News

Invitation to Murder is a mystery film directed by Stephen Shimek.

Does a story about England, an invitation, different characters and a murder to be solved sound familiar? They’re called whodonit, and the greatest exponent of the genre was the ever-great Agatha Christie.

Here’s a charming film that captures the essence, step by step, without the minimum intent of originality.

Delightful in its evocation of English traditionalism.

And in its consequent repetition, too.

Movie Review

Curiously enough, this is actually a French production in which everything takes us to England, to those stories that, although already a bit worn out by repetition, continue to captivate. A good mystery for a film that, without a doubt, we have already seen.

There is nothing original in a film that is a tribute to the English writer and, in the end, little more than a rather televised episode that may entertain...

Exclusive: Steven Ogg has signed on to star alongside Christina Ricci and Samantha Win in The Dresden Sun, a cyberpunk indie from writer-director Michael Ryan.

The film observes as a heist goes south when a brilliant, principled mercenary with a traumatic past works with an insider to steal a valued asset from Peredor Corporation called “the sphere”. The C & Earth corporation, vying for global dominance, seeks to find a solution to an otherworldly technology via a scientist’s project. Meanwhile, a financial analyst, who despises his job at the powerful investment firm Mutual One, finds himself caught between deadly corporate rivals, financial fraud, and technological espionage, and is ultimately forced to run from a psychopathic military contractor.

Ogg will play the film’s mercenary protagonist, Crilenger. Michael Ryan and Tyler Lockamy are producing via their Archetype Pictures banner,...

Exclusive: Maxim Swinton (Halston) has joined the cast of Raymond and Ray, writer-director Rodrigo García’s (Four Good Days) film for Apple Studios.

He joins an ensemble that includes Ewan McGregor, Ethan Hawke, Maribel Verdú and Sophie Okonedo, as previously announced.

The film currently in production in Virginia centers on Raymond (McGregor) and Ray (Hawke), half-brothers who have lived in the shadow of a terrible father. Somehow, they still each have a sense of humor, and his funeral is a chance for them to reinvent themselves. There’s anger, there’s pain, there’s folly, there might be love, and there’s definitely grave-digging.

Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón is producing with Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn of Mockingbird Pictures, with Gabriela Rodriguez and Shea Kammer serving as EPs.

Swinton recently portrayed a younger version of McGregor’s fashion designer Halston in Netflix’s Emmy-winning miniseries of the same name. The...

Exclusive: Mischa Barton has been tapped to lead crime thriller Invitation To A Murder, which is being directed by Stephen Shimek (The Adventure of A.R.I.: My Robot Friend).

The project comes from Ace Entertainment, which will launch worldwide sales at the virtual American Film Market next month. Grindstone Entertainment Group will handle domestic distribution. France Television has taken French rights.

Brian O’Donnell (Akron) penned the script, which is based on an original story by Gérard Miller. When a reclusive billionaire invites six seemingly random strangers to his island estate, intrepid, aspiring detective Miranda Green (Barton) finds the mysterious invitation too alluring to pass up. When another guest turns up dead, Miranda must get to the bottom of the malicious plot behind the gathering to prove herself and maybe save her life. Principal photography is set to commence in November in Illinois.

Ace Entertainment’s Sebastien Semon and Jerome Reydner-Kalfon will...

Tagline: “Hell Hath No Fury Like a Demon Scorned.” Monarch Home Entertainment will release Steve Shimek's Nocturne next week. The film will be available on DVD. In the film, several friends gather for a night of fun. A ritual changes the tone, once a demonic spirit appears. Now, characters struggle to just survive. Nocturne stars: Clare Niederpruem (The Maze), Darien Willardson (Storm Rider) Melanie Stone, Colton Tran and Jake Stormoen. The film's official DVD artwork is here, along with the official release trailer. The artwork shows more of the film's supernatural element. A cross holds back the demon, which looks made of flame. The tagline: "hell hath no fury like a demon scorned" hints at the conflict, within the film. And, one character looks beleaguered as night closes in. Nocturne will be available at most DVD retailers. On July 25th, the film will be available at Amazon. This title...

“Hell Hath No Fury Like a Demon Scorned.” Monarch Home Entertainment will release Steve Shimek’s Nocturne, this summer. The film involves a late night gathering and a seance. A spirit is invited to the party, leaving a group of friends fighting for their lives. The film stars: Clare Niederpruem (The Maze), Darien Willardson (Storm Rider) […]...

Over here at Big Daddy Horror Reviews we are always on the lookout for the next up and coming horror talent. We predicted the potential of Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska's "Dead Hooker In A Trunk". Of course, that film set the indie horror world on fire in 2010. We noticed the sleek, polished, professional production values of Ty Jones's "Last Breath". Last Breath made its way into a contest with the AMC theater chain for distribution into 50 theaters. AMC Executives thought the film cost $5 million when in reality it cost $200,000. We noticed the star potential of Levi Fiehler after catching "Puppet Master: Axis of Evil". Director David DeCoteau (The Brotherhood) who has discovered such talents as Cory Monteith (Glee), Riley Smith (New York Minute), Bradley Stryker (The O.C.), Sean Faris (Never Back Down), etc., has predicted Levi Fiehler to be his next discovery. 2010 saw such a talented lineup of horror films,...

Director/writer: Aash Aaron.

Oh Aash Aaron, the boredom of I.C.U. is equal to watching dust settle. This film is labelled in the genre of thriller on some sites, but mysteriously there are few scares or tense moments found here. This review is a precedent, as there are no other reviews on this 2009 title! The first hour, with nothing happening, is followed by a looming black whole, which promises to dull the senses further. However, this film has managed to move onto video-on-demand this month, through Gravitas Ventures.

The synopsis involves: two wank happy teens who spy on their neighbours for titillation and excitement. Then, they spy another pervert, who gets his thrills from assaulting local prostitutes. Enter a strange, bloody climax and the end.

Movie specialists might recognize director Aash Aaron's name with Vigilante, or The Dark Lurking. Vigilante has been reviewed (here) and The Dark Lurking has received ambivalent reviews.

The Maze Official PosterMonarch Home Video is debuting the official artwork for Steve Shimek's The Maze. This second poster is more mysterious as the main antagonist is now only partially shown. The tagline remains the same and still funny: "this is no field of screams," and this poster shows what much of the film is about - suspenseful hack and slash, in a corn field. Read the review (here) for more info on the film and get set for Monarch to release this on DVD October 19th

The synopsis for The Maze here:

"Five friends break in to a closed corn maze in the middle of the night and decide to play a harmless game of tag. Little do they know that a psychopathic killer has decided to play along" (Artist).

Release Date: October 19th (DVD).

Director: Steve Shimek.

Written by Katy Baldwin.

Cast: Shalaina Fotheringham, Brandon Pearson, Clare Niederpruem,...

The Maze Movie PosterDirector: Steve Shimek.

Writers: Katy Baldwin and Timothy Gutierrez.

The Maze is a film from second time director Steve Shimek (Dragon Hunter) and writers Katy Baldwin and Timothy Gutierrez. The film is moving to DVD October 19th through Monarch Home Video and the film puts "five friends...into a corn maze," (Monarch) where a killer wants to play a game of hide and seek with knives. The film is sheer aMAZEment and horror fans will appreciate the many gory deaths and the slow reveal of the killer, who plays both sides of the law.

The film begins on a dare, as a group of friends challenge each other to enter an abandoned corn maze. A game of tag ensues and soon one addition to the game brings much brutal death via hack and slash, decapitations, strangulation, and a Mexican necktie. One woman goes face with this lunatic...

Cornfields are always a terrible place to be in a horror film. Once the sun goes down, it goes from a fixture of American agriculture to a scene of horror haunted by deranged pagan children, murderous scarecrows come to life, or, as in the case of the October DVD release The Maze, a corn maze becomes the perfect stalking grounds for a psychopathic slasher.

Monarch Entertainment will release The Maze to DVD on October 19th just in time for Halloween. Steve Shimek, maker of the 2008 low budget fantasy flick Dragon Hunter, directs The Maze starring Shalaina Castle, Brandon Pearson, Clare Niederpruem, Kyle Paul, Tye Nelson, Luke Drake, Richard Dutcher, Sarah Kent, Adam Johnson, and Marty Steinberg from a script by first-time writers Katy Baldwin and Timothy Gutierrez.

Five friends break into a corn maze in the middle of the night and decide to play a harmless game of tag. Little...