Movies
[BD Review] ’40 West’ is Slow To Burn, Quick To Creep
Of all the mainstays in Las Vegas, there’s probably none more associated with Sin City than Mr. Las Vegas himself, Wayne Newton. Yeah, I’ve never heard of him, either. Probably because I’ve never been to Vegas, but I digress. Why do I mention a man who has made his career singing in Las Vegas casinos? Well, Mr. Newton has a cameo as a jealous, homicidal husband in Dana Packard’s 40 West, which has garnered several awards and nominations on the independent scene since it’s release in 2011. Aside from showcasing the man whose signature song was used in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, what else does the film offer?
40 West stars Jennifer Nichole Porter as Maeve, a blues singer who’s not having the greatest of days. After having her car break down and her purse stolen, Maeve appears to be saved by Elijah (Scott Winters), a self-confessed fan of her music. Elijah sets Maeve up in a seedy East Texas motel, but it turns out that the whole thing was a setup orchestrated by Maeve’s violent ex-con hubby, Colin (Brian A. White). Colin set up Maeve’s predicament in order to apologize for his past scumbag ways and to give her a gift. Unfortunately, Colin’s jailhouse girlfriend Arlene (Kathleen Kimball) shows up to complicate things. To stir the pot even more, Arlene’s husband Bud (the above-mentioned Wayne Newton) is none too happy about his wife cheating on her with Colin, and decides to track them down, revolver in hand.
Surprisingly, despite sounding like a lame soap opera, 40 West manages to impress with some great acting from almost everyone involved. Between Jennifer Nicole Porter and Brian White’s interactions, you can’t help but feel for Maeve and the crap that she’s had to put up with from Colin. She pretty much takes everything that he dishes out and stands her ground. As for Colin, the dude’s dark and sinister for much of the time he’s with Maeve, and cranks it up when Bud shows up. Speaking of which, Wayne Newton isn’t as bad as you’d think. On the contrary, he’s quite believable as your cocktail-sipping, stogie-smoking husband with a bone to pick. As for Kathleen Kimball, she too was engaging as Arlene. Plus as a stripper, she didn’t look half bad. Going hand in hand with the acting is the story. It’s straightforward but also engaging, given that this is a dialogue-heavy film that almost entirely takes place in one location. Kudos to Jennifer Nicole Porter (who pulled double duty on the script) and director Packard for accomplishing all of that in a low budget film like this.
On the negative side of things, the film’s length threatens to have things drag out at 120 minutes. Compounding things is the fact that this film is slow to reveal everything, which is good (since it is a story-driven film, after all), but at the same time threatens to turn viewers off it they’re not keeping up. As well, Scott Winters’ Elijah was probably one of the weaker performances. It was very one-dimensional, and lacked the emotion when it was really needed. Finally, the twists in the plot aren’t all that surprising once they’re let out to play, but they keep the story going, so it’s not entirely negative.
On a whole, 40 West was an enjoyable thriller that was surprisingly good, given its origins. While some people might be turned off the slow pacing and lack of consistent action, persistence does pay off for those looking for excellent acting and an engrossing story that tends to wander the dark side of things. Not bad for a film that has Wayne Newton relieving himself behind a tree.
Video/Audio: Filmed using the RED One camera, details are captured perfectly in this 1.78:1 transfer. Being mainly shot in one location, we’re treated to visuals that look a polished but with a sleazy side to it (it is a motel, after all). As for the sound, the 5.1 Dolby Digital track is great, focusing on the dialogue and giving attention to the score and ambient effects when needed.
Extras: In lieu of putting the trailer on the disc (why companies decide to leave it out but stick start-up trailers on the disc instead…), we’re treated to a 40-minute making-of featurette that goes pretty in-depth with all aspects of the film’s production. Mixing talking heads with on-set footage, you really do get the sense that these people really enjoyed working on the film, and it shows. Special props for showing the craft service table. I wish I had those desserts.
Ghostface is back on the big screen this weekend… well, sort of… with the release of Scary Movie, which marks the Wayans brothers’ return to the horror spoof franchise for the first time since Scary Movie 2 back in the day. It’s likely to be the talk of the horror community for the weekend, but don’t overlook the other six genre movies that were freshly unleashed today.
Here’s all the new horror that released on Friday, June 5, 2026.
The horror spoof franchise is back with Scary Movie now playing in theaters!
Marlon Wayans (“Shorty”), Shawn Wayans (“Ray”), Anna Faris (“Cindy”), and Regina Hall (“Brenda”) reunite for the new Scary Movie, with the cast also including Dave Sheridan, Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri, Chris Elliott, Jon Abrahams, Damon Wayans Jr., Gregg Wayans, Kim Wayans, Benny Zielke, Cameron Scott Roberts, Heidi Gardner, Olivia Rose Keegan, Ruby Snowber, Savannah Lee Nassif, Sydney Park, and Felissa Rose.
Twenty-six years after outrunning a suspiciously familiar masked killer (“Ghostface”), the Core Four are back in the killer’s crosshairs and no horror movie IP is safe…
Scary Movie will slash through reboots, remakes, requels, prequels, sequels, spin-offs, elevated horror, origin stories, anything with the word legacy in it, and every “final chapter” that absolutely isn’t. A whole lot has changed in the horror genre since the Wayans Brothers were in charge of the franchise; their involvement ended with Scary Movie 2 back in 2001!
Michael Tiddes (A Haunted House) directs Scary Movie 6 from a script written by Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, original Scary Movie director Keenen Ivory Wayans, Craig Wayans (Scary Movie 2), and Rick Alvarez (A Haunted House).
From IFC, shark attack movie Chum is now available on Digital.
Alice Eve (Haunting of Queen Mary) stars in shark attack movie alongside Eric Michael Cole, Jim Klock, Elle Haymond, Lisa Yaro, Johnny Gaffney, and Sarah Siadat.
This one sounds very similar to last year’s Dangerous Animals…
Here’s the plot: “A newlywed couple joins friends on a Mediterranean yacht excursion, only to find themselves caught between a predatory shark and a psychopathic killer in their midst-transforming a sun-drenched escape into a fight for survival.”
Jonathan Zuck directs Chum, from a script by Jonathan Zuck and Joe Leone.
Samara Weaving (Ready or Not 2: Here I Come) and Kyle Gallner (Strange Darling) come together in Carolina Caroline, a sexy crime thriller now playing in theaters.
It’s not a horror movie, mind you, but it’s worth a mention here all the same.
Kyra Sedgwick (Family Movie) and Jon Gries also star in the romantic crime thriller.
Director Adam Carter Rehmeier’s film stars Samara Weaving as Caroline Daniels, whose desire to leave her small Texas town brings her into the orbit of a charismatic con man (Kyle Gallner), and together they weave a path of crime and passion across the American Southeast.
Adam Rehmeier previously directed the films Dinner in America and Snack Shack.
Tom Dean wrote the screenplay for Carolina Caroline.
Similar to Steven Spielberg’s upcoming big screen blockbuster Disclosure Day, Signal One explores humankind’s enduring question: what if we aren’t alone in the universe?
The sci-fi thriller is now available on Digital.
Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan), Josh Hutcherson (Five Nights at Freddy’s), David Thewlis (Harry Potter), Raoul Bhaneja (Possessor), Emma Ho (“The Expanse”), and Dennis Quaid (The Substance) star in Signal One from director Jonathan Sobol (The Art of the Steal).
When tech billionaire Sam Houston (Quaid) hires the brilliant computer scientist Annika (Fuhrman), she ventures to an isolated facility run by the brilliant, nihilistic creator of LITTLEMOUTH, a machine which can communicate with alien intelligence.
Annika soon learns some humanity-altering facts: that we are not alone in the universe, that alien intelligences are communicating around us at every moment, and that we are likely too primitive to even remotely understand what they are trying to tell us.
When the goal of the endeavor shifts from listening to talking back, the project rapidly devolves into chaos. With contact comes consequences, and soon Annika and the team must work to ensure the very survival of our species.
A schoolyard dare becomes an urban legend in the creepypasta-inspired horror anthology The Summoning. The indie film is now available on Digital from Brainstorm Media.
“A babysitting gig becomes a nightmare of urban legend when three teens summon Baby Blue. Survival depends on uncovering the past to escape a mother’s wrath from beyond the grave.”
Felipe Vargas (Rosario, Hive), Sergio Gonzalez, Brandon Piskorik, Corey Benson Powers, and Brian Sepanzyk direct the segments. Valeria San Martín, Justina Ceballos, Daniela Flombaum, Nannu Spannauss, Agustín Olcese, and Giovanni Onetti star.
The Summoning is written by Camilo Zaffora.
Happy Death Day actress Jessica Rothe stars as a mom struggling to keep her grip on her sanity and memory in the mind-bending Affection, now available on Digital at home.
In Affection, “Afflicted by a mysterious condition that resets her memory, Ellie becomes trapped in a cyclical nightmare with a man who claims to be her husband. She soon must uncover the horrifying truth of her existence—before she forgets it all again.“
Joseph Cross (“Big Little Lies”) and Julianna Layne (“Chicago P.D.”) also star in the sci-fi horror thriller. Affection marks the feature debut by writer/director BT Meza.
Daniel Kurland wrote in his review out of the film’s premiere, “Affection is steeped in existential questions and fears that plague modern society, while it embraces the ethos of the ’80s through bold body horror. Add to that Rothe’s revelatory performance, and Affection is a hidden gem that will connect with your mind, body, and soul.”
Lucile Hadžihalilović’s latest dark fairy tale, The Ice Tower, loosely reimagines Hans Christian Andersen’s fable “The Snow Queen,” and it’s now streaming on Shudder.
In the ’70s set film, “Jeanne, a 15-year-old orphan, witnesses the shoot of a film adaptation of the fairy tale The Snow Queen, and she becomes fascinated by its star Cristina (Marion Cotillard), an actress who is just as mysterious and alluring as the Queen she is playing.“
Clara Pacini stars as Jeanne. August Diehl and Marine Gesbert also star in The Ice Tower, and look for a cameo from director Gaspar Noé (Climax, Irréversible).
“For me, The Ice Tower solidified Lucile Hadžihalilović’s place amongst the most fascinating creators of fairy tales today,” said distributor Yellow Veil Pictures co-founder Joe Yanick.
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