Trailer Blitz: Inside, Barron’s Cove, Bring Her Back, Day of Reckoning, Stand Your Ground, and More
Welcome to Trailer Blitz!
This is where we do a little catching up. Sometimes a few new trailers sneak past us, so we’ve rounded-up the ones we're just now getting to. Like they say, better late than never. Enjoy!
“Inside” Trailer: A Juvenile Gets Caught Between Two Rival Convicts in This Gripping Australian Prison Drama Starring Guy Pearce, Cosmo Jarvis, and Newcomer Vincent Miller — In Theaters and VOD June 20th
You might have heard of the idea of life imitating art. Well, this might be a case of art imitating life. Australian actor Vincent Miller, who has never acted before professionally, makes his audacious acting debut in this gripping Australian prison drama called Inside. For his first film role ever, Miller throws away his arm floaties and leaps into the deep end, going toe to toe with two acting heavyweights: recent Oscar nominee Guy Pearce (The Brutalist) and Shogun breakout star Cosmo Jarvis.
The thing is, Miller plays a young juvenile inmate who is transferred to an adult prison, finding himself torn between two menacing and rival convicts (played by Pearce and Jarvis), both of whom have taken the boy under their wing and both want him to do things that aren't in his best interest. If the role requires you to be utterly intimidated by two unpredictable performers, we can’t think of a better duo than Pearce and Jarvis to give any actor, no matter what stage of their career they’re in, some anxiety and performance pressure.
It’s safe to say that it was quite possible Vincent Miller wasn’t merely acting in some of these scenes—perhaps just living in the moment. Welcome to the world of acting, Mr. Miller! It’s baptism by fire.
Inside also marks the feature debut of writer-director Charles Williams, who follows up his award-winning short film All These Creatures, which won the Short Film Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. Inside is coming to theaters and VOD on June 20th.
“Barron’s Cove” Trailer: Garrett Hedlund Seeks Vengeance as He Hunts for the Truth Behind His Son’s Tragic Death in This Gritty Revenge Drama — In Theaters and VOD June 6th
There’s nothing worse for a parent than losing their child. But not knowing how they tragically died? Well, that might just be enough to push a father to a point where he may never come back from. Garrett Hedlund, who’s currently starring in the Sylvester Stallone-led mob series Tulsa King, takes the lead in this gritty revenge drama, Barron’s Cove. He plays Caleb Faulkner, a small-town handyman whose life unravels when he learns that his young son’s body was found in the woods near the train tracks.
Still reeling from grief and struggling to understand the circumstances surrounding his son’s death, Caleb embarks on a personal quest for the truth. His investigation leads him to a possible witness: a kid who was there when his son died. The problem? The boy is the son of a powerful politician. Disregarding the consequences, Caleb takes matters into his own hands, kidnapping the boy and setting off a statewide manhunt.
Desperate for the truth, Caleb, now on the run and consumed by anger and vengeance, will stop at nothing to uncover what really happened to his son, no matter the cost and no matter who or what stands in his way.
Joining Hedlund in the film is a first-rate ensemble including Hamish Linklater, Brittany Snow, Christian Convery, Tramell Tillman, Raúl Castillo, and Stephen Lang. Barron’s Cove is written and directed by Evan Ari Kelman. This is his feature film debut, following a series of acclaimed short films, including Where There’s Smoke and Bandito. The film is set to be released in theaters and on VOD starting June 6th.
“Bring Her Back” New Promo Teaser: Sally Hawkins Plays a Foster Mother Dabbling in Dark Magic in This Supernatural Horror from the Directors of Talk to Me – In Theaters May 30th
This latest promo teaser for the upcoming horror film Bring Her Back states that “some people believe the spirits stay in the body for months after death.” This hints at the concept of a ghostly purgatory, where one’s soul can linger in the afterlife for a period before transitioning to the next stage of death. It’s the basis of every great supernatural movie about the hereafter, from Ghost to Pet Sematary. There’s something so fascinating about the question of where we go when our time is up, and whether there’s any way to impede that process.
Bring Her Back is the latest horror thriller from filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou, the Australian brothers behind the 2022 horror smash Talk to Me. The Philippou brothers continue to delve into the haunting realm of spiritism, exploring the idea that there’s a spirit world where one can communicate with spirits from beyond. In this case, it’s about how to bring a spirit back to the living.
Sally Hawkins stars as a foster mother who turns to black magic to transfer the spirit of her dearly departed daughter into the body of a young boy, pawning him off as her third foster child. The result is as one might expect: creepy, eerie, and downright chilling.
Billy Barratt and Sora Wong costar as Sally Hawkins’s two other foster children. They suspect there’s something off about their new foster brother, Oliver (played by newcomer Jonah Wren Phillips). You know, with all those creepy stares and a strange birthmark just below his right eye, Oliver, who appears to be mute, definitely gives off a weird vibe. It doesn’t help that he’s often compared to an angel by his new foster mother. But to us, it seems more like a little demon in disguise.
With this summer already gearing up to be a banner season for horror, Bring Her Back will get the ball rolling next month, hitting theaters on May 30th. Just remember to bring some sage to ward off any lingering spirits, you just might need it after this one.
“Day of Reckoning” Trailer: Billy Zane and Zach Roerig Ride Into Action in This Neo-Western Shoot-'Em-Up with Scott Adkins and Trace Adkins (No Relation!) – Premiering VOD April 29th
Call us crazy, but whenever we see Billy Zane’s name in something, no matter how questionable the quality might be, we gotta take a short pause and consider it. Because any friend of Derek Zoolander is a friend worth our time. He’s a cool dude. Maybe it’s just because we grew up with Titanic, The Phantom, Tombstone, and Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight, that somehow Billy Zane has become our guy to champion. Or maybe it’s just that Billy Zane, to a certain generation, is considered our unofficial cinematic unsung hero, always popping up in memorable (and sometimes hilariously random) roles that we can’t help but love. Well, throw this on top of that pile: Day of Reckoning!
Here, Zane plays U.S. Marshal Butch Hayden, who finds himself holed up in a farmhouse, holding court as he and his sheriff (played by Zach Roerig) prepare for a fierce gun battle with a ruthless outlaw (martial arts star Scott Adkins) and his gang, who have arrived to free his bank-robber wife (Cara Jade Myers), who’s been detained.
It's just a neo-western shoot-’em-up where lawmen try their best to uphold the law but always find themselves outgunned and outmatched by a gang of ruthless bandits with no regard for anything but their own greed and bloodlust. So, expect bullets to fly, as no gun will be left unfired when the dust settles on this one.
Co-starring Trace Adkins and Travis Hammer and directed by country music video helmer Shaun Silva, making his feature directorial debut, Day of Reckoning will be hitting VOD next week on April 29th.
“Stand Your Ground” Trailer: B-Movie Action Star Daniel Stisen Brings Revenge and Bullets in This Over-the-Top Action Thriller with Peter Stormare – In Theaters May 9th and On VOD May 27th
Now here’s a movie for those who thought Jason Statham’s recent action films A Working Man and The Beekeeper were a bit too soft and a little too liberal for its own good. Well, crack open a Budweiser, grab your lawn chair, turn your trucker hat backwards, and feast your eyes on the trailer for Stand Your Ground.
The film is a straight-up, over-the-top action revenge thriller that seems to be advocating that the controversial stand-your-ground law doesn’t go far enough, if that's even possible. Here, Norwegian bodybuilder-turned-B-movie action star Daniel Stisen (The Siege, Last Man Down) plays a guy named Jack, a former special forces soldier who has returned home from the battlefield to start a new domestic life with his wife. But when a ruthless land developer sends a couple of his goons to scare Jack off his property after refusing to sell his home, things go from bad to worse real quick. Soon, bullets start flying, and Jack is back in combat mode, fighting for his life. He murders one of the goons while the others manage to escape, but not before they kill Jack’s beloved wife during the chaos.
However, because he’s living in one of those states where the stand-your-ground law is restricted to using deadly force only inside the home, Jack is sent to prison for straight-up shooting and killing a guy in his front yard. Now, wait. Let’s take a short minute here. He did just murder this dude in cold blood. Granted, it was in the heat of the moment. But it’s not like he’s Andy Dufresne from The Shawshank Redemption or something. Aaaah, screw it, his lawyer f-cked him. The damn system is out to get him.
Okay, so, Jack is released from prison some time later, and he has come up with the greatest plan ever for revenge. Now knowing how the stand-your-ground law works in his state, he’s going to use it to his advantage to kill those responsible for his wife’s death. And here’s that brilliant idea: he’ll just wait for them to break into his house, and then he will release all hell, taking out anyone who steps foot on his property with cold, calculated vengeance. The authorities can't do a damn thing because it’s all within the law and his rights to defend himself.
Again, we’re not sure if the film’s trying to expose how flawed the stand-your-ground law really is, or if it’s actively promoting the right to mow down anyone who wronged you. But hey! It’s got Peter Stormare and Eric Roberts in the cast, and that’s more than enough to check our brains at the door. Just make sure no one’s holding a gun on the other side of that door.
Directed by Fansu Njie, who previously made Last Man Down with Daniel Stisen, Stand Your Ground will open in select theaters on May 9th before arriving on VOD May 27th.
“Rust” New Trailer: Will This Infamous Indie Western Be Remembered for Its Tragic On-Set Shooting Scandal or Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ Final Film? Or Both? – In Theaters and VOD May 2nd
Here’s an honest question: Will Rust, the now-infamous indie western that involved a tragic on-set shooting accident resulting in legal battles and public scrutiny, be best remembered as the final farewell of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, or will it also be synonymous with her untimely death? Will the tragedy always be tied to her legacy? It’s hard to say. Perhaps the film could be best remembered as an example of the importance of on-set safety and safety protocols, ensuring that everyone on a film production returns home unharmed and that such a tragedy never happens again.
We certainly can’t deny the morbid curiosity surrounding the film, as it will finally come to theaters and VOD in a couple of weeks on May 2nd, four years after the film was shut down due to the accidental shooting that claimed the life of Halyna Hutchins. She was a 42-year-old wife and mother and a rising cinematographer with only a handful of credits under her belt, including 2020’s Archenemy and 2019’s Darlin’. Rust appeared to be her chance to tackle a classic genre in American cinema that is loaded with iconic imagery of dusty landscapes and period scenery.
Writer-director Joel Souza, who was also shot and severely injured during the accidental discharge of what actor/producer Alec Baldwin thought was an unloaded prop gun, stated that the reason behind coming back and finishing the production was to complete and honor Halyna’s final film. Now, some might be skeptical of that. Some might even go so far as to say this is merely a shameless attempt to profit from the tragedy. Well, again, we can’t deny the uncomfortable feelings surrounding the movie’s release in May. It might prove too much for some moviegoers to even process, especially knowing the circumstances under which it was completed. And maybe most would rather move forward, leaving the tragedy and the movie behind.
But here’s the thing: fellow cinematographer Bianca Cline (of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On fame) was brought on to finish what Halyna had started, using her own journals, notes, and look book to get to the core of what she was trying to capture. Many of the actors and crew members also came back with the intention of finishing the film in honor of Halyna, ensuring her vision was preserved and completed the way she would have wanted. But is that enough to pique your interest? To be quite honest, there’s simply something about this project that leaves a bad taste, and we haven’t even seen the movie yet. Can’t imagine that feeling will go away anytime soon.
“1780” Teaser Trailer : Kevin Spacey Returns in This Indie Revolutionary War Thriller Starring P.J. Marshall with DJ Qualls – Coming Later This Year
Okay, if you thought the release of Rust would likely leave a bad taste in your mouth, wait until you get a load of this! It’s the return of Kevin Spacey. Now, this one got us spinning our wheels, and now we don’t know how to feel about this one.
To be fair, the 65-year-old Oscar winner, who for the last several years has faced multiple severe allegations of sexual assault and harassment by former colleagues, had been largely persona non grata. However, he has denied those accusations and was found not liable and acquitted in a couple of lawsuits. So, Spacey is slowly making his way back, appearing in a couple of new productions. One being 1780, an indie historical thriller set during the Revolutionary War, where Spacey plays a shifty militiaman operating in the backcountry of Pennsylvania. Though it seems Spacey’s role is relatively small.
The film, directed by indie filmmaker Dustin Fairbanks (Warning Shot), stars P.J. Marshall (from the series The Underground Railroad) as a local trapper trying to protect his young son when a wounded soldier stumbles upon their farm looking for refuge, pursued by the British Rangers. With British forces closing in, they must figure out a way to survive.
Now, if you’re thinking there’s no way in hell you’d watch a Kevin Spacey movie ever again, and there’s nothing anyone can do or say to convince you otherwise, well, wait. How about this: DJ Qualls. He’s in the cast, too. And we can’t think of anyone who hates DJ Qualls. So, you’ve got a movie with one of the most hated and scandalous actors in the world, while at the same time, the movie features the beloved star of Road Trip, The New Guy, and Hustle & Flow, who everyone seems to root for. Does one cancel out the other? Is the appeal of DJ Qualls enough to make you think it over... okay, probably not. Oh well.
1780 is expected to be released sometime later in the year.
⇩ Additional Trailers:
Ran: 40th Anniversary Trailer: Akira Kurosawa’s Oscar-Winning Epic Celebrates 40th Anniversary with New 4K Restoration – In Select Theaters May 23rd
Considered one of legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's late-career masterpieces, Ran is an Oscar-winning epic inspired by Shakespeare’s King Lear. Shot with breathtaking visuals, sprawling sets, and an army of background actors, the film transplants the classic tale to 16th-century feudal Japan. Tatsuya Nakadai stars as an aging warlord whose decision to divide his kingdom among his three sons leads to betrayal, bloodshed, and the collapse of his empire. Widely regarded as one of the greatest war films ever made, Ran celebrates its 40th anniversary with a new theatrical re-release and 4K restoration, arriving in select cities on May 23rd.
“Chambermaid” Trailer: A WWI-Era Drama of Love, Loyalty, and Class Struggles – Arrives on VOD May 23rd
From Slovak filmmaker Mariana Cengel-Solcanská comes Chambermaid, a WWI-era drama where love, loyalty, and class collide. Fifteen-year-old Anka (Dana Droppová) leaves her Slovakian village to work as a maid in a wealthy Prague household. Tasked with caring for the family’s difficult daughter Resi, Anka finds an unexpected connection. As war tears apart the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the two women form a bond fueled by love, desire, and a defiance of the rigid class system surrounding them. Chambermaid arrives on VOD May 23rd.
“Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful” Trailer – The Unfiltered Story of Reggaeton’s Queen, Streaming May 8th on Netflix
Karol G: Tomorrow was Beautiful is a new Netflix music documentary where Colombian reggaeton popstar Karol G (of Bichota fame) shares her story unfiltered, from dreaming in front of the mirror to smashing world records. Go behind the scenes of her iconic tour and her fight to make her voice heard in a male-dominated industry. Streaming May 8th, only on Netflix.