News

The Oscar-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss, the songwriter and perennial Oscar bridesmaid Diane Warren and Matteo Garrone, the director of this year’s best international feature Oscar-nominated Italian film Io Capitano, will all be honored on Sunday night during the opening ceremony of the 19th Los Angeles, Italia Film, Fashion and Art Festival at Hollywood’s Tcl Chinese Theatres, exactly one week before the 96th Academy Awards take place just down the street.

The festival, which is backed by Italy’s Ministry of Culture, will run through Saturday, March 9, and feature 112 film screenings (47 in movie theaters and 65 on the online platform eventive.org). This year’s edition will be hosted by one Italian screen legend, Franco Nero (as well as Italian actress/model Antonella Salvucci), and is dedicated to another, the late Marcello Mastroianni, whose centenary it coincides with, as well as the late Italian playwright Eduardo de Filippo.

Notable guests...

The Mortal Kombat star plays an LA cop returning home to avenge his brother’s murder in this charming piece of grindhouse schlock

On an unnamed island in the Caribbean, a cartel boss named Manuel (Edoardo Costa) kills bartender Akeem (Tristan Duncan) merely because he spills a drink on Nora (Cami Storm), a young singer Manuel was planning to lock up in his villa and force to sing only for himself, like a canary. The murder is not only grisly and bad management practice, but also consequential because it brings down the wrath of Akeem’s brother Mark, an LA policeman. It turns out Mark grew up on the island where he left behind an ex-wife, Akilah, his mother and lots of old friends. Swearing to find out how Akeem really died, he moves back and a series of fisticuff face-offs ensue as he works through the chain of command,...

Stars: Michael Jai White, Edoardo Costa, Cami Storm, Jackson Rathbone, Esther Brooks, Wayne Gordon, Gillian White, Amber Townsend | Written by Michael Caissie, Philippe Martinez | Directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino

The Island wastes no time in establishing just how evil its villain, Manuel is. As he’s talking to Nora, a singer auditioning at one of his properties, the waiter spills her drink on her. His response isn’t to fire the man but to stab him in the neck and tell the shocked woman, “Go get cleaned up, you work for me now.”

In Los Angeles Mark and his partner Phil are working undercover setting up a drug bust. This being an action film it naturally goes bad, but that’s not the worst thing Mark is going to have to deal with today. He gets a call telling him his brother has been murdered on the island where they grew up.

Michael Jai White in the action-film The Island. Courtesy of Saban Films

To be honest, Michael Jai White headlines a lot of action flicks that many would consider beneath their taste level. But he’s really good at these things and always fun to watch when you’re in the mood for a good guy kicking a bunch of bad guy butts in a vehicle that allows your higher cerebral functions to relax and enjoy some time off from their usual duties. The Island is another from his formulaic wheelhouse. Among the many movies and TV series that have borne this title before, this one will rank as the most… recent.

White plays an L.A. cop who grew up on a tropical island. When he learns that his brother was killed, he returns to find the one what done done him in. After he’d left to graze in a bigger pasture,...

Michael Jai White is continuing his action genre dominance with The Island. White leads the cast of the upcoming action-crime thriller as Mark, an LAPD officer who returns to his home island in the Caribbeans after learning of his brother's death, only to discover a trail of corruption behind it and seek vengeance. Alongside White, the cast for The Island includes The Twilight Saga alum Jackson Rathbone, The Oval's Gillian White, Non-Stop's Edoardo Costa and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' Gabriel Rios.

Ahead of the movie's theatrical and digital release, Screen Rant can exclusively present a new The Island clip.

The video, as seen above, shows Michael Jai White's Mark and Jackson Rathbone's Phil in the midst of an undercover drug bust to bring down Gabriel Rios' Carlos. In their efforts to bring Carlos and his armed thug in, though, Mark and Phil find themselves resorting to...

"He's never going to stop... you can't save him." "But I can save our island." Saban Films has revealed an official trailer for The Island, another trashy B-movie action thriller – not to be confused with Michael Bay's sci-fi thriller The Island of 2005. This will be out in July for anyone interested in watching. From the stunt coordinator / director Shaun Paul Piccinino, who you have never heard of and never seen any of his other movies anyway. When his brother is killed, LAPD officer Mark (Michael J. White) leaves the city to return to the island he grew up on. Seeking answers and ultimately vengeance, he soon finds himself in a bloody battle with the corrupt tycoon who's taken over the island paradise. Starring Michael Jai White, along with Jackson Rathbone, Gillian White, Gabriel 'G-Rod' Rodriguez, Cami Storm, Wayne Gordon, Gabriel Rios, and Edoardo Costa as Manuel. This junk should...

Project stars Edoardo Costa and Michael Jai White.

Msr Media International has unveiled a first-look image of action thriller The Island, featuring Edoardo Costa and Michael Jai White.

The title, currently in post-production, is helmed by US director Shaun Paul Piccinino, and produced by Msr Media’s Philippe Martinez and Highfield Grange Studios’ Alan Latham, with Msr Media International representing world sales.

An LAPD officer takes down drug traffickers with his wise-cracking partner, until his brother dies under mysterious circumstances.

The officer returns to the island he grew up on his search for answers about his brother’s death, which...

Elizabeth Hurley (“The Royals”) will star in romantic comedy “Christmas in the Carribbean.” Principal photography will commence this week in the islands of St Kitts and Nevis.

The film is produced by Msr Media’s Philippe Martinez, who will also direct, and Highfield Grange Studios’ Alan Latham.

Written by Martinez and Nathalie Cox, the film will follow Rachel (Hurley), a hopeless romantic who is jilted at the altar. Not to let her Christmas in the Caribbean honeymoon go to waste, Rachel and her two bridesmaids jet off to the islands, where love blossoms and she has to make a life choice.

The cast also includes Caroline Quentin (“Bridgerton”), Nathalie Cox (“My Dad’s Christmas Date”), Edoardo Costa (“Non-Stop”), Hadar Cats (“Next Generation Role Model”), Downtown Julie Brown (“A Year in Music”) and Rafael Martinez (“NCIS: Los Angeles”).

Karinne Behr and Lee Beasley from Msr Media and Alastair Burlingham of Sherborne Media serve as executive producers,...

Elizabeth Hurley To Star In Caribbean Rom-Com

Elizabeth Hurley is to play the lead in The Caribbean Christmas, the rom-com shot in St Kitts and Nevis from Msr Media producer Philippe Martinez. Pic started filming this week. Cast on the film, which is the latest to be shot this year in the Caribbean island under its multi-film deal with Msr, includes Bridgerton’s Caroline Quentin, Nathalie Cox (Kingdom Of Heaven), Edoardo Costa (Live Free or Die Hard) and Incitement’s Hadar Cats. The film follows the story of an abandoned British bride, who spends December in the Caribbean with her bridesmaids as love blossoms. Hurley described the offer to film in the Caribbean after a difficult 18 months as “irresistible.” Martinez will direct and write alongside Cox.

Bafta Talent Unveils US-uk Jury

Handmaids’ Tale creator Bruce Miller, documentary maker Afua Hirsch and Netflix UK Features Director Fiona Lamptey are to feature in the U.

Despair and grief have never been as palpable as they are in Down the Shore. This moody film centers around two close makeshift families dealing with a recent death. While not the most enjoyable tone for a movie, solid performances by the cast help ground the story and your interest in it.

Starting in France, tourist Susan (Maria Dizzia) quickly falls for Frenchman Jacques (Edoardo Costa) who runs one of the last wound up carousels in existence. As we later learn, Susan owns one half of a tiny amusement park in New Jersey, so her intrigue in the carousel and its operator becomes much more explicable. Jacques' interest in Susan (beyond a quick fling) feels much less explicable, so when he shows up on her brother's doorstep three months later it is shocking to learn that he married her.

Read more...

James Gandolfini is so strong an actor that he almost manages to make Sandra Jennings's contrived dialog believable in Down the Shore, but any moments of honesty are immediately drowned out by a blast of heartfelt tunes that assure you the scene you've been watching was significant. First-time director Harold Guskin has been known for years as an acting coach to the stars. Perhaps that's why he favors long close-ups of his actors emoting between long pauses in dialog. The saddest part of this movie that oh-so-wants you to know it is sad is that Jennings sets up a pretty interesting dynamic, then bails on telling a story. Depressed alcoholic Bailey (Gandolfini) is running a rusting old carnival on the Jersey Shore when cheerful and spontaneous Jacques (Edoardo Costa) shows up from...

We've got your first look at the new poster for Down the Shore , starring James Gandolfini, Famke Janssen, Joe Pope and Edoardo Costa. The April 5 release is the story of a family torn apart by lies and deceit. Set on the Jersey Shore, the lives of three childhood friends begin to unravel when a deadly secret from their past is revealed. "Down the Shore" is a powerful and emotional story of love, friendship, rivalry and secrets that will have you on edge until all is revealed. Click the poster for a bigger version!

Anchor Bay Films has revealed a new poster for Harold Guskin's thriller Down the Shore. James Gandolfini, Famke Janssen, Joseph Pope and Edoardo Costa star in this romantic drama about a three longtime friends, who uncover a deadly secret. This one-sheet features a look at the old Jersey Shore. Take a look.

Down the Shore will be released April 9th, 2013 and stars Famke Janssen, James Gandolfini, John Magaro, Maria Dizzia, Gabrielle Lazure, Kate Skinner, Edoardo Costa, Ruza Madarevic. The film is directed by Harold Guskin.