COMPETITION: Win Day of the Fight on Blu-ray

From Icon Film Distribution comes the powerful, hard-hitting Day of the Fight releasing on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital platforms from 7th April!

And to celebrate we have a copy on Blu-ray to give away!

Synopsis:

On the day of his first fight since leaving prison, former middleweight champion and weathered boxer, “Irish Mike” Flannigan, prepares for his highly anticipated return to the ring, a long-shot undercard at the legendary Madison Square Garden. But before he can face off against a new champion, he first needs to face the demons from his past, embarking on a redemptive emotional journey of second chances, self-sacrifice and forgiveness.

Powerful, poignant and deeply moving, the film stars Michael C. Pitt (Seven Psychopaths, The Dreamers), in a fearless lead performance, with knockout support from Nicolette Robinson (Woman of the Hour, One Night in Miami), John Magaro (Past Lives, The Big Short), Emmy and Golden Globe winner Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire, Fargo), Golden Globe winner Ron Perlman (Hand of God, Hellboy) and Oscar winner Joe Pesci (The Irishman, Raging Bull).

From the producer of The Irishman and Joker, Day of the Fight marks a bold filmmaking debut from acclaimed actor turned writer-director Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire, House of Gucci).

Icon Film Distribution presents Day of the Fight on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital from 7th April 

Pre-Order from https://amzn.to/4iWIkBS

Enter now for a chance to win.

Who directs Day of the Fight?

Send your name, address and of course the answer to competition365@outlook.com

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here

1. Closing date 14-04-25

2. No alternative prize is available

3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.

4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

COMPETITION: Win Black Cab (A Shudder Original) on Blu-ray

Nick Frost gives a chilling performance as the cab driver from hell in spine-chilling horror Black Cab from director Bruce Goodison.  The film arrives on Blu-ray and digital 7th April courtesy of Acorn Media International.

And to celebrate we have a copy on Blu-ray to give away!

Synopsis:

Nick Frost gives a brilliant performance as creepy cabbie Ian, playing against type in his most sinister role yet with Synnøve Karlsen bringing an emotive and compelling performance as his tormented passenger, making this one serious spine tingler.   

 

After an awkward date Anne (Karlsen) and her controlling, abusive fiancé (Luke Norris – Poldark) hail a taxi, but it quicky dawns on them that they’ve picked the wrong ride, as their night goes from bad to terrifying… 

 

Brutally abducted and tied up, the couple are at the mercy of their captor and with their destination unknown, things become even more frightening as ghostly visions of a women appear to torment them. As secrets are revealed about Anne’s past, Ian’s true motive starts to become clear. Can they escape the clutches of the disturbed driver and the bone-chilling haunting presence, or is this their final destination? 

 

With shocking twists and revelations sure to scare your socks off, this is one Black Cab ride you’ll never forget. 

Pre-Order from https://amzn.to/3Y6IYEg

Enter now for a chance to win.

Who directs Black Cab?

Send your name, address and of course the answer to competition365@outlook.com

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here

1. Closing date 14-04-25

2. No alternative prize is available

3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.

4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

REVIEW: Snow White (2025 Film) - Starring Rachel Zegler, Andrew Burnap and Gal Gadot

Review by Jon Donnis

Disney's Snow White is a baffling misfire that takes one of the most beloved animated films of all time and twists it into something unrecognisable. Directed by Marc Webb, this live-action remake strips away the magic and charm of the 1937 classic, replacing it with a hollow, identity politics driven narrative that feels more like a lecture than a fairy tale.

The story follows the basic outline of the original, but with several major changes that make it clear the filmmakers were more interested in reinventing the film than honouring its legacy. Snow White, played by Rachel Zegler, is no longer the innocent, kind-hearted princess with "skin as fair as snow", audiences remember. Instead, she is reimagined as a modern, independent heroine who seems more focused on proving a point than capturing the warmth and grace of the original character. Her love interest, Prince Charming, has been replaced by Jonathan, a new character played by Andrew Burnap, whose inclusion adds nothing of value to the story. The Evil Queen, played by Gal Gadot, is one of the film's few bright spots, but even her natural beauty cannot salvage a film weighed down by its own misguided ambition.

One of the worst decisions was the replacement of the traditional dwarfs with a group of CGI-created, weird looking characters. The choice to abandon real actors with dwarfism in favour of these odd-looking abominations is baffling and insulting, removing one of the most iconic elements of the original film in an attempt to be more politically correct, at least we didn't get the "magical creatures" that were the original plan. The result is a visual disaster, with the CGI dwarfs looking completely out of place, further reinforcing the idea that this film was made without any real understanding of what made the original special.

The musical numbers, which should have been a highlight, fall completely flat. The original songs from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs were timeless classics that have endured for decades, but the new additions are forgettable at best and irritating at worst. None of them capture the magic of "Heigh-Ho" or "Someday My Prince Will Come," and instead feel like generic, soulless attempts to modernise the soundtrack. The cinematography and production design are equally uninspired, with the film relying far too much on CGI backdrops that make everything look artificial and lifeless.

Gal Gadot's performance as the Evil Queen is one of the few things that works, but even she is let down by the film's overall approach. The idea that someone who looks like Gal Gadot would be jealous of Rachel Zegler's Snow White is absurd to the point of being laughable. If anything, the film would have been better served by exploring the Queen's own insecurities rather than expecting audiences to believe she is being outshone by someone half her age who looks like she was born with fetal alcohol syndrome, ever noticed how so many new young actresses seem to have hypertelorism? Gadot delivers her lines with the right amount of menace, but the film never allows her to fully embrace the villainy of the role, which is another wasted opportunity, and her acting skills are lacking here, which is hard for me to admit as I do like her.

At nearly two hours, the film drags unbearably, with unnecessary subplots and a choppy narrative that never finds its footing. The addition of Jonathan as a love interest adds nothing but wasted screen time, and his chemistry with Snow White is non-existent. The ending, which sees Snow White leading a rebellion and inspiring the people to overthrow the Queen, feels more like a political statement than a satisfying conclusion to a fairy tale. Instead of a romantic and magical ending, we get a strange, lifeless resolution that comes across as a homage to a P-Diddy white party more than anything else..

Disney had one job: take the original Snow White and remake it faithfully with live actors, staying true to the magic and charm of the 1937 film. They could have simply remade the film, shot for shot, but with live actors, and everyone would have been happy, well everyone apart from the blue hair woke brigade that is. Instead, they have created an abomination that alienates fans of the classic while failing to appeal to new audiences. 

The film is dull, joyless, and utterly forgettable, with only Gal Gadot's beauty offering the slightest hint of entertainment. It is easily one of the worst remakes Disney has ever produced, a film that will be forgotten as quickly as it was announced. It is a painful reminder that not all stories need to be rewritten to fit modern sensibilities, especially when the changes suck the life out of the original. Snow White is a complete disaster, a cynical and misguided attempt to reinvent a classic that never needed fixing. It deserves to be buried alongside the worst of Disney's live-action catalogue. A pitiful 2 out of 10.

In cinemas now, but if you really want to see it, wait a few weeks and I will probably be given away for free as an incentive to join Disney Plus.

PREVIEW: Screamboat (2025 FIlm) - A New Slasher Horror Sets Sail with a Sinister Twist

Preview by Jon Donnis

David Howard Thornton, best known for his terrifying portrayal of Art the Clown in the Terrifier series, takes on a new kind of menace in Screamboat, a fun and frantic slasher horror that promises to turn an ordinary ferry ride into a nightmare.

Set against the eerie backdrop of New York's waterways, the film follows a group of unsuspecting passengers on a late-night ferry when a seemingly harmless mouse turns into a relentless killer. As chaos erupts, the unlikely crew must work together to stop the tiny terror before it picks them off one by one.

Joining Thornton in the cast are Terrifier 2's Kailey Hyman, Teen Wolf star Tyler Posey, Jesse Posey (Selena: The Series), Jarlath Conroy (Day of the Dead), Jesse Kove (D-Day: Battle of Omaha Beach), and Brian Quinn (Impractical Jokers). The film features creature designs from Quantum Creation FX, the team behind The Last Voyage of the Demeter, with inspiration drawn from Avatar: The Way of Water artist Christian Cordelia.

Directed by Steven LaMorte (The Mean One) and co-written by LaMorte and Matthew Garcia-Dunn (Silent Hill: Ascension), Screamboat blends slasher horror with darkly comedic thrills, offering an experience that will make audiences think twice the next time they hear a squeak in the night.

Distributed by Signature Entertainment, Screamboat will be released exclusively at Vue cinemas on 2 April.

The 10 Most Iconic Movie Posters of All Time

By Jon Donnis

A great movie poster is more than just a marketing tool. It can capture the essence of a film in a single image, becoming as recognisable as the film itself. Over the years, some posters have transcended their purpose, becoming cultural landmarks that continue to influence design and art. Here are ten of the most iconic movie posters of all time, each leaving an unforgettable mark on cinema history.

Jaws (1975)
Few posters have ever created such an immediate sense of dread. The image of a lone swimmer unknowingly drifting above a monstrous great white shark is simple but terrifying. Designed by Roger Kastel, it perfectly captures the horror lurking beneath the surface and sets the tone for Spielberg's groundbreaking thriller.

Star Wars (1977)
Tom Jung's artwork for Star Wars is as legendary as the film itself. Luke Skywalker stands heroically with his lightsaber raised, Princess Leia by his side, as Darth Vader's looming face dominates the background. The dramatic composition, pulpy sci-fi feel and sense of adventure helped sell Star Wars as something larger than life.

Pulp Fiction (1994)
A prime example of cool, the Pulp Fiction poster features Uma Thurman's Mia Wallace lying on a bed, cigarette in hand, next to a copy of a cheap pulp novel. The bold font, vintage design and noir aesthetic made it instantly recognisable and reflective of Tarantino's stylish crime film.

The Exorcist (1973)
Sometimes, simplicity is key. The Exorcist poster features a single eerie image of a silhouetted priest standing beneath a streetlamp, staring up at a house where evil awaits. The glow of the light and the shadowy figure create a haunting, unsettling feeling that perfectly encapsulates the film's terrifying atmosphere.

Jurassic Park (1993)
A masterclass in minimalism, Jurassic Park's poster doesn't rely on actors or dramatic imagery. Instead, it simply presents the now-iconic red and black dinosaur skeleton logo with the film's title. This straightforward yet striking approach helped establish the film's branding, making it instantly recognisable.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The unsettling close-up of Jodie Foster's face, with a death's-head hawk moth covering her mouth, is one of the most visually striking images in film marketing. The moth itself contains a hidden image, a formation of human skulls, adding an extra layer of unease that reflects the film's psychological horror.

Back to the Future (1985)
Drew Struzan's illustrated artwork for Back to the Future perfectly conveys the film's mix of adventure, sci-fi and comedy. Marty McFly stands in front of the DeLorean, pulling up his sunglasses in disbelief, as the car's flaming tyre tracks hint at the time-travelling chaos ahead. This is one of my personal favourites!

Alien (1979)
"In space, no one can hear you scream." That tagline alone is enough to send chills down your spine, but the poster's haunting green glow emanating from a cracked alien egg adds to the mystery and suspense. It is a masterful example of horror and sci-fi marketing, teasing the terror to come without giving too much away.

The Godfather (1972)
Minimalist yet powerful, The Godfather poster features a puppet-hand logo above the film's title, a direct nod to the story's themes of control and manipulation. The stark black and white design is as refined and commanding as the film itself, embodying its tone and legacy.

Scarface (1983)
The split black and white design, with Al Pacino's Tony Montana standing in the centre, is one of the most recognisable images in crime cinema. The bold typography and high-contrast aesthetic give it a striking presence, reflecting the film's themes of power, excess and violence.

These Famous Movie Posters did not just sell movies. They became part of popular culture, instantly recognisable even to those who have not seen the films. Whether through striking imagery, bold design or sheer simplicity, they remain timeless examples of how a single image can define an entire cinematic experience.