News

Exclusive: Harriet Walter, Avi Nash and Chinaza Uche will round out the cast of Wool, Apple’s world-building drama series based on the New York Times bestselling trilogy of dystopian novels by Hugh Howey.

They’ll appear alongside previously announced cast members Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Robbins, Common, Rashida Jones and David Oyelowo.

Written by Graham Yost and directed by Academy Award nominee Morten Tyldum, Wool is a set in a ruined and toxic future where a community exists in a giant silo underground, hundreds of stories deep. There, men and women live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them.

Walter will play Martha Walker, a veteran engineer who works in Mechanical, with Nash as Lukas Kyle, an It worker who rises to prominence after meeting independent...

Exclusive: Chinaza Uche (Dickinson) is joining Florence Pugh, Morgan Freeman, Zoe Lister-Jones, Molly Shannon and Celeste O’Connor in A Good Person, the feature Zach Braff is directing for MGM, which is currently in production.

Braff’s follow-up to 2017 heist comedy Going in Style follows Allison (Pugh), whose life falls apart following her involvement in a fatal accident. In the ensuing years, it is the unlikely relationship she forms with her would-be father-in-law (Freeman) that helps her inevitably live a life worth living.

Uche will play Nathan, who has contended with much childhood abuse in the past and faces a tragic loss in the present, trying to move on to create a new life for himself in Manhattan.

Braff and Pugh are producing the film with Killer Films and Elevation Films. MGM acquired it for distribution in North American and international markets including Latin America, Scandinavia, Russia, Eastern Europe, China, Japan,...

Exclusive: Spanish actress Alicia Sanz has signed with Range Media Partners for talent management.

The star of the Amazon Prime series El Cid will continue to be repped by CAA, You Rock Talent; and Brecheen, Feldman, Breimer, Silver & Thompson.

Sanz is renowned for her turn as Paloma Iglesias in the second season of El Rey’s From Dusk Till Dawn from Robert Rodriguez.

Sanz is currently shooting Gideon Raff’s bilingual thriller series Now and Then for Apple TV+ opposite Rosie Perez, Maribel Verdú, and Marina de Tavira. Set in Miami with an all-Hispanic cast, the series explores the differences between youthful aspirations and the reality of adulthood, when the lives of a group of college best friends are forever changed after a celebratory weekend ends up with one of them dead. Now, 20 years later, the remaining five are reluctantly reunited by a threat that puts their seemingly perfect worlds at risk.

Stars: Will Patton, Adan Canto, Jonathan Sadowski, Alicia Sanz, Chinaza Uche, Zach Avery, Jesse Latourette, William Mark McCullough, Alpha Trivette, Tom Proctor, Nathan Phillips | Written by Stefan Jaworski, Eric Scherbarth | Directed by Bradley Parker

The Devil Below is visual effects expert Bradley Parker’s second film as a director, his first was Chernobyl Diaries back in 2012. This time he takes us to Shookum Hills, the film’s original title, an abandoned town in Appalachia where inhabitants vanished and the coal mines have been burning for decades. Is it a hill country Silent Hill, or something more sinister?

Paul and his son work for the Shookum Hills Mining Company. As they’re leaving the ground opens up and something grabs the boy and drags him down. Injured, Paul can only lay there helplessly and listen to his screams. In the present day Ariana is making final preparations for her trip. She...

Coming to select theaters and VOD services this Friday is The Devil Below, from Chernobyl Diaries director Bradley Parker, and we have an exclusive clip just for Daily Dead readers!

"There is an abandoned place nestled deep in Appalachian country where underground coal mines have been ablaze for decades. When a team of researchers try to find out how the fires started, they soon discover something more startling than the mystery that sent them there: they’re not alone."

Distributed By: Vertical Entertainment In Select Theaters, On VOD & Digital March 5, 2021 Directed By: Bradley Parker Written By: Eric Scherbarth, Stefan Jaworski Produced By: Julio Hallivis, Diego Hallivis, Andres Rosende, Alejandro de Leon Starring: Alicia Sanz, Adan Canto, Zach Avery, Chinaza Uche, Jesse Latourette, with Jonathan Sadowski and Will Patton



The post Watch an Exclusive “Purgatory” Clip from The Devil Below appeared first on Daily Dead.

Watch the Trailer for The Devil Below: "There is an abandoned place nestled deep in Appalachian country where underground coal mines have been ablaze for decades. When a team of researchers try to find out how the fires started, they soon discover something more startling than the mystery that sent them there: they’re not alone."

Distributed By: Vertical Entertainment In Select Theaters, On VOD & Digital March 5, 2021 Directed By: Bradley Parker Written By: Eric Scherbarth, Stefan Jaworski Produced By: Julio Hallivis, Diego Hallivis, Andres Rosende, Alejandro de Leon Starring: Alicia Sanz, Adan Canto, Zach Avery, Chinaza Uche, Jesse Latourette, with Jonathan Sadowski and Will Patton

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State Of Survival: Survive The Zombie Apocalypse: "It's been six months since the zombie apocalypse began. The virus has infected the city. Six months of terror, horror, survival and fighting against zombies. You are a survivor and your friends are in a brave fight against monsters.

Daredevil

Marvel have released a new photo from their upcoming "Daredevil" TV series which debuts on Netflix on April 10th. The shot shows blind lawyer Matt Murdock in a confessional at his father's old church.

My Dad, he used to come to this church...he was a fighter...lost more than he won...but he always got back up. pic.twitter.com/8KkDNSCwdk

— Daredevil (@Daredevil) February 12, 2015

Space Invaders

Dan Kunka has been hired to pen the script for a live-action film adaptation of the classic 1980s video game "Space Invaders" at Warner Bros. Pictures. Kunka made the Black List when he converted the short spec "Yellowstone Falls" into a wolves vs. zombies movie. [Source: Deadline]

30

Philip Gelatt ("Europa Report") has been hired to adapt and direct a feature based on Laird Barron’s short story "30". The story follows two wildlife biologists, isolated on land once occupied by a cult, struggling to find...

Exclusive: Fox has set Brad Parker to direct The Mountain, a psychological thriller that will be produced by Red Hour Films. This comes on the heals of the work Parker did as a 2nd unit director on the Matt Reeves-helmed Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes. The studio wanted to keep Parker in the fold, and offered this Helen Childress-scripted thriller, with a logline they’re keeping under wraps. Parker is separately attached to an untitled thriller for Paramount that Bad Robot and Matt Reeves are producing.

Parker began his career at Digital Domain where he collaborated with a range of filmmakers including David Fincher, James Gray and Mark Romanek. Parker’s repped by Paradigm, Oasis Management, and attorney Darren Trattner at Jackoway, Tyerman.

You know things are serious in "Castle" when the mystery writer faces death -- possibly at the hands of al-Qaeda terrorists. That's just what happens in "Dreamworld." But does Castle die before the episode ends?

Does Castle die?

Nope.

That's not a huge shock, of course. You don't typically kill off the central character in a successful TV show only two episodes into a new season. But you have to give "Castle" credit for taking the potential for Rick's death awfully far.

It really doesn't sound great for Castle throughout most of the episode. He has only hours to live. Yes, the man is basically fit and healthy until about an hour before he drops dead, but it's still tension-inducing. Despite lying to Martha and Alexis, the ladies are deathly worried. They're right to be.

But seriously, they're not going to kill off Castle right now.

Off to Dreamworld!

While...

He arrived knowing nothing of himself.

Who is he? Soon he will know.

Because what begins at the water shall end there and what ends there shall once more begin.

This is what happens. Men become lost. Men vanish.

Men are erased… and reborn.

Soon He Will Know

Soon He Will

Soon Will

Sw? Star Wars!

I, of course, am kidding. Check out the teaser cryptically tweeted from the @bad_robot twitter account:

One of my higher ups at this site says this could be for the film adaptation of Stephen King’s 11/22/63, about a man who travels back in time to try and prevent JFK’s assassination. But that combined with what we all just saw doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

If Cloverfield is any indication, this could be an original property.

Or – F*ck It! – if we’re making pie-in-the-sky calls, I’d be...

The "Castle" cast for Season 6 is still growing.

A rep for ABC has confirmed that Joshua Bitton has will have a multi-episode arc in Season 6 as Grant “Sully” Sullivan, a new detective trying to prove himself at the 12th Precinct, as first reported by TVLine.

Bitton, who's appeared on "Private Practice," "Justified" and many more primetime hits, joins a long list of new faces in the expanding "Castle" cast: Former soap star Antonio Sabato Jr. will play Ramon Russo, an actor best known for his role on the fictional "Saved By The Bell"-esque '90s sitcom "2 Cool For School"; Yancey Arias will appear in the first two episodes of Season 6 as Carl Villante, the head of an elite investigative unit who butts heads with both Beckett (Stana Katic) and Castle (Nathan Fillion); "24" alum Glenn Morshower will play Michael Reed, a former general who's determined to protect the secrets of...

"Castle" Season 6 is still many weeks away, but news of upcoming episodes has begun to leak out. In addition to guest-star Lisa Edelstein ("House"), another guest plus an episode plot -- involving "Saved by the Bell"? -- have been revealed.

A troublesome reporter?

In episode 2 of the new season, Warren Christie will appear in the role of a reporter named Brad Parker, according to EW.com. Since Christie's character is described as being interested in uncovering scandals that might affect national security, does that mean that Beckett (Stana Katic) will be taking that new job in DC after all?

Who knows?

Christie is best known for his starring role as Cameron Hicks in the Syfy show, "Alphas." Since that program's cancellation, Hicks has also appeared in guest roles on "Arrow" and "King & Maxwell."

"Saved by the Bell: The Murder Mystery"?

In an episode airing early in the upcoming season,...

The cast of Season 6 of "Castle" is growing!

The ABC hit has added former "24" star Glenn Morshower for the second episode of the new season, TV Guide reports. The actor -- who recurred on the Keifer Sutherland drama as secret service agent Aaron Pierce -- will play Michael Reed, a former general who's determined to protect the secrets of his past.

And he's not alone: "Alphas" alum Warren Christie is also set to appear in the second episode of "Castle" Season 6 as Brad Parker, a reporter with "a penchant for uncovering stories that are detrimental to national security," Entertainment Weekly reports.

It was previously reported that "House" alumna Lisa Edelstein will have a multi-episode arc on "Castle" Season 6 as Rachel McCord, "a tough and highly-skilled Federal Investigator whose appearance plays a vital role in Beckett’s decisions about her future," according to TVLine.

Beckett (Stana Katic) certainly needs all the...

Castle‘s roster of early Season 6 guest stars continues to expand, now with the addition of Alphas alum Warren Christie and 24 vet Glenn Morshower.

Related | Castle‘s Nathan Fillion Weighs In on Rick’s ‘Adult Choice,’ Answers a Burning Question

Per EW.com, Christie will appear in the second episode of the coming season as Brad Parker, a reporter with a knack for digging up dirt that could have implications for national security.

Morshower meanwhile guest-stars in the same episode as Michael Reed, a former general who’s fighting to keep under wraps some secrets from his past, TVGuide.com reports.

Warren Christie won’t need special powers for his upcoming role on Castle, but they’d probably come in handy.

Christie, who last starred as hyperkinetic Cameron Hicks on Syfy’s Alphas, is set to guest star on the second episode of Castle’s upcoming sixth season. He will play Brad Parker, a reporter with a penchant for uncovering stories that are deterimental to national security.

Christie, who was on Alphas until its cancellation in January, also recently made guest appearances on Arrow and King & Maxwell.

Castle, which will also welcome guest star Lisa Edelstein this season, returns for new episodes Sept.

We open with a montage showing us a group of fun-loving, travel-loving, bubbly young people, as viewed through the lens of a hand-held camera. They are enjoying each others company as they travel through various, easily recognised cities. Upon arrival in Moscow they hook up with Paul, who we discover is Chris’ brother. It is not long before Paul is proposing an “extreme tour”, which will involve a guide taking them to the desolate city of Pripyat, abandoned since the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. The premise is one that I thought I would have trouble buying right from the off, because surely nobody is that stupid, right? Why would one wish to go to an abandoned, undeniably dangerous city, in which you know you will be exposed to radiation that is potentially fatal? Well, in fact, to the film’s credit, it does well to sell their choice as a reasonable and realistic one.

Chicago – There’s something very wrong with Bradley Parker’s “Chernobyl Dairies,” and the problem is right there in its title. The very notion of setting a knee-jerk horror film at the site of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster is so offensive that it’s bound to halt many moviegoers from judging the picture on its own terms. It’s the cinematic equivalent of an obscenely tasteless haunted house.

After directing the best found footage thriller since 1999’s “Blair Witch Project,” producer Oren Peli has floundered in the years following his spectacular success with 2007’s “Paranormal Activity.” It’s hard to see what Peli found appealing about the derivative subject matter in “Chernobyl Diaries,” causing him to serve as both a co-producer and co-writer. The film is no different from the vast majority of generic horror trash available on FearNet, where Parker’s picture is undoubtedly destined to become available.

Blu-ray Rating:...

★☆☆☆☆ The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was the worst of its kind in history, with 300,000 people resettled due to an explosion in the fourth reactor. Thirty-one people died (that the Soviet authorities admitted to), and the fallout of radioactive contamination continues to have adverse effects on the health of the local people and surrounding environment, two decades on. So fair game, apparently, for some hackneyed horror movie schlock in the form of Chernobyl Diaries (2012). Regardless of whether you think it's too soon to exploit the memory of a phenomenal human tragedy, director Bradley Parker distracts you from this ethical conundrum by making a below-average movie.

Read more »...

Let’s get one thing straight: if indulging in a bit of “extreme tourism” by visiting the site of the worst nuclear meltdown human civilization has ever known, don’t go to the one area where even professionals only visit twice a month for five hours at the most. There’s a reason they don’t stay longer, and the reason isn’t anything exciting like horrible mutants, it’s just good old fashioned radiation. And in the case of radiation, what doesn't kill you makes you ill, weak, and warps into a sickly shadow of life that dies soon thereafter. The net effect of radiation is death. Got it? However, Bradley Parker’s recent horror flick Chernobyl Diaries brings up a few additional points about extreme tourism (like mutants) that probably should be heeded and we’ll cover five of them below.

For those interested in the film, it's...

“That was a really fun project to make,” Peli tells Fango. “It was as opposite as can be from Paranormal Activity in the sense that that film shows what happens when you’re in your own home, a familiar place where you’re supposed to be safe, and [with Chernobyl], here we are in the most alien environment, in a foreign country, in an abandoned town that’s plagued by radiation, wild animals and other things. So it explored fear from a totally different angle. We ended up shooting in Eastern Europe, which was a wild experience on its own, although it ended up working out very well because of the terrific crew.”

To guide the film’s “extreme tourists” through the abandoned ruins where unseen menaces threaten their lives, Peli and co. chose first-time feature director Brad Parker. “We met with quite a few potential directors,” Peli recalls, “and at first,...

“That was a really fun project to make,” Peli tells Fango. “It was as opposite as can be from Paranormal Activity in the sense that that film shows what happens when you’re in your own home, a familiar place where you’re supposed to be safe, and [with Chernobyl], here we are in the most alien environment, in a foreign country, in an abandoned town that’s plagued by radiation, wild animals and other things. So it explored fear from a totally different angle. We ended up shooting in Eastern Europe, which was a wild experience on its own, although it ended up working out very well because of the terrific crew.”

To guide the film’s “extreme tourists” through the abandoned ruins where unseen menaces threaten their lives, Peli and co. chose first-time feature director Brad Parker. “We met with quite a few potential directors,” Peli recalls, “and at first,...

“That was a really fun project to make,” Peli tells Fango. “It was as opposite as can be from Paranormal Activity in the sense that that film shows what happens when you’re in your own home, a familiar place where you’re supposed to be safe, and [with Chernobyl], here we are in the most alien environment, in a foreign country, in an abandoned town that’s plagued by radiation, wild animals and other things. So it explored fear from a totally different angle. We ended up shooting in Eastern Europe, which was a wild experience on its own, although it ended up working out very well because of the terrific crew.”

To guide the film’s “extreme tourists” through the abandoned ruins where unseen menaces threaten their lives, Peli and co. chose first-time feature director Brad Parker. “We met with quite a few potential directors,” Peli recalls, “and at first,...

"They're not following us — they're hunting us!"

Are you an adrenaline junkie? Do you thrive on danger? Well, skip your next "extreme tour" to that subterranean cave or dormant volcano and book a trip to Pripyat, Ukraine, where you can search for traces of radiation from a nuclear power plant explosion and play hide-and-seek with the locals.

Next Showing: Chernobyl Diaries is now available on DVD/Blu-ray

Link | Posted 10/17/2012 by BrentJS

Oren Peli | Brad Parker | Chernobyl Diaries...

Chernobyl Diaries

Stars: Jesse McCartney, Jonathan Sadowski, Olivia Dudley, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Dimitri Diatchenko, Devin Kelley | Written by Oren Peli, Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke | Directed by Bradley Parker

Being a big fan of Paranormal Activity and having an interest in nuclear disasters, I was rather looking forward to Chernobyl Diaries, which is written and produced by Oren Peli, the man behind the horror franchise (for the record, I have yet to subject myself to the far less warmly received sequels). Chernobyl Diaries follows a group of twenty-somethings who, in the name of ‘extreme tourism’, sign up for a guided tour of Prypiat, the city which was home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and their families, which was abandoned in 1986 after the disaster. Unluckily, the group’s tour bus is damaged, leaving them stuck in the deserted city whereupon they are attacked by unknown entities.

Tired of the usual tourist attractions? Fed up with long lines, expensive hotels, and those damned Priceline commercials starring William Shatner? No worries! Straight from Mother Russia comes Uri, and the sights he has to show you could very well be your last!

Check out a new clip below, and look for Chernobyl Diaries in stores and online on Tuesday, October 16th!

The only extra material on the DVD release will be a "Chernobyl Conspiracy" viral video. The Blu-ray/DVD Combo release will include that and also a Uri's Extreme Tours infomercial, an additional scene, and an UltraViolet digital copy of the film.

For more visit the official Chernobyl Diaries website, "like" Chernobyl Diaries on Facebook and follow Chernobyl Diaries on Twitter (@seechernobyl).

Synopsis

Chernobyl Diaries is an original story from Oren Peli, who first terrified audiences with his groundbreaking thriller, Paranormal Activity. It's written by Peli, Carey Van Dyke,...

The Chernobyl Diaries hits stores on October 16th on both DVD and Blu-ray and before you set off on your expedition to grab a copy we have your chance to score a Blu-ray from us! You don't even have to leave your house!

The only extra material on the DVD release will be a "Chernobyl Conspiracy" viral video. The Blu-ray/DVD Combo release will include that and also a Uri's Extreme Tours infomercial, an additional scene, and an UltraViolet digital copy of the film.

To enter for your chance to win, just send us an E-mail Here including your Full Name And Mailing Address. We’ll take care of the rest.

For more visit the official Chernobyl Diaries website, "like" Chernobyl Diaries on Facebook and follow Chernobyl Diaries on Twitter (@seechernobyl).

Synopsis

Chernobyl Diaries is an original story from Oren Peli, who first terrified audiences with his groundbreaking thriller, Paranormal Activity.

*full disclosure: a Blu-Ray copy of this film was provided by Warner Bros. Director: Bradley Parker. Writers: Oren Peli, Carey Van Dyke, and Shane Van Dyke. Cast: Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Dimitri Diatchenko, Olivia Dudley, Devin Kelley, Jesse McCartney, Nathan Phillips, and Jonathan Sadowski. The Chernobyl Diaries originally released in May, 2012 within theatres (Canadian Release). The film was helmed by first time director Bradley Parker and partially written by Paranormal Activity writer and director Oren Peli. The film is set in the city of Pripyat. Here, six extreme tourists find an abandoned city near the Chernobyl reactor is not quite uninhabited. This title will release through home video formats October 16th and the special features on the release are, unfortunately, sparse. This film was enjoyed by this viewer and those looking for an expansion on the story can visit an already posted review for the Chernobyl Diaries here (28Dla Review of Chernobyl Diaries) . This.

Over at Variety (via FirstShowing), Justin Kroll tweets that that Let Me In and Cloverfield director Matt Reeves is now not directing Warner Bros.’ brand-new Twilight Zone feature film, thanks to those pesky little things known as “scheduling conflicts.” Yet, in the case of Reeves, the director probably did have far too much going on to direct to this new venture. Reeves was tapped for the gig last October, but even back then, the filmmaker had one heck of a full plate. Reeves now has no less than six other projects currently in development that, no doubt, added to the scheduling woes. Those projects include his rumored attachment to direct the Cloverfield sequel, producing an untitled project with Brad Parker and J.J. Abrams, directing This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, writing and producing The Invisible Woman, directing The Passage, and writing and directing the adaptation of 8 O’Clock in the Morning. Yeah...

Warner Bros. have announced the Oren Peli-produced horror film Chernobyl Diaries for Blu-Ray combo pack this October.

Oren Peli is responsible for the Paranormal Activity films, so naturally most were excited when they heard he had a hand in a film that involves tourists traveling into the radioactive wasteland known as Chernobyl. The problem with that is that the film Chernobyl Diaries is a far cry from anything slightly watchable. There’s an establishing tone that originally comes across as brooding, but eventually shit hits the fan in a hurry.

I absolutely hated the film and our staff reviewer Kristal Cooper felt the same way in her review:

Sitting through this shaky-cam disaster of Chernobyl-like proportions is simply not worth your time, money or equilibrium.

Warner Bros. will be presenting the film on Blu-Ray with a 1080p video transfer and a 5.1 DTS-hd Master Audio track. The Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital...

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Nov. 13, 2012

Price: DVD $28.98, Blu-ray $35.99

Studio: Warner Home Video

Horror movie Chernobyl Diaries has only one thing going for it: It’s written by Oren Peli, the creator of the theatrical sensation series Paranormal Activity. That gets it through Disc Dish‘s requirement that a movie is “notable” to be included here. But other than the Peli connection, this film has little to write home about.

(I was one of the few who saw it in theaters, and trust me, it’s not worth the time investment unless you really love cheesy horror flicks and are desperate for some entertainment.)

Peli’s script has a decent premise; a vacation tour around a nuclear burned out town sounds plenty spooky. But that’s the film’s main talking point.

The cast is made up of relative unknowns. The tourists are played by Ingrid Bolso Berdal, Olivia Dudley, Devin Kelley...

Warner Bros. has announced an October 16th release date for Chernobyl Diaries on Blu-ray and DVD. The DVD version will only have a single bonus feature, which is referred to as the Chernobyl Conspiracy Viral Video. The Blu-ray version will be a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital combo pack that includes an alternate ending and a Uri’s Extreme Tours Infomercial bonus feature.

“Chernobyl Diaries is an original story from Oren Peli, who first terrified audiences with his groundbreaking thriller, ‘Paranormal Activity’. The film follows a group of six young tourists who, looking to go off the beaten path, hire an ‘extreme tour’ guide. Ignoring warnings, he takes them into the city of Pripyat, the former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, but a deserted town since the disaster more than 25 years ago. After a brief exploration of the abandoned city, however, the group soon finds themselves stranded, only...

Warner Brothers just announced the DVD and Blu-ray release of The Chernobyl Diaries, which will be hitting stores on October 16th. Read on for the very first details and a peek at the artwork. Dig it!

The only extra material on the DVD release will be a "Chernobyl Conspiracy" viral video. The Blu-ray/DVD Combo release will include that and also a Uri's Extreme Tours infomercial, an additional scene, and an UltraViolet digital copy of the film.

For more visit the official Chernobyl Diaries website, "like" Chernobyl Diaries on Facebook and follow Chernobyl Diaries on Twitter (@seechernobyl).

Synopsis

Chernobyl Diaries is an original story from Oren Peli, who first terrified audiences with his groundbreaking thriller, Paranormal Activity. It's written by Peli, Carey Van Dyke, and Shane Van Dyke and directed by Brad Parker. The film follows a group of six young tourists who, looking to go off the beaten path,...

More sub-Blair Witch hand-held shaky-cam visuals (the lazy default setting du jour for horror) in this unscary shocker from co-writer/producer Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity) and director Brad Parker. Disposable youngsters take an extreme-tourism trip to Pripyat, a ghost-town evacuated in the wake of the Chernobyl meltdown, where they promptly discover they are not alone. Building on the "quiet quiet quiet quiet quiet quiet Bang!" formula of yore, this wastes an eerie set-up and well-chosen locations (Belgrade and Budapest), settling for volume rather than invention. There's a great idea hiding in there somewhere – shame they didn't find it. And there aren't any diaries …

HorrorMark Kermode

guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds...

Silent Souls (15)

(Aleksei Fedorchenko, 2010, Rus) Igor Sergeev, Yuriy Tsurilo, Yuliya Aug. 78 mins

Even by Russian standards, this lyrical road movie is a strange world of its own. It's a journey back in time, as much as across a remote landscape, with a friend helping his boss to give his deceased wife her last rites, according to their ancient tribal ways. Along the drive, we're steeped in strange folklore involving vodka, rivers, small birds and ornamental pubic hair. Is it for real? Or an elaborate joke told with a very straight face? Does it matter?

The Five Year Engagement (15)

(Nicholas Stoller, 2012, Us) Emily Blunt, Jason Segel, Chris Pratt. 124 mins

The obstacle to true love is built into the title of this romcom, but it's at least smartly handled, as high-flyer Blunt keeps her fiance in perpetual limbo.

Where Do We Go Now? (12A)

(Nadine Labaki, 2011, Fra/Leb/Egy/Ita) Claude Baz Moussawbaa,...

★★★☆☆ The subject of a post-apocalyptic social meltdown is fast becoming the new direction for horror cinema - at least if films like Chernobyl Diaries (2012) are any indicator. This apocalyptic chiller by debut director Bradley Parker, starring Devin Kelley, Jonathan Sadowski, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal and Nathan Phillips, is truly tense throughout, which is strange considering that the storyline is so riddled with generic cliches that it should barely be able to hold itself together.

Read more »...

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

The found footage sub-genre of horror films has been well and truly done to death, and so the question begins – what will be the next trick up filmmakers’ sleeves? Though produced by Paranormal Activity director Oren Peli, Chernobyl Diaries in fact dispenses with the gimmicky necessities of found footage, even if it peculiarly retains the same handheld aesthetic throughout. Thus, confusing it is early on when one character tells another to put their camera away, and of course, our shot doesn’t budge an inch. However, that’s really the least of the complaints in a film that so expertly squanders its solid premise and eerie locale.

When tourists Chris (Jesse McCartney), his girlfriend Natalie (Olivia Taylor Dudley), and their friend Amanda (Devin Kelley) stop off to visit Chris’s brother, Paul (Jonathan Sadowski), he convinces them to go on an “extreme tour” of Prypiat, the...

Chernobyl Diaries

Stars: Jesse McCartney, Jonathan Sadowski, Olivia Dudley, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Dimitri Diatchenko, Devin Kelley | Written by Oren Peli, Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke | Directed by Bradley Parker

Being a big fan of Paranormal Activity and having an interest in nuclear disasters, I was rather looking forward to Chernobyl Diaries, which is written and produced by Oren Peli, the man behind the horror franchise (for the record, I have yet to subject myself to the far less warmly received sequels). Chernobyl Diaries follows a group of twenty-somethings who, in the name of ‘extreme tourism’, sign up for a guided tour of Prypiat, the city which was home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and their families, which was abandoned in 1986 after the disaster. Unluckily, the group’s tour bus is damaged, leaving them stuck in the deserted city whereupon they are attacked by unknown entities.

From an untitled Brad Parker action-thriller, to a super secret sci-fi flick for Paramount, to the space colony-set adventure The Wind, and the micro-budget pic The God Particle, J.J. Abrams' production company Bad Robot has been ratcheting up a dizzying amount of production deals this year. Now, hot on the heels of the last's announcement, Variety reports that Bad Robot.in conjunction with Paramount Pictures with whom they have a first-look deal.have snatched up Patrick Aison's spec script Wunderkind, a hot property that sparked a bidding war within days of its initial circulation. Unlike the bulk of Bad Robot's upcoming slate, this action thriller seems to be steering clear of science fiction. Instead, the narrative is set in the 1970s and follows a pair of Nazi hunters, one a young CIA operative, the other an older Mossad member. Despite their differences.presumably not only in background but...

Due for a UK release on June 22nd, Chernobyl Diaries, directed by Brad Parker and co-produced/co-written by Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity), is set in the city of Prypiat, which once housed the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor and follows a group of friends who find themselves stranded in the abandoned city only to discover that they are not alone.

Chernobyl Diaries is an original story from Oren Peli, who first terrified audiences with his groundbreaking thriller, Paranormal Activity. The film follows a group of six young tourists who, looking to go off the beaten path, hire an “extreme tour” guide. Ignoring warnings, he takes them into the city of Pripyat, the former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, but a deserted town since the disaster more than 25 years ago. After a brief exploration of the abandoned city, however, the group soon finds themselves stranded, only...

Director: Bradley Parker. Writers: Oren Peli, Carey Van Dyke, and Shane Van Dyke. Cast: Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Dimitri Diatchenko, Olivia Dudley, Devin Kelley, Jesse McCartney, and Nathan Phillips. Tagline: "Experience the fallout." Common sense would say: "stay away from irradiated landscapes." But for Zoe (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal), Michael (Nathan Phillips), Natalie (Olivia Dudley), Amanda (Devin Kelley), Chris (Jesse McCartney) and Paul (Jonathan Sadowski), this is an adventure! Or perhaps, this is a tragedy as the town of Pripyat, Ukraine now hosts an assortment of human oddities. They only show their hideous faces at night and the Chernobyl Diaries slowly begins to create scares. Then, the horrors on screen along with the isolated location create for true terror! The story begins simply enough with Chris visiting his brother, Paul, in Kiev. Yet, Paul is an adrenalin junkie and he wants to set out on "an extreme adventure." Their destination is Pripyat which borders the.

Directed by: Bradley Parker

Written by: Oren Peli, Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke

Featuring: Jesse McCartney, Olivia Dudley, Devin Kelley, Jonathan Sadowski, Dimitri Diatchenko

Lately, it's hard to walk into the horror section of your local movie store and spit without hitting a found-footage film; they were slowly increasing in number after The Blair Witch Project and hit epidemic proportions in the wake of the Paranormal Activity franchise. While some of them are decent (Cloverfield, Rec), others are abysmal attempts to hide a low budget with "edgy" Pov shots and cheap jump scares.

That said, I am a fan of the first Paranormal Activity film, and when I saw that its director was coming out with a new feature, Chernobyl Diaries, I was on board. The trailers actually looked pretty damned good and the premise was original enough: The ill-fated, radiation-soaked Chernobyl site is being opened to tourists for...

Chicago – In our latest found-footage horror edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two movie vouchers plus 3 grand-prize packs up for grabs to the new horror film “Chernobyl Diaries” from “Paranormal Activity” creator Oren Peli!

Pick your own showing using Hollywood Movie Money! Each grand-prize pack winner will score a “Chernobyl Diaries” T-shirt and screen cleaner!

“Chernobyl Diaries,” which opened on May 24, 2012, stars Jesse McCartney, Jonathan Sadowski, Olivia Dudley, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Dimitri Diatchenko, Devin Kelley, Nathan Phillips, Milos Timotijevic, Milutin Milosevic, Ivan Djordjevic, Ivan Jovic, Zinaida Dedakin, Alex Feldman and Kristof Konrad from director Bradley Parker and writers Oren Peli, Carey Van Dyke and Shane Van Dyke.

These movie vouchers are valid for the “Chernobyl Diaries” showing of your choice during the film’s run at participating theaters, which includes most theater chains except for AMC. Winners can go here to enter a zip code and find a nearby participating theater.

Parts of new horror movie Chernobyl Diaries were shot in underground tunnels used as Nazi headquarters in World War Two, according to producer Oren Peli.

Unable to film in the real Pripyat due to still-present nuclear dust from the Chernobyl disaster, Peli and his crew had to find alternatives and opted for an abandoned Soviet Air Force Base and tunnels under Belgrade, Serbia.

Peli tells WENN, "There were bunkers where they had the Nazi headquarters and that place was very, very creepy. It was very narrow and wasn't built with safety lights, so, at one point or another, we bumped our head on the door jambs.

"It was very dark and very musty with a bizarre negative energy there."

Director Brad Parker admits the location helped heighten the horror for his cast.

He adds, "It was a lot of fun for me and to a certain extent they enjoyed it too. They didn't have to push the acting boat out too far because they were just responding to what was going on. We would leave them in the dark or have them walk down a scary tunnel and not tell them what was around the corner.

"There was really a sense of tension in their voices that's really palpable. We would literally have our humanoid-like creatures waiting in a cavern or a tunnel out of sight so the actor would not know about the actual scare and where it was coming from. They were totally taken off guard and our locations were really scary... There were bad vibes in the walls. It was really creepy and being in these cold, dark, dank, scary places was terrifying enough."...

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: Judi Dench, Celia Imrie At no. 2 on Friday, The Avengers took in $9.68m at 3,918 locations. The Marvel actioner is expected to earn $45m over the four-day weekend. Directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers stars Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. Massacred by critics, Chernobyl Diaries opened with about $3.54m (including $525k from Thursday midnight screenings) at 2,433 sites. That’s a weak beginning for the horror flick co-written and produced by Oren Peli, best known for the Paranormal Activity sleeper hit. Chernobyl Diaries is expected to reach only $10m-11m by Monday evening. [See also: Box Office: Will Smith / Tommy Lee Jones' Men In Black 3 Way Behind Men In Black, MIB2.] Directed by former visual-effects artist Bradley Parker (Let Me In, Peter Pan, The Time Machine), Chernobyl Diaries features Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked voice actor Jesse McCartney, Live Free or Die Hard‘s Jonathan Sadowski, Olivia Dudley, Devin Kelley, Nathan Phillips, Dimitri Diatchenko, and Ingrid Bolsø Berdal.

Since his writing and directorial debut with the acclaimed found footage thriller Paranormal Activity, Oren Peli has preferred to serve as a producer, working on films such as Insidious and The Lords Of Salem, as well as the television series The River. His newest film Chernobyl Diaries continues this trend, with Peli creating the story directed by Bradley Parker and written by Shane and Carey Van Dyke, the duo behind some of Asylum’s most noteworthy mockbusters.

Read more on Theatrical Review: Chernobyl Diaries...

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Currently holding a 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 46 reviews, see what that gorgeous gal of goth Jill Kill has to say about Bradley Parker's spooker Chernobyl Diaries. In the film, "a group of six young tourists who, looking to go off the beaten path, hire an "extreme tour" guide. Ignoring warnings, he takes them into the city of Pripyat, the former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, but a deserted town since the di…...

Chernobyl Diaries: Devin Kelley, Olivia Dudley, Jesse McCartney Massacred by critics, Chernobyl Diaries opened with about $3m at the North American box office on Friday (including $525k from Thursday midnight screenings) at 2,433 sites. That’s a weak beginning for the horror flick co-written and produced by Oren Peli, best known for the first Paranormal Activity movie. Chernobyl Diaries is expected to reach only $11m by Monday evening. [See also: Will Smith / Tommy Lee Jones' Men In Black 3 Disappoints: Box Office.] Directed by former visual-effects artist Bradley Parker (Let Me In, Peter Pan, The Time Machine), Chernobyl Diaries features Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked voice actor Jesse McCartney, Live Free or Die Hard‘s Jonathan Sadowski, Olivia Dudley, Devin Kelley, Nathan Phillips, Dimitri Diatchenko, and Ingrid Bolsø Berdal. Carey Van Dyke and Shane Van Dyke were Oren Peli’s Chernobyl Diaries co-screenwriters. Chernobyl Diaries has an 18% approval rating among Rotten Tomatoes‘ top critics, and a 4/10 average. Also worth noting is that the horror flick had a “low budget,...

Title: Chernobyl Diaries Directed By: Bradley Parker Starring: Devin Kelley, Jonathan Sadowski, Jesse McCartney, Olivia Dudley, Nathan Phillips, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Dimitri Diatchenko Thanks to the Paranormal Activity franchise and Insidious, with Oren Peli’s name, comes high expectations. Bumps in the night, innovative concepts, fun scares and perhaps more importantly than anything, situations that feel real are all elements that are now expected from a Peli film and while each and every one is present and accounted for in Chernobyl Diaries, they’re all achieved on a subpar level. While on an overseas trip, Chris (Jesse McCartney), his girlfriend Natalie (Olivia Dudley) and their friend Amanda (Devin Kelley) make a pit [ Read More ]...

Fill up the cooler, slather on the sunscreen, and find all your white clothes that have been moldering in the back of the closet since Labor Day: it’s Memorial Day Weekend! This year, film studios are celebrating the armed forces and the unofficial start of summer with aliens, nuclear holocaust, drug addicts, and puppy love. So whether you’re on your way to the beach, to the plains, to the city, to the country, or just staying home to enjoy three-to-four days of freedom and fireworks, we wish you lots of happy movie watching!

Well-suited dudes in Ray-Bans are back to protect humans from “the scum of the universe” in “Men in Black III,” the third installment of the franchise, once again from director Barry Sonnenfeld. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones return as Agents J and K, respectively, government agents that police alien activity throughout the universe.

A well-made horror film can be one of the most enjoyable cinematic experiences a film buff can experience. If the film manages to hook you in the first act, drawing you into its web of a story, it can then ratchet up the tension, keeping you on the edge of your seat until a thrilling climax. Even lesser horror movies, which, let’s face it, is the category most studio horror films fall into these days, can pull off some of those tricks and treats. While “scary” probably isn’t the right word for it anymore, audiences still have a desire to feel something similar in the theater – a desire to be unsettled perhaps. Unfortunately, Bradley Parker‘s Chernobyl Diaries fails at all of this. The plot of the film isn’t so much a plot as it as a horror movie formula. A group of six guys and gals in their twenties (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Jesse McCartney...