inmate profile: Brook Hogan

We start our cast profiles for 2 Headed Shark Attack - on DVD January 31st, tell everyone you know - with rising starlet Brooke Hogan, for whom 2 Headed Shark Attack is her first (U.S. debuting*) film.

As if you didn't know, Brooke Hogan is the eldest child of famed wrestling icon (and, along with Scooby-Doo and Batman, one of my childhood heroes) Hulk Hogan, but started coming into her own fame in 2005 with the airing of her family's reality TV show, Hogan Knows Best. An instant media darling, Brooke has since branched into her own show, Brooke Knows Best (no longer airing) and two pop/dance/whatever-the-kids-are-calling-it albums, 2006's Undiscovered and 2009's The Redemption. Flo Rida's on that second joint. I hear clubs can't even handle that dude, so, score. 


It was only a matter of time before Miss Hogan forayed into acting, and how fortuitous that her first role, as "Dana" in 2 Headed Shark Attack, is destined to be a cult classic. Besides this film, and another shark film with Asylum ties I give info on after the asterisk below, Brooke has also been cast in a cannibal-high-school-thriller, Devour, which also has Asylum ties: her co-star is David Chokachi of Born Bad and 3 Musketeers. 


No doubt 2 Headed Shark Attack will be the launching point of what is likely to be a lively and lasting film career. A classic blonde with sass and intelligence will always do well, and Brooke Hogan proves herself rife with all of these attributes in 2 Headed Shark Attack, on DVD - can you tell I really want you to see this film? Yeah, cuz I wrote the script - January 31st. Go tell it on the mountain.


*Brooke also stars in Sand Sharks, directed by the very formidable Mark Atkins (Battle of Los Angeles, Dragon Crusaders), but we're still waiting for a U.S. release on that one; Brit Committed readers, it's on DVD where you're at.

observation notes: 3 Musketeers

It isn't often we get a straight-up action film - no mutated creatures, no sci-fi elements, no natural or unnatural disasters, just a good, old-fashioned, explosive shoot-em-up - from The Asylum; Ballistica they only distributed, and other than that you got The 9/11 Commission Report, last year's Airline Disaster and this year's 200MPH. But that's exactly what you get with 3 Musketeers, the studio's modern adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' seminal adventure novel, written by Edward DeRuiter and directed by Cole S. McKay, the man responsible for 200MPH.

Released to coincide with the major-studio 3D revamp (which incidentally bombed), in The Asylum's version, Musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis are thrust into the modern era, portrayed as an elite squad of international spies. When they're framed for an atrocity they did not commit, it sets in motion a chain of events meant to conclude with the assassination of the President of the United States. It's up to Alexandra D'Artagnan, a junior NSA officer, to draw the Musketeers out of hiding and enlist their help in thwarting this dastardly plot. 

And what a plot it is. All in all, 3 Musketeers is a pretty rad political-action flick with wry comedic dashes, explosive, astounding VFX and suspense in spades. In addition to solid scripting and pulse-racing direction, it's the cast that really works to make this one a success.

Our heroes are comprised of actors Xin (Athos), Michele Boyd (Aramis) and Keith Allan (Porthos), while Heather Hemmens plays newbie agent D'Artagnan. Xin was picked for the part primarily, I would imagine, because of his status as one of the world's foremost urban ninjas; if I'm honest, I was expecting some spectacular martial arts and some less-than-spectacular acting from him, but, happily, I was wrong. Xin is certainly an adrenaline-rush just to watch, but he is also sly, stoic and commanding; guy brought his A-game, all-around. 

Michele Boyd's Aramis is vicious grace personified, sleek, sultry and lethal. As the squad's youngest member, she is also its most passionate, thus perhaps its most dangerous. Her beauty is a weapon she wields with a confidence and stern sincerity beyond her years. 

Actors Xin and Heather Hemmens

Heather Hemmens character has a uniqueness to it, as not only is she trying to thwart said dastardly plot, she's also trying to prove herself to the Musketeers. As such, Hemmens occupies the role as intelligently aggressive, respectfully ambitious, impulsive and pure of heart. She's also a certified grade-A badass, the very definition of a strong woman and acted with tangible aplomb. 

And Keith Allan turns in an energetic performance as the squad's resident tech-genius, a wise-cracking, snarky and delightfully sarcastic character, the strongest of the film. Allan provides tension, relatability and most important, levity.

The film also boasts outstanding supporting roles filled by the likes of Alan Rachins ("L.A. Law, Dharma & Greg") as The Cardinal, the cold, zealous, megalomaniacal mastermind behind it all, David Chokachi ("Baywatch," Born Bad) as a consummate soldier living under his own ideals of loyalty, Steven Williams ("21 Jump Street," "Supernatural") as the former agent who gets this conspiracy rolling, the ever-present Gerald Webb as a trusting NSA agent and even a cameo from horror-legend Kane Hodder - 3-time Jason Vorhees and hella prolific actor/stuntman - as the torture-dealing Dr. Kim.

The VFX are practically a character all their own, heightening the suspense and thrills at every opportunity. There are aerial sequences galore, and they're nail-bitingly phenomenal, as well as explosions all sizes, and not once did I lose myself in the CGI - everything was real and seamless and the augmentation to story it was meant to be. 

Seriously, this one never gives you a chance to catch your breath. The action starts  in the first minute and rarely lets up: there are air strikes, fire-fights, more hand-to-hand combat sequences than you can shake a stick at and stellar free-running martial-arts displays from one of the form's foremost practitioners. When the action does briefly recede, there's an intense and intelligent political thriller running underneath, a riveting rivulet of intrigue that keeps your heart excitedly palpitating between explosions. This is a credit to screenwriter Ed DeRuiter. This was DeRuiter's first script for the studio, but he also wrote the story for 2 Headed Shark Attack, which I wrote the script for, so I can tell you first-hand dude's the real deal. I'm not sure there's ever been an Asylum script quite so lively as 3 Musketeers.


Director McKay applies the same fast-paced, thrill-inducing storytelling skills he showed us in 200MPH, but on a much, much grander scale here. And what was rad with car chases is RAD with all the stuff going on here. His use of quick cuts, handheld cameras, shifting perspectives within scenes etc., really fuels the film's addictively frenetic atmosphere. And whoever was in charge of the fight choreography gets an especial tip of my hat: there were fists, guns, grenades, choppers, jets, missiles and - yes - even swords, and each conflict was more spectacular than the last.


All in all then, I say this is a fine effort from all involved, and one of the better - if not the best to date - straight-up action films The Asylum has delivered. It's got action, intrigue, suspense, PG-13 sexuality, quips, kills, guns, chase scenes, deceptions aplenty and frequent blossoms of fire; what more do you want?

outside the walls: November DVD Releases

I recognize that not all great films are made exclusively by The Asylum and that, in fact, there's a whole world of film outside these walls, some of which might actually interest Asylum fans - when they're not watching or re-watching Asylum films, of course. And, being as I'm only looking out for your viewing well-being, here's a peek at some other DVD releases this month which might satiate you between Asylum releases. But remember, as always, Sweet n' Low ain't sugar.

November 1st

11/11/11

written by Kiff Scholl & Keith Allan
directed by Keith Allan
















November 8th

Bedlam: Season One

Born Bad

written & directed by Jared Cohn
starring Michael Welch, Bonnie Dennison, Meredith Monroe & David Chokachi

Mortal Kombat: Legacy
















November 15th

Warriors of Virtue: The Return to Tao
















November 22nd

Carjacked

Conan the Barbarian

Helldriver

Night Crawlers
















November 29th

Chillerama

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil 

Born Bad on DVD Today!

Another Tuesday, another Asylum DVD release; fella could get used to this. This time around, it's Born Bad, a terrifying and scintillating thriller from writer director Jared Cohn and actors Michael Welch, Bonnie Dennison, Meredith Monroe, David Chokachi and more. Resplendent with action, intrigue, passion and horrors all-to-real, Born Bad is a perfect early winter film: creepy, suspenseful and chilling.

Besides being an intense and excellent flick, you're gonna want to cherish Born Bad for another reason: we have to wait a WHOLE MONTH for another Asylum release: found-footage frightener The Amityville Haunting comes out December 13th, and the DVD release of Zombie Apocalypse is a fortnight later on the 27th.  

Wanna rent Born Bad from Netflix? Go here.

RE-POST: observation notes: Born Bad

Though Born Bad made it's premiere back in March on the Lifetime Channel, it hasn't been available on DVD until this coming Tuesday, when a special UNCUT version of the film hits DVD. Until then, let's take another look at my original thoughts on the film, posted back in March.

Now, if you've read my notes before, you know I don't like to give away any spoilers; I'm not a journalist, I'm a fan, my point isn't to critique the film, it's to extol its virtues and make you want to see it even more than no doubt you already do. Therefore, I stay away from spoilers. This will be especially true in the case of Born Bad, as you're gonna have to wait a few months to get your hands on it. So the below impressions are general, and give nothing away whatsoever other than the basic plot. 

Let's get that plot out of the way: when a family moves to a new town, their sweet teenage daughter (Bonnie Dennison), falls for the WRONG guy (Twilight and All The Boys Love Mandy Lane''s Michael Welch), a psychopathic drifter with homicidal proclivities, resulting in a nightmare for her parents ("Baywatch"s David Chokachi and "Dawson's Creek"s Meredith Monroe). Ah, dating.

What we have here is a good, old-fashioned thriller - no monsters or creatures or anything paranormal at all, just a fascinating and frightening look at the depths of depravity to which can sink the most terrifying beast known to man: man. Jared Cohn's script paints a terrifying portrait of a family already at a crossroads in crisis. It's an all-too believable scenario which could conceivably befall any American family, allowing the horror it generates to resonate that much deeper.

But a script is only as good as the actors who bring it to life, so in this case, it's damn good. Michael Welch as "Denny" is fierce, and not in a co-opted Project Runway sense, but in the Webster's dictionary sense: "a) violently hostile or aggressive in temperament; b) given to fighting or killing." I mentioned in my profile of Mr. Welch that in the fine, fine film All The Boys Love Mandy Lane in which he played a similar type of character, that his brutally frightening potential hadn't yet been fully-tapped - it has been now. Welch electrifies every second he's on screen, deftly balancing the suave seductor and focused sociopath every good serial killer needs be. Dude rocked it, for real.

Bonnie Dennison ("Guiding Light") as doe-eyed daughter "Bonnie" manages a fine balancing act of her own, convincingly naive while never helpless. I'll admit to not being familiar with Ms. Dennison before this, but I thought she was right for the role of a good-girl just bad enough to get in major trouble; when her name turns up on DVD boxes in the future - as it's sure to do - I'll definitely check them out.

Meredith Monroe and David Chokachi as the parents at the center of this whirlwind also excelled, and in roles I for one wasn't used to seeing them play: Chokachi as the concerned parent almost helpless in the face of primal terror, and Monroe as an unsuspectingly powerful matriarch. So for me, at least, both really showed their range, and I liked what I saw. Aces.

Other cast standouts include Donnabella Mortel as "Dana," Gerald Webb (Battle of Los Angeles, 2012 Ice Age) as "Nate" and Bill Oberst Jr. (Princess and the Pony, upcoming A Haunting in Salem[!!!]) as "Gary." Sure, I could tell you more about the characters they play, but that might stray into the territory of spoilers. Or it might not. Either way, I'll say no more.

Overall, then, what you have here is a chilling psychological thriller that rings all too true and hits way too close to home, just as all great films of this sort should do. Cohn, who also directed, has crafted a film of frightening intimacy, one that draws you into both sides of this maniacal struggle and and squeezes your heart from the first frame to the last, thanks especially to the barrage of fine performances anchored by that of Michael Welch. He's up there with Mega Shark in my pantheon of greatest Asylum villains. 

Check it our for yourself this Tuesday when the UNCUT version of Born Bad erupts into being.

Born Bad Coming to DVD 11/8/2011 - Next Week!!!

Though it had it's world premiere on the Lifetime network back in March - a first for The Asylum - Jared Cohn's taut, edgy thriller Born Bad hasn't hit DVD as of yet, meaning - I'm willing to bet - that most if not all of you have yet to see it. I saw it on Lifetime. I've been hooked on the network ever since. They got some real crazy shit going on there. Have you seen "Dance Moms?" I digress.

The wait is over, is my point, because a mere 6 days from now, Born Bad will be released to the world on DVD!

Furthermore, this will be the "Uncut" version, a.k.a. the scarier, steamier, bloodier version of this brutally charming film. 

In celebration of this, I'll be re-posting some things I put out during Born Bad's premiere, including my exclusive interview with the film's writer/director Jared Cohn tomorrow, and Friday my spoiler-free notes on the film.

A tale of young love gone violently wrong, Born Bad stars Bonnie Dennison ("Guiding Light") as a beautiful teen in a lonely new town, Michael Welch (Twilight, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) as the predatory lothario who steals her heart, and David Chokachi ("Baywatch," 3 Musketeers) and Meredith Monroe ("Dawson's Creek") as the rightfully-concerned dad and step-mom.

For more details, check out the trailer, the IMDB page and the Asylum page. And of course, keep coming back here the rest of the week for extended Born Bad coverage.

3 Musketeers on DVD Today!!!

That's right, my fellow faithfully-committed, today's the days our inner action heroes have been waiting for, the DVD release of The Asylum's take on one of the greatest adventure stories ever told, Alexandre Dumas' 3 Musketeers. 

 
In The Asylum's version, of course - conceived by debut screenwriter Edward DeRuiter and directed by Cole McKay of 200MPH renown - the swords have been exchanged for automatic weapons and the swashbuckling grace switched out for free-running mixed martial arts. Expect rad fight sequences, thrilling chases and crazy explosions, enacted brilliantly by Heather Hemmens, Xin, Michele Boyd, Alan Rachins, David Chokachi and more. I'm still waiting to get my hands on a copy, but the second I do, I'll post my thoughts.

In the meantime, run, don't walk, to your local independent video store, or Netflix, and procure your copy of this sure-to-be action classic post haste!!!

3 Musketeers Gets A (RAD) Poster!

After Dragon Crusaders in September and A Haunting in Salem in October, the next scheduled release from The Asylum is their take on the action-packed classic 3 Musketeers, directed by Cole McKay (200MPH) from a script by Ed DeRuiter. There were some stills released a few weeks ago that showed this adaptation to be modern-set, a tried-and-tested story of brotherhood and justice set in the fast-paced and better-armed world of our own era. As such, a poster for such a film would need to be dynamic, explosive, thrilling and intriguing. Well, I don't know who the poster guy is over at The Asylum, but as usual, he nailed it:

That is AWESOME!

Fire?     Check.
Guns?   Check check check.
Karate? Check.
Fighter jets?     Oh hell yeah check.

And that tagline: All For One and Guns For All...BRILLIANT!!!

I don't know for sure what Mr. McKay and Mr. DeRuiter have cooked up, but it looks to be an explosive good time. 3 Musketeers stars Heather Hemmens, XIN, Alan Rachins, Keith Allan, Michelle Boyd, and David Chokachi, and hits your DVD player October 25.

Your Second Chance to See BORN BAD Comes This Weekend!

In case you missed it this last Monday, The Asylum's latest production - Jared Cohn's Born Bad starring Michael Welch, Bonnie Dennison, Meredith Monroe and David Chokachi - will be airing again this weekend, Saturday night, to be exact, at 9pm on the Lifetime Network. If you like gritty psychological thrillers with enough sex and violence to really make you sit up and notice, then you'll love Born Bad. If you miss it this time, you might not get another chance until the film's November DVD release, and while the wait is worth every minute, do yourself a favor and carve out a little time this weekend for Born Bad,

In the meantime, get acquainted with the cast and crew of the film through my Inmate Profiles: 

Michael Welch

Bonnie Dennison

Meredith Monroe & David Chokachi

Then, dig my exclusive interview with writer/director Jared Cohn.

And finally, to whet your appetite even more, check out my spoiler-free notes on the film.

Saturday. 9pm. Lifetime. Born Bad. Show The Asylum some love.

observation notes: Born Bad

Though Born Bad won't be on DVD until November, for those of us lucky enough to have Lifetime, the film made its World Premiere last night on the network.

Now, if you've read my notes before, you know I don't like to give away any spoilers; I'm not a journalist, I'm a fan, my point isn't to critique the film, it's to extol its virtues and make you want to see it even more than no doubt you already do. Therefore, I stay away from spoilers. This will be especially true in the case of Born Bad, as you're gonna have to wait a few months to get your hands on it. So the below impressions are general, and give nothing away whatsoever other than the basic plot. 

Let's get that plot out of the way: when a family moves to a new town, their sweet teenage daughter (Bonnie Dennison), falls for the WRONG guy (Twilight and All The Boys Love Mandy Lane''s Michael Welch), a psychopathic drifter with homicidal proclivities, resulting in a nightmare for her parents ("Baywatch"s David Chokachi and "Dawson's Creek"s Meredith Monroe). Ah, dating.

What we have here is a good, old-fashioned thriller - no monsters or creatures or anything paranormal at all, just a fascinating and frightening look at the depths of depravity to which can sink the most terrifying beast known to man: man. Jared Cohn's script paints a terrifying portrait of a family already at a crossroads in crisis. It's an all-too believable scenario which could conceivably befall any American family, allowing the horror it generates to resonate that much deeper.

But a script is only as good as the actors who bring it to life, so in this case, it's damn good. Michael Welch as "Denny" is fierce, and not in a co-opted Project Runway sense, but in the Webster's dictionary sense: "a) violently hostile or aggressive in temperament; b) given to fighting or killing." I mentioned in my profile of Mr. Welch that in the fine, fine film All The Boys Love Mandy Lane in which he played a similar type of character, that his brutally frightening potential hadn't yet been fully-tapped - it has been now. Welch electrifies every second he's on screen, deftly balancing the suave seductor and focused sociopath every good serial killer needs be. Dude rocked it, for real.

Bonnie Dennison ("Guiding Light") as doe-eyed daughter "Bonnie" manages a fine balancing act of her own, convincingly naive while never helpless. I'll admit to not being familiar with Ms. Dennison before this, but I thought she was right for the role of a good-girl just bad enough to get in major trouble; when her name turns up on DVD boxes in the future - as it's sure to do - I'll definitely check them out.

Meredith Monroe and David Chokachi as the parents at the center of this whirlwind also excelled, and in roles I for one wasn't used to seeing them play: Chokachi as the concerned parent almost helpless in the face of primal terror, and Monroe as an unsuspectingly powerful matriarch. So for me, at least, both really showed their range, and I liked what I saw. Aces.

Other cast standouts include Donnabella Mortel as "Dana," Gerald Webb (Battle of Los Angeles, 2012 Ice Age) as "Nate" and Bill Oberst Jr. (Princess and the Pony, upcoming A Haunting in Salem[!!!]) as "Gary." Sure, I could tell you more about the characters they play, but that might stray into the territory of spoilers. Or it might not. Either way, I'll say no more.

Overall, then, what you have here is a chilling psychological thriller that rings all too true and hits way too close to home, just as all great films of this sort should do. Cohn, who also directed, has crafted a film of frightening intimacy, one that draws you into both sides of this maniacal struggle and and squeezes your heart from the first frame to the last, thanks especially to the barrage of fine performances anchored by that of Michael Welch. He's up there with Mega Shark in my pantheon of greatest Asylum villains. 

No word yet if Lifetime will be rerunning this one any time soon (I'll keep you posted, no worries), but even if you have to wait until November and the film's DVD release, trust me: it'll be worth every second.     

Born Bad Gets a Promo! Film Airs Monday Night!

The latest Asylum offering, Born Bad, may not be on DVD until November, but this coming Monday, July 11th at 8pm on the Lifetime Network, it's getting its World Premiere, and the network just put out the first promo, a.k.a. our very first look at Michael Welch, Bonnie Dennison, Meredith Monroe and David Chokachi, the stars of Born Bad. Dig this clip, then tune in Monday night, 8pm, Lifetime, for the real deal.

inmate profile(s): Meredith Monroe and David Chokachi

Committed continues shining its spotlight on the creative forces behind The Asylum's Born Bad, airing on the Lifetime network Monday, July 11th at 9p.m. In our sights this time? Actors Meredith Monroe and David Chokachi, who play the parental figures to Bonnie Dennison's bad-boy-lovestruck-teen.

 Meredith Monroe, a native Texan, got her start in the industry through print advertising, even appearing on five book covers in the "Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys" series, but her breakthrough came in 1998 when she signed on to the hottest teen-drama of its day, "Dawson's Creek." On DC (which is totally what we called it in college. that's right, i watched Dawson's Creek in college, often reeeeeeally high.) Ms. Monroe played the charmingly-cute insane girl next door Andie McPhee for three seasons before graduating to more mature pastures. Since DC, Ms. Monroe has appeared in a score of television shows - including "The Division," "Joan of Arcadia," "CSI: Miami," "House," "Bones," "Californication" and most recently a 13-episode stint on "Criminal MInds" - as well as television and theatrical films, most notable among them two films as Little House on the Prairie author Laura Ingalls Wilder, the steamy psycho-thriller New Best Friend with Mia Kershner, indie comedy Wake and now Born Bad. I don't watch a whole lot of network TV - not a pretentious thing, a time thing; truthfully all I watch as it airs are "Breaking Bad," "Dexter," "Oddities" and now "Workaholics" - so I'll admit it's been a while since I've seen Ms. Monroe in something, so I for one am very much looking forward to seeing how she's matured as an actress. 

Playing opposite Ms. Monroe is the very capable and unfairly handsome David Chokachi, who most of us will first remember from a little global phenomenon they call "Baywatch," on which Mr. Chokachi played rugged surfer-boy lifeguard Cody Madison for 89 tubular episodes. From there Chokachi opted for something a little more dramatic and appeared on the full-run of the "Witchblade" TV series with Yancy Butler. After that show's demise, Chokachi stayed busy with television before landing another series gig, this time on TeenNick's surfer drama "Beyond the Break." Most recently, Chokachi had a small role in Soul Surfer, the flick about the little chick who gets her arm bitten off by a shark but keeps surfing, a.k.a. the only little chick I'm comfortable admitting is braver than me. He can next be seen in The Asylum's 3 Musketeers, out this October.

So there you have it, a look into the careers of two of Born Bad's principle cast member, the lovely and alluring Meredith Monroe, and the bronze Adonis that is David Chokachi. Tune in Monday, July 11th at 9p.m. to watch these two beautiful people act their asses off in Jared Cohn's Born Bad.

First Details of 3 Musketeers! UPDATED w/ Pic!

Busy Asylum day today - the first details have emerged concerning The Asylum's upcoming 3 Musketeers adaptation, and man are they awesome. Directing the film will be Cole S. McKay, fresh off the helm of 200MPH, and he'll be working off a script by actor-turned-scribe/swell-guy Ed Deruiter (The Surge, Battle of Los Angeles). A look at the synopsis, available on the film's Asylum page.

"Alexandra D'Artagnan, junior NSA officer, uncovers a plot to assassinate the President of the United States and enlists the help of three infamous international spies to stop the threat."

Announced cast members include Heather Hemmens (Glory Road, "Hellcats"), Alan Rachins ("L.A. Law," "Dharma & Greg"), Keith Allan, Michele Boyd (Battle of Los Angeles, "The Guild"), and David Chokachi ("Baywatch") making a return to The Asylum after his role in Born Bad. 


And courtesy of Michele Boyd's Twitter feed, here's the first on-set pic from the film, with Ms. Boyd as musketeer Aramis. Baller.

The street date on this one isn't until October, the 18th, to be precise, and from the looks of things, The Asylum's really pulling out the stops on this one. Get ready for an action spectacular this fall, and as always, whenever there's more info, you'll find it here!

First Stills From Born Bad Now Up!

I blogged last week about how happy I was to at long last receive word that Born Bad was in production, and now, in true Asylum fashion, the first images from the set are available here!

A couple of things we learn here: Michael Welch, playing the bad boy, is indeed the Michael Welch of the Twilight films and "Joan of Arcadia;" Bill Oberst Jr. looks wickedly awesome, and ever-young Meredith Monroe and David Chokachi actually make a convincing couple. Furthermore, from the seedy, small-town trashy look of things, this is going to be a brutal thriller the likes of which The Asylum has yet to produce!

There are many long months until Born Bad drops in November, but check in with me next week for a profile on writer/director Jared Cohn, and, of course, as soon as additional information becomes available, you'll know it as soon as I do.

At Long Last - Born Bad Details! Plus Another New Title!!!

Big news from The Asylum today on two new titles. I'm just gonna jump right in:

So this one's been on The Asylum's coming soon list for a long time, and now, finally, we have some details on the movie that will be...Born Bad.

The film is written and directed by Jared Cohn (left), a 4-time Asylum acting veteran - Alien Abduction, Way of the Vampire, Legion of the Dead and Halloween Night. This will be Mr. Cohn's first stint behind the camera for The Asylum. 

The plot is described as such:

"When a rebellious girl from a good family falls for the town drifter, she unwittingly brings a psychopath into her loving home."

It's a classic tale - good girl falls for the bad boy that tears her world apart - and I can't wait to see what The Asylum's take on it will be.

Furthermore, some of the cast was revealed, and there look to be a couple of big names there: Meredith Monroe ("Andy McPhee" from "Dawson's Creek) and David Chokachi ("Cody" [not "Hobie"] from "Baywatch") look to be our leads, supported by Bonnie Dennison of "Guiding Light" - most likely as the "rebellious girl" - and Michael Welch, who if I'm pegging the right Michael Welch, has starred in all the Twilight movies, but I best remember him as either the geeky brother in "Joan of Arcadia," or as the outsider love interest in the wonderful and horrifically under-appreciated (to the point it has no DVD release) All The Boys Love Mandy Lane. He's most likely playing the "town drifter," which I find quite intriguing. This is, in my opinion, is a pretty strong cast, and one of the more interesting Asylum ensembles of late. And the fact that this looks to be a straight-up thriller - no supernatural evil, no creatures, no robots or aliens - is also intriguing to me. We haven't seen one of these from The Asylum since - by their own classification - 2008's Evil. It's a while before this one streets - November 8 - but all indications are it'll be well worth the wait.

UPDATE: via Twitter I just learned that Bill Oberst Jr - the nasty carnival owner from Princess and the Pony - has secured a role in the film. This only sweetens the deal for me, as he was my favorite part of P&P.

And then as though this wasn't enough, the fine folks over at The Asylum have set up another page for another new title: Barely Legal. Quite obviously a sex comedy, there's not a lot of info on this one as of yet - no cast or director known - but we do know it's written by the amazingly versatile and talented Naomi Selfman, whose writing credits for The Asylum thus far include not only The 18 Year Old Virgin and #1 Cheerleader Camp, but also Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus and Mega Python vs. Gatoroid. Ms. Selfman seems to be the all-star in The Asylum's writing stable right now - she's kinda like Will Rogers: she never met a script she couldn't write - so even with a limited glimpse at the plot - "Sue, Cheryl, and Lexi--all freshman in college--have been friends forever (their moms met in the hospital). Every year, they do something special to celebrate their birthday, and this year, on their eighteenth, they're determined to lose their virginity" - you already know from the presence of Ms. Selfman that this one's going to be titillating and hilarious. No release date as of yet, but, as you know by now, as soon as I learn something, you learn something.