FOLLOWING FILMS

Over the next three days, I’ll dive into the much-anticipated Shawscope Volume 3, a Limited-Edition Blu-ray box set poised to thrill martial arts aficionados and cinephiles alike. This collection packs a punch with 14 classic titles pulled straight from the vaults of Hong Kong’s legendary Shaw Brothers Studio, including fan-favorites The One-Armed Swordsman, Return of the One-Armed Swordsman, The New One-Armed Swordsman, The Lady Hermit, Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan, The 14 Amazons, The Magic Blade, Clans of Intrigue, Jade Tiger, Sentimental Swordsman, The Avenging Eagle, Killer Constable, Buddha’s Palm, and Bastard Swordsman. The One-Armed Swordsman (Disc 1) The One-Armed Swordsman, directed by Chang Cheh and released in 1967, is an iconic Hong Kong martial arts film that reshaped the genre and established Shaw Brothers Studio as a leader in wuxia and kung fu cinema. This film tells the story of Fang Gang, a young swordsman who, after losing his arm, must find the will ...

Oliver Hirschbiegel’s The Invasion is an intriguing, if not entirely groundbreaking, take on the classic Body Snatchers narrative. A modern reimagining of Jack Finney’s 1955 novel, this film examines the breakdown of identity and the rise of conformity in a world on the brink of psychological and societal collapse. While it delivers a solid genre experience, it’s in the contemporary context—particularly post-election—that the film’s themes resonate with greater urgency and relevance. The plot follows psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman), who discovers that a strange extraterrestrial phenomenon is causing people to lose their individuality, becoming emotionally detached and robotic. This invasion of the mind, in which people gradually become hollow versions of themselves, echoes anxieties about the erosion of personal identity in the face of overwhelming external forces. Comparisons to earlier Body Snatchers adaptations are inevitable. Don Siegel’s 1956 version was shaped by Cold ...

  Welcome to The Following Films Podcast, in this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome two creative minds who have brought a truly unique film to life. Joining us are director Mark H. Rapaport and co-writer/star Kimball Farley to talk about their darkly comedic, emotionally charged coming-of-age film, HIPPO. In HIPPO, we meet two step-siblings: Hippo, a video-game-obsessed teenager, and Buttercup, a Hungarian Catholic immigrant with a passion for classical music and an unshakable faith in Jesus. A hormone-fueled, tragic/comedic exploration of love, chaos, and sibling rivalry ensues—think Ancient Greek mythology meets modern suburban life. HIPPO challenges expectations and pushes boundaries. In today’s conversation, we’ll discuss the film’s blend of humor and heart, the process of bringing such a unique story to the screen, and the weirdness that exists in all of our homes. HIPPO is an unforgettable experience and you can catch it in theatres today. I hope you enjoy my conversation wi...

  Today we're diving deep into one of American history's most powerful and often overlooked chapters: the 1898 Wilmington Massacre. I’m thrilled to be joined by two award-winning filmmakers, Brad Lichtenstein and Yoruba Richen, to discuss their documentary American Coup: Wilmington 1898. This poignant and timely film, airing on PBS’s AMERICAN EXPERIENCE on November 12, 2024, sheds light on the deadly race massacre and insurrection that reshaped North Carolina’s largest city, and whose echoes still reverberate today. In our conversation, Brad and Yoruba will take us through the layers of this devastating chapter in American history, from a thriving Black community in Wilmington post-Reconstruction to the violent white supremacist coup that led to mass murder, exile, and a legacy of trauma. The documentary draws on powerful storytelling and firsthand accounts from the descendants of those who lived through it—offering a compelling exploration of race, power, and resilience. This ...

Sam Raimi's A SIMPLE PLAN takes audiences on a chilling descent into greed and moral decay, underscored by a haunting sense of inevitability that is equal parts tragedy and thriller. Adapted from Scott B. Smith's novel by the author, the film is a stark departure from Raimi’s usual dynamic horror fare, revealing a new layer of sophistication to the director's toolkit. Here, Raimi exercises restraint, trading his signature freneticism for a measured approach that illuminates and amplifies the story's psychological darkness. Set in a small, frozen Midwestern town, A SIMPLE PLAN follows Hank Mitchell (Bill Paxton), his dim-witted brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton), and their friend Lou (Brent Briscoe) as they stumble upon a crashed plane in the woods containing over four million dollars in cash. What begins as an idle curiosity quickly shifts to a life-altering opportunity. The men are tempted to keep the money, reasoning that no one would ever know — a plan that initially...

  The Dink, a new sports comedy from Red Hour Films and Rivulet Films, has begun principal photography in Los Angeles, uniting a powerhouse cast featuring SNL’s Chloe Fineman, comedian Patton Oswalt, Australian breakout Aaron Chen, Cobra Kai’s Martin Kove, Rick and Morty’s Chris Parnell, Dodgeball’s Christine Taylor, and tennis legend John McEnroe. The film, directed by Josh Greenbaum (Spaceballs sequel, Will & Harper), takes a humorous swing at the rising sport of pickleball, with an original screenplay by Workaholics writer Sean Clements. Following a wave of high-profile casting, including Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, Ben Stiller, and Andy Roddick announced just last month, The Dink follows a has-been tennis pro desperate to regain his father’s approval and save a struggling club. The catch? He has to face his ultimate challenge: playing pickleball, the sport he swore he’d never touch. Stiller, in addition to co-producing the film under his Red Hour banner with ...

Principal photography is underway for the reboot of the 1993 action classic Cliffhanger, with the first official look dropping from the set in Austria’s East Tyrol region of the Lienz Dolomites. Produced by Rocket Science in collaboration with Thank You Pictures and Supernix, this updated rendition of the high-octane thriller stars Lily James (Pam & Tommy, The Iron Claw) and Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye, The Thomas Crown Affair), with Non-Stop director Jaume Collet-Serra at the helm. The reimagined Cliffhanger breathes fresh life into the story with Brosnan stepping into the role of seasoned mountaineer Ray Cooper. Cooper and his daughter Sydney run a mountain chalet in the rugged Dolomites, where a tranquil weekend getaway takes a violent turn when they’re targeted by a gang of ruthless kidnappers. Lily James stars as Ray’s older daughter Naomi, who must face her own harrowing memories of a past climbing accident to survive and rescue her family. The plot, based on a story by A Girl ...