All Features
Feature: 10 Great Isolated House Chillers
Horror film The Strangers is released on DVD from Boxing Day, once again proving that itis a cardinal rule of horror films that you mustn’t spend a night in a lonely, rural house. Yet year after year characters keep on doing it. We sum up 10 of the great isolated house chillers.
Feature: Sex Drive: in cinemas January
The trend of lewd comedy offerings at the cinema will continue into next year when Sex Drive hits screens in January. Following Kevin Smith’s Zack and Miri Make a Porno and My Best Friend’s Girl, it’s the classic tale of a teenager desperate to lose their virginity. Read on for more details and the trailer.
Feature: Harvey Birdman Competition!
Once a famous 1960s icon with superpowers, Harvey Birdman has traded his cape and spandex for a 3 piece suit and the morally questionable law firm of Sebben & Sebben. As defender of toons in trouble he tries to keep Shaggy and Scooby out of jail for possession, represents Fred Flintstone over alleged Mafia connections in a Godfather parody and leads the trial of Yogi’s sidekick Boo Boo who is suspected eco-terrorist ‘The Unabooboo’. Throw in an empty personal life, a ball-busting boss, a psychotic legal assistant and a very persistent enemy from the old days and there’s only one man bird-cum-lawyer you’ll ever want to watch!
Thanks to our friends at Adult Swim and Revolver Entertainment we’ve got a couple of copies to give away to one lucky winner.
Feature: Fonejacker series two
No, we know it’s not a film release, but us pranksters at zap! bang! Magazine do enjoy a bit of cold calling for hilarity sake — if only you’d heard us on the phone to Tom Cruise’s agent trying to wangle an exclusive interview the second Katie Holmes gave birth. Oh how we laughed as they hung up immediately! Anyway, to celebrate that particular occurance and the time we told the fire brigade an alien was trapped up a tree on April Fools’ Day, here’s the lowdown on Fonejacker series two featuring a host of new characters with video profiles.
Feature: Bonnie and Clyde Special Edition Two-disc DVD
One of the most influential films of the New Hollywood era, Bonnie and Clyde, is being given the special edition DVD treatment to mark its 40th anniversary. As one of the first films to use violence in the name of art, the Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway gangster classic paved the way for a new generation of young politicised filmmakers.
Feature: Classic Pacino: Cruising out now on DVD
William Friedkin’s landmark film has finally made its debut on DVD. Al Pacinos stars in Cruising, an intense thriller set against the gay S & M subculture of the late ’70s and it prompted widespread community protests on its release in 1980. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but it remains an intriguing insight into a seedy world largely unknown at the time.
Feature: 2007 in Review
A few of us over at zap! bang! thought we’d discuss what we particularly enamoured with in 2007, so here’s some lists of our individual favourites.
Feature: Movie Preview: Princess
Showing now at the ICA Cinema in London is animated action film Princess, directed by Anders Morgenthaler, and you can view the trailer right here.
Feature: The Seventh Seal
Long acclaimed as a cinematic masterpiece, The Seventh Seal is Ingmar Bergman’s stunning allegory of a man’s search for the meaning of life. The best known and perhaps greatest of Bergman’s films, if not of all time, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1957, where it won the Special Jury Prize. To celebrate it’s half-centenary Tartan Films are re-releasing the film in selected cinemas across the UK.
Feature: TAXIDERMIA trailer
Three Stories. Three ages. Three men. Grandfather, father, son. One is an orderly, one is a leading sportsman, and one is a master taxidermist. One desires love, the other success, and the third immortality. Taxidermia is a magical realist story directed by Gyorgy Palfi (Hukkle, 2002) with a score composed by Amon Tobin (Ninja Tune). A visually stunning assault on the senses and sensibilities, Taxidermia has to be seen to be believed.
Feature: EDMOND Trailer
A brief encounter with a fortune-teller leads businessman Edmond (William H. Macy) to confront the emptiness of his life and marriage. Appalled by what he finds he flees into the murky and hellish underworld of New York and brutal journey of self discovery. An intelligent and controversial drama/thriller, Edmond is based on the David Mamet play and also stars Mena Suvari, Denise Richards and Julia Stiles. The film is released today by Tartan Films.
Feature: El Topo Trailer
A cult classic, El Topo is a psychedelic, allegorical Western set in two halves that have widely been compared to the Old and New Testaments of the bible. In the first half, Jodorowsky plays a violent, black-clad gunfighter who, accompanied by his naked son, sets off on a murderous mission to challenge four zen masters of gunfighting, and learns from each of them a Great Lesson before they die. In the second half, El Topo sets out to find personal redemption, secluding himself in a subterranean community to learn the ways of peace, but unfortunately death is never far away.
Feature: The Oscar Results vs. The zap! bang! Predictions
Martin Scorsese can finally smile as The Departed swept up at the Oscars and he finally got that Best Director award. A disappointing tally of 10 out of 19 right for Mike this year — down on last year’s 13. He reflects on the night’s results.
Feature: Norman McLaren: The Master's Edition
This 7 DVD box set has been created by The National Film Board of Canada and is released in the UK by Soda Pictures. It brings together experimental animator Norman McLaren’s entire film collection, alongside unfinished films, tests and fifteen documentaries on the man, his films and techniques and also on the process of restoration which the material underwent in order to meet the standard that this box-set presents it in. McLaren is one of the biggest names in animation and created a large and multi-award-winning body of work over a period of 50 years.
Feature: The Oscars 2007 - zap! bang! Predicts
Yes, it’s Oscar time this weekend and it could be the year Martin Scorsese wins (how many times have we said that?), Helen Mirren is crowned Hollywood’s queen and Forest Whitaker makes amends for taking part in Battlefield Earth. Well, maybe the latter is impossible, but we’ll all be waiting to hear who the winners are on Sunday night. Mike Barnard looks into his blood diamond to predict the notable winners, and accepts he’s probably lining himself up for a fall when the envelopes are finally opened…read on!
Feature: Black Book Competition!
This friday sees the release of renowned director Paul Verhoeven’s (Total Recall, Robocop, Basic Instinct) Black Book (Zwartboek), an eagerly anticipated return to cinema and to his European roots. In association with Milan Records we here at zap! bang! are giving you the chance to get hold of one of five copies of the film’s soundtrack, scored by Oscar-winning composer Anne Dudley (The Full Monty, American History X).
Feature: Ghosts Competition!
Film fans take heed, Nick Broomfield fans heed even more because to celebrate the release of his new feature Ghosts we have two signed posters to give away.
Feature: Green Wing Competition
After two classic series, where did we leave off? Caroline (Tamsin Greig) is engaged to Guy (Stephen Mangan), Mac (Julian Rhind-Tutt) has little time left and Statham (Mark Heap) and Joanna (Pippa Haywood) are on the run; the hospital is in chaos, even more so than usual — so what happens next? Give yourself the chance to find out:
Feature: Black Book - preview and trailer
Paul Verhoeven makes a return to filmmaking in Holland after 23 years and produces one of his most acclaimed films. This World War Two drama has already been the winner of such awards as best international film at the Venice Film Festival and taken three top honours at the Netherlands Film Festival including best picture and best director.
Feature: Antibodies: Preview & Trailer
Evil mind games abound when a psychopath killer who paints surreal religious pictures with the blood of his victims is captured by police in German thriller Antibodies
Feature: Brothers of the Head Competition!
This Friday sees Tartan’s release Brothers of the Head, a startling work about the rise of conjoined twins Tom and Barry Howe from small-town isolation to the stages of the mid-seventies punk explosion. The film has an original basis in a true story, but takes off from Brian Aldiss’ book of the same name and the rock n’ roll ‘rags to riches’ and ‘live fast die young’ myths. Directed by Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe, the men behind Lost in La Mancha (2002) and The Hamster Factor (1997) and with a screenplay by Tony Grisoni (In This World (2002), Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas (1998)) the film has already been causing a stir at festivals, making the Official selection at Toronto, opening Berlin and winning Edinburgh’s Michal Powell award, its explosive story offering much to laugh at and dance to, alongside some pretty powerful drama.
Feature: Driving Lessons: preview and trailer
Driving Lessons is released in the UK on September 8th, with other territories to follow later in the year. Tartan Films will no doubt be expecting this to be another mild Britcom success in the UK in the vein of recent films such as Kinky Boots (Julian Jarrold, 2005).
Feature: Summer blockbuster preview 2006 - Part Two
In the first part of our run down on the hottest summer releases, comic book heroes and franshises ruled the schedule. After The Break-Up (Peyton Reed, 2006) proved that even the rom-com could deliver a truck load of money to the major’s doors this year, it seems anything could end up top of the box office. Superman Returns (Bryan Singer), however, has stuttered on its opening weekend. As the blockbuster season rolls into the later months of the summer, there are some juicy original projects and a couple to bring a smirk or two as the long sunny days draw to a close.
Feature: Win a copy of the soundtrack to The Cave of the Yellow Dog!
Competition! 5 The Cave of the Yellow Dog Soundtracks to be won!
Feature: Summer blockbuster preview 2006 - Part One
Well it is time for another summer of expensive productions vying to clean up at the box office with spectacular results. There is the usual glut of action epics, but also a fair few more interesting pictures among the Hollywood studios’ releases. Zap! BANG! takes a look at the story so far and what’s lined up for the first part of the summer.
Feature: Film at Salisbury International Arts Festival
The Salisbury International Arts Festival in England returns at the end of May with a host of arts events covering literature, film, theatre, music and more. The Festival’s main theme this year is ‘relate’ with an artistic focus on storytelling which is reflected across all the events. Here Zap! BANG! takes a look at the festival’s films, each drawing on this year’s Aboriginal Cultural Showcase.
Feature: Oscar Winners: The Results
Shock, horror, Crash was the surprise package of the Oscars for the films of 2005 as it tied with three other films, including hot favourite to sweep the board Brokeback Mountain with a win for Best Picture, Editing and Original Screenplay. Zap! BANG! scored a not-bad-at-all 13 out of 19 in the categories predicted, getting it right for most of the major prizes. See below for a full list of winners and reaction to a night that left many with raised eyebrows as the final announcement saw the underdog claim the top prize.
Feature: Oscar Predictions Part 5: Round-up
Oscar night looms this Sunday. Over the last month Zap! BANG! has brought you its predictions for the main categories, now it presents a run down of the rest. Check back next week for a full list of winners, and how our predictions compared.
Feature: Oscar Predictions Part 4: Directors
Martin Scorcese has been waiting for his Oscar for Best Director a long time now - most would say too long - in what must be the most prestigious category at the Academy Awards. An Oscar for directing does not generally come from one amazing film, they normally have to be earnt from outstanding films and nominations over many years. This year presents us with just two directors who have previously been up for the award so all eyes should probably be on them.
Feature: Oscar Predictions Part 3: Actresses
A male star dominated selection of movies up for Best Picture means that it is in the individual awards that the women have to really shine. The result is that many of the films featuring the nominees do not have the high profile that has seen others on the mouths of moviegoers and critics alike. The winners will likely be those from that highly acclaimed and hugely popular group, but the Academy may have a surprise or two once those ballot forms are counted…
Feature: Oscar Predictions Part 2: Actors
There are few Hollywood heavyweights up for the acting honours this year leaving it quite an open race in theory. However, on closer inspection there are very clear leaders in both fields. Whoever wins can expect a massive boost to their film careers as international stars and a pick of the best roles at least in the short term.
Feature: Oscar Predictions Part 1: Best Picture
Without an out-and-out crowd-pleaser such as past winners Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Peter Jackson, 2003) or Gladiator (Ridley Scott, 2000) it will be interesting to see how the Academy votes this year.
Feature: A View On A Trailer
Trailers are an essential product of film, yet it’s rare to see some form of feature on their textual properties. This feature will provide an insight into an appreciation of the intricacies in the audible variables of the explosive trailer for the martial arts film Master of the Flying Guillotine (Wang Yu, 1975).
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Latest
- – 10 Great Isolated House Chillers
- – Sex Drive: in cinemas January
- – Harvey Birdman Competition!
- – Fonejacker series two
- – Bonnie and Clyde Special Edition Two-disc DVD
- – Classic Pacino: Cruising out now on DVD
- – 2007 in Review
- – Movie Preview: Princess
- – The Seventh Seal
- – TAXIDERMIA trailer
- – EDMOND Trailer
- – El Topo Trailer
- – The Oscar Results vs. The zap! bang! Predictions
- – Norman McLaren: The Master's Edition
- – The Oscars 2007 - zap! bang! Predicts
- – Black Book Competition!
- – Ghosts Competition!
- – Green Wing Competition
- – Black Book - preview and trailer
- – Antibodies: Preview & Trailer
- – Brothers of the Head Competition!
- – Driving Lessons: preview and trailer
- – Summer blockbuster preview 2006 - Part Two
- – Win a copy of the soundtrack to The Cave of the Yellow Dog!
- – Summer blockbuster preview 2006 - Part One
- – Film at Salisbury International Arts Festival
- – Oscar Winners: The Results
- – Oscar Predictions Part 5: Round-up
- – Oscar Predictions Part 4: Directors
- – Oscar Predictions Part 3: Actresses
- – Oscar Predictions Part 2: Actors
- – Oscar Predictions Part 1: Best Picture
- – A View On A Trailer
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