Synopsis Echelon Conspiracy : Shane West (ER, ONCE AND AGAIN) stars in this technological thriller that was originally titled THE GIFT, a genre-less moniker that would have captured the young-male fantasy of the untold riches and limitless luxury dangled in front of our winsome hero in the films opening section, but says nothing of the Big-Brother-informed noir-mystery nightmare that follows. ECHELON CONSPIRACY is a much more suitable title (and not just because it makes mention of the international governments real-life information-tracking software system). Lightweight yet complexly conspiratorial, ECHELON takes inspiration from the vast array of paranoia thrillers of yesteryear, from the heaviness of THE PARALLAX VIEW (1974) to the fantastical 1980s-ness of WARGAMES and such ’90s takes as THE NET and ENEMY OF STATE. While on a business trip in Thailand, young computer technician Max Peterson (West) receives a high-tech cell phone in the mail that dispenses advice via anonymous text messages. After initially writing the phone off as a promotional gift from the hotel, Peterson is saved from boarding a doomed airplane thanks to the warnings of the inexplicably omniscient device, and so hes not entirely reluctant to try out its suggestions at a casino in Prague. Naturally, this attracts the uneasy attentions of the casinos security chief (Ed Burns), a burly FBI agent (Ving Rhames), the (more…)
Synopsis Never Surrender : The most fearsome fighters in Mixed Martial Arts make the leap from the octagon to the big screen in this bone-smashing thriller set in the world of underground fighting. When a shady promoter lures an MMA world champion into the underground fighting circuit, the famous brawler realizes that his only hope is to kill or be killed. Now, instead fighting for glory, he will fight for his life while vowing to never show weakness, and never surrender. (more…)
Synopsis Growing Out : A struggling songwriter accepts a job as caretaker for a mysterious old home, and discovers a human hand growing out of the basement floor in this independent shocker. His musical career going nowhere, Tom begins working as a caretaker in a run down Victorian home. It’s a decent way to make ends meet, but upon venturing into the basement Tom is deeply disturbed to find a human hand growing out of the floor. Before long the hand has grown into an arm, and then a head. Soon it has a personality all of its own. Eventually (more…)
Synopsis 12 Rounds : Detective Danny Fisher (John Cena) is about to have the worst day of his life. A nearly untraceable internationally-known terrorist named Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen) has kidnapped his girlfriend Molly Porter (Ashley Scott) and forced him into “12 Rounds” of dangerous games carefully plotted throughout the streets of New Orleans. Danny struggles to keep focus while the obvious ticking clocks and crude consequences that accompany each one of these “rounds” do their best to derail him from rescuing the love of his life before it’s too late. The movie is 108 minutes long (more…)
Synopsis i Love You Bethcooper : When a geeky high-school valedictorian throws caution to the wind by expressing his love for a popular cheerleader during his graduation speech, life finally starts to get interesting in this coming-of-age comedy adapted from the book by journalist/author/screenwriter Larry Doyle. Denis Cooverman (Paul Rust) may have brains to spare; it’s guts that he lacks — or at least, he did until today. Stepping up to the podium to deliver an inspirational speech to his graduating (more…)
