown off on the internet and at conventions like Toy Fair, never making it past that prototype stage and never finding their way onto our shelves. There's truly nothing more depressing than an awesome toy that was supposed to enter our lives but for whatever reason did not, and today I invite you to get depressed with me.   Today we present ten of the coolest toys that we can look at, but may never actually be able to touch and hold. If the pictures below ruin your day and leave your toy collection feeling sad and incomplete, don't say I didn't warn you!   Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 (Mezco)     Many companies over the years have put out various different Leatherface action figures,...

The Ann Arbor Film Festival, having survived their half-a-century blowout in 2012, is back with another rip-roarin’ 51st edition in 2013, which will run from March 19-24, screening a mind-boggling amount of experimental short films and a few features.

Highlights of the fest include:

Special presentations by this year’s jurors, including Marcin Gizycki round-up of Polish animation from the 1950s to the present; Laida Lertxundi’s selection of some of her films as well as her biggest influences; and Kevin Jerome Everson’s mini-retrospective of his own films.

There’s also special tributes to Pat O’Neill, including a retrospective of his short films from the ’70s to the present as well as a screening of his 1989 35mm experimental epic Water and Power; Suzan Pitt, with selections of short films from her career; and a screening of Ken Burns’ latest doc The Central Park Five, co-directed with his daughter Sarah Burns and son-in-law David McMahon,...

Dread Central hit the carpet of the season finale wrap party of Syfy series "Monster Man" this past Monday, April 16th, in Hollywood and brought back a gallery's worth of photos and highlights of our chat with "Monster Man" star/Sota FX’s Roy Knyrim.

Held at the Rolling Stone Lounge at the Hollywood & Highland complex in the heart of Hollywood, California, those on hand for the festivities included the previously mentioned filmmaker/effects artist Knyrim along with fellow "Monster Man" cast members Cleve Hall, Constance Hall, Elora Hall and Sonja Maddox-Hall as well as Johnny Saiko and Cindy Miller. Other talent gracing the carpet included directors Brett and Drew Pierce (DeadHeads), Mike Mendez (Mega Spider), Jason Miller (Infected) and John Michael Elfers (Finale), as did effects artist Jerry Macaluso ("Face/Off") and actors Sid Haig (The Devil’s Rejects), Reggie Bannister (Phantasm), R.A. Mihailoff (Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre...

This week’d episode of Syfy’s hit Face Off saw (spoiler alert) perpetual under performer and over agitator Jerry Macaluso get the boot, surely to the delight of all involved. This season’s challenged have been diverse, challenging contestants in format as well as lifestyle (late night “calls to set” and so forth), and next week’s looks to be particularly interesting.

“Burtonesque” is the title of the episode that will see the makeup fx artists dream up Tim Burton-inspired creations on a strict timeline. A teaser video is below. The show airs on Wednesdays at 10/9c.

What do you think about the second season of Face Off so far? Who are your favorite remaining contestants?

This week's winner Ian Cromer...

Pop Culture Shock Collectibles has announced a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to bring 1/4-scale mixed media statues of characters from the most brutal fighting game of all time, the legendary Mortal Kombat, to die-hard collectors’ homes this year, and we've got a look at the first one for Scorpion right here.

From the Press Release: Pop Culture Shock has made a name for itself with its Darkstalkers and ThunderCats statue lines, distributed through Sideshow Collectibles and Diamond Distribution. The Mortal Kombat fighters are the perfect addition to this ever-growing collectibles universe, offering highly detailed sculpting and meticulous painting that captures every determined scowl and evil grin to perfection.

“Having spent many years bringing the world warriors of Street Fighter to sculptural life, I'm extremely excited to add the unstoppable Mortal Kombat fighters to the Pop Culture Shock Collectibles lineup,” stated Jerry Macaluso, President and Founder of Pop Culture Shock Collectibles.

Friday is Star Wars Day at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con, but that doesn't mean horror hounds won't find a lot to do there as well. In fact, if you're lucky enough to get into Hall H early in the morning, you'll have a chance to see Nicolas Cage and Nicolas Cage's hair!

Friday – July 23

10:00-11:00 Comedy Central: Ugly Americans — David M. Stern (showrunner and executive producer), Dan Powell (executive producer), Jeff Poliquin (supervising producer), Devin Clark (producer and series creator), Aaron Augenblick (director of animation), Matt Oberg (voice of Mark Lilly), Kurt Metzger (voice of Randall Skeffington), and Randy Pearlstein (voice of Leonard) take you behind the scenes at this animated series sensation. Featuring a sneak peek of the new season, Q&A, and more. One audience member selected will be drawn into an upcoming episode! Room 25Abc

11:15-11:45 Summit Entertainment: Drive Angry 3D...

Looking for a hot babe that knows how important it is to take a walk on the dark side? Then allow us to introduce you to Darkchylde.

From the Press Release

Darkchylde Entertainment proudly announces May as Darkchylde Month. With the triumphant release of the highly anticipated crossover with Top Cow's The Darkness, and her first ever statue release through Jerry Macaluso's PopCutureShock Collectibles, fans of Randy Queen's nightmare haunted beauty, Ariel Chylde, will be in for some happy surprises this May. Darkchylde excitement should hit a fever pitch when test footage for a Darkchylde film created by the Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop hits the Net around the same time.

"The tale of a beautiful but cursed Southern teen who can become any of the creatures from her many recurring nightmares was a bona fide late 1990's, early 2000's sensation, seeing the character realized in comics, trading cards, action figures,...

Ringleader Studios' Steve Harris and Karza Prods.' Jerry Macaluso are teaming to form indie production company Centuri Films, it was announced Wednesday at the American Film Market. The label will acquire, develop, finance and market new film properties as "micro movies" in the horror and sci-fi genres. Jon Sheinberg, founder and CEO of Beverly Hills-based management and consulting agency the Machine, has been tapped by Centuri to serve as the company's producers rep. "Centuri Films is truly an innovative company, one that will prove strong with its original content in multiple distribution platforms such as theatrical, DVD, PSP2, Vcast and the Internet, all the while targeting primarily a male demographic," Sheinberg said.