Movies
Takashi Miike Returns To Violence With ‘Lesson of the Evil’!
Nippon Cinema is reporting that Takashi Miike – the Japanese master of gore responsible for such classics as Audition, Dead or Alive, Three…Extremes, Visitor Q, Gozu, One Missed Call and Ichi the Killer – is heading back to the genre he abandoned all those years ago.
Miike is set to direct a film adaptation of Yusuke Kishi’s bestselling 2010 novel “Aku no Kyoten” (aka Lesson of the Evil).
The movie will star Hideaki Ito (pictured below) in a role quite a bit darker than what he’s usually known for. The site states he’ll be playing “A teacher named Seiji Hasumi who’s loved by his students and respected by his peers. However, his outward charm masks his true nature. In reality, Hasumi is a psychopath who is unable to feel empathy for other human beings. Specifically, he has a severe antisocial personality disorder. Because of his mental condition, Hasumi chooses to deal with problems like bullying and overbearing “monster parents” the easy way—by systematically murdering his students.” It sounds like if Dexter were a school teacher. NICE!
Filming will take place from April to June with an eye toward completing it in time for inclusion at the Venice International Film Festival. A theatrical release is slated for November. 
Sunrise Films has announced the official North American release of William Bagley‘s horror comedy Hold the Fort, and it’s accompanied by an energetic new trailer.
Hold the Fort debuts on digital platforms on June 23.
In the film, “Lucas and Jenny think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.“
Watch the new trailer below, which introduces one wild HOA gathering during an equinox. Things get bloody fast.
Chris Mayers (Adult Swim Yule Log), Haley Leary (“The Walking Dead”), Levi Burdick, and Julian Smith star.
William Bagley writes and directs, in addition to producing with Smith, Matt Dodd, Luke Williams, and Tim Reis (Adult Swim Yule Log).
Ahead of the release, Bagley said, “My goal with this film was to make a hilarious, fast-paced thrill ride while also telling a great story with heart. Hopefully, through all the blood, laughs, fights, and gags, you leave the film feeling inspired to tackle whatever life throws at you.“
Hold the Fort premiered at Fantasia last summer before going on to play FrightFest London, Toronto After Dark, and Beyond Fest.
I wrote in my review, “It’s an infectiously charming assemblage of jokes and monster vignettes bound together by a barebones plot with not much on its mind beyond delivering an entertaining time.”
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