From HBO and IFC Films, this week’s DVD releases are a mix of films from both a rookie and a veteran filmmaker in the film festival circuit, and the third season of a vampire turned werewolf fest.
Kaboom (2010) on DVD. Starring Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles [tv]), Haley Bennett (The Haunting of Molly Hartley) and Chris Zylka (10 Things I Hate About You [tv]). Written & Directed by Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin).
With his 11th feature film, indie filmmaker Araki turns out “a live-action film born out of the graphic novel aesthetic” (courtesy of Sundance). Kaboom was awarded the first ever Queer Palm prize at the 2010 Cannes Festival and screened at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
Synopsis: Smith (Dekker) is an 18-year-old living the life of a college freshman, lusting after his straight roommate Thor (Zylka), hanging out with his lesbian bestie Stella (Bennett), and trying to decide — if he can — whether he digs boys or girls. Teen angst soon gives way to more sinister concerns when Smith finds out that his small Southern California town is also home to a killer cult. courtesy of Amazon.com
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkiD9cYMtT8
Prey [aka Proie] (2010) on DVD. Starring Bérénice Bejo (A Knight’s Tale), Grégoire Colin, Isabelle Renauld, François Levantal, Fred Ulysse and Joseph Malerba. Directed by Antoine Blossier.
French filmmaker Blossier’s first feature film, written with Erich Vogel, was included at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. IFC Films acquired the U.S. rights to Prey under its IFC Midnight label and premiered as a Video On Demand in December 2010.
Synopsis: In his stepfamily’s countryside retreat, Nathan (Colin) knew that the traditional autumn family reunion was going to be particularly stormy. Claire (Bejo), his wife, had to announce her recent pregnancy and tough decisions would need to be made to prevent the family’s pesticides business from closing down. But on the first night, a terrorized deer mysteriously attacks Claire’s father. The men decide to venture into the surrounding forest to find the reasons of the animal’s odd behavior. Carrying a shotgun for the first time in his life and witnessing the growing tensions between the father and his sons, Nathan soon discovers that the hunting season is not over yet. Now they’ve become the prey.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/PROIE-Le-Film/119201788103119
True Blood: The Complete Third Season (2010) on DVD & Blu-ray. Starring Anna Paquin (X-Men), Stephen Moyer (Priest), Sam Trammell (AVPR: Aliens vs Predator – Requiem), Ryan Kwanten (Dead Silence), Rutina Wesley (The Cleveland Show [tv]), Nelsan Ellis (Secretariat) and Alexander Skarsgård (Melancholia – see “Cannes Film Festival: The End of Episode 64“).
True Blood‘s twelve episodes of season 3 wraps up storylines from season 2 (Bill’s kidnapping, Egg’s death) as well as has characters such as Sookie, Bill and Sam become aware of their past, and of course, introduces a new cast of characters (both vampires like Russell [Denis O’Hare] and werewolves like Alcide [Joe Manganiello]). Season 4 begins June 26 at 9p on HBO.
Synopsis: In Bon Temps, everyone has something to hide. But when new threats emerge, no one can conceal the secrets of their past. After Sookie (Paquin) discovers Bill (Moyer) was kidnapped, she heads to Mississippi, where she becomes entangled in a world ruled by werewolves and a powerful Vampire King (O’Hare). Eric (Skarsgård) is also drawn to the King’s domain to settle an old score; Jason (Kwanten) falls for a mysterious woman; Lafayette (Ellis) can’t avoid love or demons; and Sam (Trammell) uncovers the truth about his birth family. It all leads up to the revelation of the series…Sookie’s true identity.
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