A Bunch of Info on a Bunch of New Asylum Projects!

With the New Year now in full swing, there comes info on a handful of The Asylum's 2013 slate, including release dates, new projects, and posters. Let's get into this, shall we?

First up, there's a new poster and a release date for last Halloween's SyFy-Zombie venture, Rise of the Zombies. I don't know what's scarier here, the zombie horde, or huge Trejo-face. 

The film also stars Mariel Hemingway, Ethan Suplee, Heather Hemmens, French Stewart, and LeVar Burton, and comes courtesy of director Nick Lyon, maestro of 2011's Zombie Apocalypse - shout out to the zombie tiger - working off a script from Keith Allen and Delondra Williams. This gore-fest lands on February 12th, Lincoln's Birthday. 

Next up is 500 MPH Storm, whose poster can be found a few inches below this in the previous post. The storm-flick features Casper Van Dien, Michael Beach, and Sarah Lieving, and will street on February 26th, Johnny Cash's birthday.

Then there's plot, cast, and release date info on two new Asylum films, 100 Below Zero and Age of Dinosaurs. 

The former (a.k.a. Dead World and 50 Degrees Below Zero) is a polar disaster flick from director Richard Braunstein (Layover) and screenwriters Richard Schenkman (Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies) & H. Perry Horton (2-Headed Shark Attack, this blog). The plot: 

"When a chain of volcanic eruptions rips through Europe, the enormous ash cloud blocks out the sun, plunging the continent into a new ice age. An American couple must find their college-aged kids and get them out of Paris before it freezes over."

The film stars Jeff Fahey, Johnathan Rhys-Davies, and the lovely Sara Malakul Lane (left), and will be released on July 23rd.

Then there's Age of Dinosaurs, which we already knew was directed by the super-talented - and a Committed fan fave - Joseph Lawson (Nazis at the Center of the Earth, Clash of the Empires), written by Hank Woon Jr. (the above-mentioned 500 MPH Storm), and stars Treat Williams and Ronny Cox, but what we didn't know is just what this yarn's about. Well, now we know:

"Using breakthrough flesh-regeneration technology, a biotech firm creates a set of living dinosaurs. But when the creatures escape their museum exhibit and terrorize Los Angeles, a former firefighter must rescue his teenage daughter from the chaos brought on by the Age of Dinosaurs."

Film streets May 7th.  

Zombie Lit From an Asylum Screenwriter

Word came this week that writer Brooks Peck, half of the screenwriting team (with Craig Engler) that produced last year's most excellent Zombie Apocalypse - the same team that wrote the SyFy original film Rage of the Yeti with the always-fun Yancy Butler - has released a novelette that sounds like a story right up The Asylum's alley: Zombies on a Plane. Check out the press release below.

"From the writer of Syfy's No. 1 film of 2011:  Zombie Apocalypse

Comes the next great undead adventure: ZOMBIES ON A PLANE

Despite every precaution, despite all the rules and safeguards, a zombie infestation breaks out on board flight 1219. It spreads, row by row, victim by victim, relentlessly converting passengers. The few remaining survivors are trapped 38,000 feet in the air with an army of the undead. 

What readers are saying:

'…a gruesome and anxiety-filled read that tightly recounts an insane struggle against the undead in the confines of an airplane. I'm still pondering what I would do in this situation.'

'This was a fantastic read! Hooks you from the start….'

'I came for the zombies on a plane, sure. But I stayed for the well-observed details that make for an all-too-believable glimpse of how it will be when the Infection comes, spiked with the type of authentic funny that seeps through only when everything goes utterly to hell.'

'3oz of shampoo will not be enough to save you.'

ZOMBIES ON A PLANE is an original novelette, available on Kindle and Nook. Read an excerpt online:

http://www.amazon.com/Zombies-on-a-Plane-ebook/dp/B007OLY78O/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/zombies-on-a-plane-brooks-peck/1109719388

About the Author:

Brooks Peck is a museum curator who specializes in film and popular culture. He wrote two feature films that aired on the Syfy Channel: RAGE OF THE YETI and ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, which garnered the highest rating for a Syfy original film in 2011."

Zombie Apocalypse was pure perfection, and I also saw Rage of the Yeti a few weeks later, and that there was another dunk in the awesome sauce. So stands to reason, then, that this novelette's probably a pretty righteous read. Hit up the links above and support your local screenwriter.

inmate profile: Lilan Bowden

For the last couple of weeks, Committed has been spotlighting various cast and crew members of the next Asylum release, Nazis at the Center of the Earth, now only a week away. That spotlight shines now on actress Lilan Bowden, an up-and-coming actress/writer/host making her third appearance in an Asylum film.

After working in a couple of shorts, Ms. Bowden made her feature debut as a television reporter in Princess and the Pony. Her second feature was the polar opposite of her first, Zombie Apocalypse, in which she played arrow-wielding badass "Myrah." And now, she plays the character "May Yun" in NATCOTE. Pretty impressive couple of years she's had, I'd say; sounds like The Asylum's taken a shine to her, and who can blame them. On screen Ms. Bowden is that delicate combination of strong and fragile, a real person in unreal situations, making her terror and resolve palpable things that resonate with any viewer. And with the spattering of Asylum films yet to come this year - at least 9 as of this posting - it could be that we haven't seen the last of Ms. Bowden this year. If that isn't enough to tide you over, though, you can always catch her as a host of "Short Notice," a talk show "featuring Asian American short films, wrapped around candid & eye-opening conversations with the filmmakers behind them."

As for the immediate future, however, line up now (cuz there will be lines for this one, at least at your local Redbox depository) to see her shine in the year's most highly- and hotly-anticipated film, as well as a contender for greatest film title ever, Nazis at the Center of the Earth, out next Tuesday, April 24th everywhere people enjoy entertainment.

2011 Loonies Winners!!!

The call went out to designate the favorite films and performances from last year's Asylum productions, and you, the die-hard fans, responded in record numbers. So, without further adieu, your 2011 Winners of Looney Awards for Excellence in Asylum Films:

BEST DIRECTOR: Jared Cohn, Born Bad

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Alex Yellen, 2012 Ice Age

BEST CREATURES: Zombies, Zombie Apocalypse

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Battle of Los Angeles

BEST SCORE: Chris Ridenhour, Zombie Apocalypse

BEST SCREENPLAY: Jared Cohn, Born Bad

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: AnnaMaria DeMara, 200MPH

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Gerald Webb, 2012 Ice Age

BEST ACTRESS: Bonnie Dennison, Born Bad

BEST ACTOR: Michael Welch, Born Bad

BEST PICTURE: Born Bad

So there you have it, your 2011 Looney Award Winners. Born Bad was this year's big winner, and the first Big 5 winner in Looney history - director, screenplay, actor, actress and picture. Congrats to Cohn and crew, as well as all the other Looney winners and nominees. 2011 was the best Asylum year yet, and 2012 is promising to be even better, so as I see it, we're all winners. Huzzah!

Just a Reminder: Don't Forget to Vote for The Loonies!!!

That's right, gang, there's still time to vote for your favorites in the 2nd Annual Looney Awards for Excellence in Asylum Films before the polls close on February 8th.

Who do you think was the year's Best Actor? Was it the ruthlessly vile psycho-boyfriend portrayed by Michael Welch in Born Bad? Or did you prefer the pipe-swinging, zombie-killing stoicism of Ving Rhames in Zombie Apocalypse? Who won you over more, Debbie Gibson or Tiffany? And what was the best Asylum film of the year? Was it A Haunting in Salem? Hmm? Hmmmmm?

The answer to these and at least 8 or 9 other questions are all within your power to help answer. Simply visit the link above, peruse the nominees then email your list of winners to AsylumLoonies@hotmail.com before February 8th to have your vote count. Winners will be announced two days later, on the 10th, and my personal picks for the best of the year will be posted in-between, on the 9th.

If you've yet to see any of the nominees, all of The Asylum's 2011 output is now available on DVD, so get thee to a video outlet and remedy this oversight toot suite!

inmate re-profile: Director Christopher Olen Ray

So, with only three weeks before the DVD release of 2 Headed Shark Attack, I thought it time we start shining the Committed spotlight on the creative personnel involved, starting with the man in the director's chair of this impending classic, one Christopher Olen Ray.

That's Mr. Ray on the left there.

Ray has directed twice before for the Asylum - last year's Mega Shark Vs. Crocosaurus with Jaleel White and this year's Almighty Thor with Richard Grieco - as well as twice before that: in 2008 he directed Reptisaurus, a made-for-TV movie starring Gil Gerard, and a series called "Road to Rhythm." 

I've made mention here before of Mr. Ray's cinematic pedigree - his father is noted exploitation director Fred Olen Ray, who in more than thirty years of filmmaking has unleashed nearly one hundred titles, among them Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, Evil Toons and Scalps. Ray honed his skills spending years as an assistant director, PA and coordinator on more than a dozen of his father's films, so you know he received a lot of firsthand, on-set training from a master of the field. In fact, C-Ray's still works as a first assistant director on occasion, most recently on two other Asylum films - A Haunting in Salem and Zombie Apocalypse - and also on an upcoming C. Thomas Howell film I've made mention of before, Camel Spiders.

Christopher Ray, therefore, is no stranger to the creature-feature game - as MSvC clearly and deftly proved - he is weathered, learned, and more than capable of delivering to us, the ever-expectant masses, simply one of the Greatest Shark Films of all time (please please please).

Decades from now when they mention the best B-Movies of the early 21st Century, I have every faith 2 Headed Shark Attack will be on the tip of every tongue, as well as the name of its director, Christopher Olen Ray. Watch the magic unfurl before your very eyes when the greatest story ever told hits DVD January 31st, 2012, only a few short weeks from now...

TWO New Asylum Flicks on DVD TODAY!!!

For the first time maybe ever, today marks the release of not one, but TWO new Asylum movies on DVD: Zombie Apocalypse and The Amityville Haunting.

Zombie Apocalypse - written by Craig Engler and Brooks Peck and directed by Nick Lyon - is about pretty much what the title would lead you to expect: a group of survivors in a zombie wasteland try and fight their way to salvation. The film stars Ving Rhames, Taryn Manning, Gerald Webb, Lesley Ann-Brandt and scores more, and did right well in its World Premiere on SyFy back in October.


And then there's The Amityville Haunting, the latest found-footage project from the studio, this time concerning an ill-fated family that chose the wrooooong house to move into.


Both of these films are definitely worth a watch - Zombie Apocalypse boasts some of the best effects, writing and acting the studio's ever put out there, and Amityville Haunting will scare the living crap out of you, believe me. Jump to the links above for more info, including production stills and trailers, then go wherever you go to procure DVDs these days and get your hands on this fun and frightening double feature.
  

outside the walls: December DVD Releases

So I'll admit it, there are films not produced by The Asylum. There always have been, always will be. These glasses I wear are not rose-colored. They are clear, and occasionally smudged with fingerprints. A sampling of non-Asylum films due soon and news that might spark the interest of Asylum fans. Just remember, Sweet 'n Low ain't Sugar.

December 6

Alien Armageddon

The Bait

Point Blank

Psychic Experiment

December 13

Kill Katie Malone

Little Deaths

The Undying

December 20

Burke & Hare

Saint Nick

December 27

Zombie Apocalypse

written by Craig Engler & Brooks Peck

directed by Nick Lyon

starring Ving Rhames, Taryn Manning, Lesley-Ann Brandt & Gerald Webb

The Amityville Haunting

found-footage film

Apollo 18

Armed & Deadly

Chop

Final Destination 5

The Hunters

Hostel Part 3

In the Name of the King 2

The Tunnel

The 2011 Loonies...Coming SOON!!!

That's right, as another year draws to a close, so is birthed the 2011 Looney Awards for Excellence in Asylum Films, a completely-unaffiliated, fan-voted and non-binding awards presentation I designed to spotlight the best of each year's Asylum crop. 

There are still two films left to be released in 2011 - Amityville Haunting and Zombie Apocalypse - so I don't have all of the nominees as of yet, but I have most of them lined up and ready to drop...which I will do Friday, December 30th, three days after both Amityville & Zombie are released on DVD.

Last year's big winner was Mega Piranha, taking 5 of 8 categories including Best Picture and Best Director for Eric Forsberg. Who's the frontrunner this year? Mega Python vs Gatoroid? Zombie Apocalypse? A Haunting in Salem? Only time and your votes will tell.

The 2011 Loonies boast more categories, more nominees, and more opportunities for B-movie-blog immortality. Don't just imagine the possibilities, stop by December 30th and live the dream...

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.

11/11/11 on DVD Today!!!

Whew, seems like every time I turn around there's another Asylum movie out. It's still shy of a month since A Haunting in Salem was released on DVD, and since then we've seen the DVD release of 3 Musketeers and the TV premiere of Zombie Apocalypse. Plus, Born Bad hits DVD a week from today, and the mysterious found-footage film Amityville Haunting comes out in December. 

But all this is a side-note to what's happening today: the DVD release of apocalyptic thriller 11/11/11. 

I posted my thoughts on this one last Friday, and strongly encourage anyone who enjoys creepy kids, cultish behavior, twisted suburbia, decapitations or Satan to rush right out to wherever you procure movies these days and gets your hands on this fine film.

For fans of The Omen, The Exorcist, The Stepford Wives, Rosemary's Baby, The Seventh Sign or the "Twilight Zone" episode, "It's a Good Life."

observation notes: Zombie Apocalypse

Tonight was big for Asylum fans, as the studio's biggest film of the year - Zombie Apocalypse starring Ving Rhames, Taryn Manning, Eddie Steeples, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Johnny Pacar, Gerald Webb, Gary Weeks, Anya Monzikova, Lilan Bowden, Robert Blanche and scores more - got a World Premiere on the SyFy network. Now, as the film won't be on DVD until December 27th, and so far there's only one replay on the books, November 15th at 7pm, I won't give away any spoilers here, only my own personal and heavily-biased opinions. 

Let's start with the plot, shall we? I know that these days the kids like their concept's high but I've always been a believer in simple storylines and complex character interactions; sometimes an apocalypse is just an apocalypse. And that's what we have here, a full-blown, end-of-the-world scenario, rife with brain-gobbling, rotten and smelly zombies. We come into this world six months after the plague hit; the planet's human population has been reduced by 90% and those that are left are fodder for the hungry undead. But among the chaos there is one band of survivors still fighting, cutting a bloody swath across America on their way towards a rumored sanctuary on Catalina Island. 


This concept comes courtesy of writers Craig Engler and Brooks Peck, and is the debut script for both. You'd never know it, though, for the expert pacing and suspense-building storytelling going on. The action starts right at the beginning and skulks through the film like a "straggler," a constant potential threat to our ragtag band of survivors, portrayed by an ensemble cast firing on all cylinders.


Ving Rhames as "Henry" is, as expected, an all-around badass, in that strong, silent, stoic way he practically invented. Simultaneously, though, he imbues the film with heart using that fuzzy teddy-bear charm he can turn on at will. He's just the ultimate warrior/protector, and when you put a sledgehammer in his hands, it's fucking on.


Taryn Manning as "Ramona," however, I think serves as the film's true heart. Easily the character one can most relate to, she's more muted here than usual, in a good way, in a way that causes you to see the effect of this insane situation on the frail human spirit. She's strong but she's frazzled, hopeful but haggard, hanging on but only by a thread, the way anyone would be.


The real standout for me was Lesley-Ann Brandt as "Cassie," the sleek, swift, graceful but no-less-deadly yin to Ving's yang, his brazen lieutenant with the same heightened sense of caution but laced with a healthy dose of attitude and alluring femininity. She's an alpha female, that over-achiever you could never hate no matter how much you wanted, and now she's got a sword. Ms. Brandt commanded the screen, and conquered her role like a pack of flesh-eaters.


I could go on and on about every single member of the cast; for me, there were no misses: rounding out the rest of the main pack we had Eddie Steeples as "Billy," the Everyman counterpart to "Ramona," Gary Weeks as "Mack," the affable and confident quarterback of the gang, Johnny Pacar as "Julian," the playful wildcard of the bunch, the smirking idealist to "Mack's" noble pragmatist, and the always great Gerald Webb as headstrong and protective "Kevin." Not to mention Anya Monzikova, Robert Blanche and Lilian Bowden as "The Archers," another tough-as-nails survivor clique that adds stunning beauty and stealthy brawn to the fight.


Overall then, what you have here is a smart, fresh, innovative and thrilling entry into a tired genre. As much as people say there's nothing new in zombie movies, Zombie Apocalypse manages to do just that, thanks to a thoughtful and epic script from Engler and Peck. If this is what they can accomplish right out of the gate, I can't wait to see their 2nd, 3rd, and 25th efforts. The visual effects from Joe Lawson and his Awesome Team (feel free to put that on the back of satin jackets, guys) pull not a single gory punch. Kudos too to the make-up department for making not only believable zombies, but believable dead zombies. That's usually the first thing to derail movies like this, crappy effects. Zombie Apocalypse doesn't come close to having that problem. I bet Halloween with these dudes is rad.


Chris Ridenhour provided the score, and once again it's out-of-the-park. I want to hire him to score my life, the way people hire personal chefs; with his accompaniment, everything is more exciting and important, I'd never do the dishes the same way again.


And bringing it all together is director Nick Lyon, who here has crafted a visually-stunning and violently-beautiful film. The fight scenes are manic yet graceful, the kills are spectacularly bloody, the image of a ruined world is fully-realized and realistic, the story moves naturally and myriad other aspects that add up to an intense, intimate and atmospheric film full of thrills, kills, chills, hills, blood, guts and gore. Easily the best non-theatrical zombie film I've seen in a while, heck, maybe ever. And I say that not as an Asylum-fanatic, which I am, but as a zombie film freak. Helluva good time, this one.


Try to catch the re-run on November 15th at 7pm, because after that it's six weeks or so until the DVD release.

observation notes: 11/11/11

With a lot of Asylum-attention this week focused on Saturday night's SyFy premiere of Zombie Apocalypse, not a lot has been said about the other Asylum film out in the next few days, the apocalyptic numerological thriller 11/11/11, directed by Keith Allan and written by Allan & Kiff Scholl. Allow me, then, to talk about it, as I have just seen it.

Plot-wise, 11/11/11 concerns a set of parents, Jack (Jon Briddell) and Melissa (Erin Coker), who become increasingly alarmed at their son Nat(Hayden Byerly)'s erratic and violent behavior. And they have every right to be: seems Nat isn't just acting up, he's the key to the whole freaking Apocalypse, which is nigh, people, and only two weeks away in real time - 11/11/11, the kid's birthday. Helluva set-up.


As usual, I'll refrain from spoilers, but suffice it to say, what we have here is a taut, well-paced, dramatic, suspenseful, sinister and bloody thriller of Biblical proportions, literally. It's a film that opens with a bang - several of them, actually - and ends even more explosively. Think equal parts The Omen, The Stepford Wives and Rosemary's Baby; a heady cocktail, believe me.


The cast has a lot to do with 11/11/11's success: whether principles or supporting, most everyone here brings their A-game. Briddell plays the father as concerned to the point of angered frustration, a powerful but helpless man, and is appropriately tortured. Coker as his wife - though bedridden much of the film - is the fragile heart of the story, delusional with fear and medication and burdened by an unbelievable truth she shares alone. But it's Byerly as the son who practically steals the show. He's stoic, soft-spoken but rigid, not sheepish, plain-faced and pensive until he needs to erupt and then the boy's a true devil. Kid's got chops, and they're on full display here.

Then there's the deep supporting cast, the characters who make up the neighbors and townsfolk with an eerie interest in the boy's upcoming birthday: Tracy Pulliam as bossy, busy-body realtor Janice; David Bertolami and Rebecca Sigl as Chris and Sarah, the too-nice neighbors with spooky lingering stares; Nicholas S. Williams as Mick, the mentally-challenged truth-speaker; Greg Wall as Mike the janitor; co-screenwriter Kiff Scholl and Melissa Wintringham as over-perky joggers Brian and Marie - this one really is a team effort, with everyone turning in convincing performances. 


The two standouts of the supporting cast, in my opinion, have to be Madonna Magee as Annie, the creepy-kooky stalker old lady next door with a heart of gold, a load of hard-earned wisdom and a touch of good, old-fashioned madness; and Aurelia Scheppers as Denise, the "nanny" and the film's sultry femme fatale - think a smarter, more dangerous Megan Fox.


Add to this fine story and these stellar performances the once-again spot-on musical score of Chris Ridenhour (really, this guy, like Asylum productions in general, gets better every film. I want a box set of his scores) and sweeping, approaching-epic direction of Allan, and it all equals a thrilling, brutal, convincingly-frightening and horribly plausible film - numerically and Biblically speaking - well-executed by all. 

In all honesty, I really liked the crap out of this one; it's one of my favorites of the year, I think. But don't take my word for it, see for yourself this Tuesday, November 1st, when 11/11/11 hits DVD, just in time for you to get your affairs in order. I'm kidding. I hope.

inmate profile: Nick Lyon

 

Wrapping up Committed's spotlighting of the creative talent behind Zombie Apocalypse, premiering Saturday night at 9pm on SyFy, we turn lastly to the man who brought these wonderful acting and writing talents together, along with dozens of other elements: director Nick Lyon.

Originally from the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon (where I currently reside), Lyon moved to Germany and furthered his film studies. To date he has directed six feature films: I Love You, Baby with Oscar-winner Maximillian Schell, the award-winning indie drama Punk Love, and five TV events - Grendel, Annihilation Earth, Species: The Awakening, Bermuda Triangle Northsea and now Zombie Apocalypse. 

Of these, I've only seen Species: The Awakening, and though a few beers in at that point, I remember liking it. Regardless of my imbibing approval, the bottom line is that this film is in a pair of very experienced hands with a good feel for the genre and a solid track record. 

Find out for yourself Saturday night, 9 o'clock, SyFy, when Zombie Apocalypse makes its world premiere. And if you're on the West Coast, don't forget to stop by for my live blog event: just me, a TV, theme food and real-time. Should be at the least interesting.  

inmate profile(s): Craig Engler & Brooks Peck

With only days before the world television premiere of the latest Asylum production, Zombie Apocalypse, Committed has been taking a look at the talent behind this neo-horror classic-in-waiting; already this week I've featured actors Ving Rhames and Taryn Manning. Now we go behind the camera, to the page, in fact, with a look at writers Craig Engler and Brooks Peck.

Mr. Engler has an extensive bio over at his blog-to-be, the long and short of which is back in the late 90's he started a Sci-Fi web 'zine that the Sci Fi Channel first licensed content from then purchased, putting him in charge of their online presence. Today he is the Senior Vice President and General manager of SyFy Digital. So if you follow SyFy on Twitter - which you totally should, it's a lifeline to everything about TV's coolest channel - you're following this guy. Basically, the dude knows SyFy movies better than most people on the planet, so of course you can count of Zombie Apocalypse hitting every note just right. 

But Mr. Engler isn't alone in this endeavor, his co-writer, Brooks Peck also helped forge this horrific, splendid nightmare of a film. And apparently the two work well together, because they have also penned a film I'm instantly dying to see, Rage of the Yeti, with 3 Musketeers' and Born Bad's David Chokachi. I couldn't find as much info online about Mr. Peck, but guaranteed the guy knows his creature features. SyFy doesn't hire chumps.

Find out for yourself just how awesome a plot these two wordsmiths have concocted THIS SATURDAY NIGHT @ 9PM when Zombie Apocalypse gets its world premiere on SyFy.

inmate profile: Taryn Manning

Continuing to spotlight the cast and crew of The Asylum's next release, Zombie Apocalypse, premiering THIS SATURDAY NIGHT ON SYFY @ 9PM, we turn now to the lovely and talented Taryn Manning.

Hailing from the painted terrain of Tuscon, Arizona, Ms. Manning quickly took to the screen, landing her first role at only 16 in the star-launching Nickelodeon series "All That." But it was her turn in 2001's Kirsten-Dunst vehicle Crazy/Beautiful - in which Ms. Manning was first able to showcase her saucy/sultry/sassy side - that the world really took note. 

From there she went on to appear in a spate of films, including the Britney-Spears-starring Crossroads, 8 Mile with Eminem, White Oleander, Cold Mountain, Hustle & Flow, The Breed, and most recently, multiple-episode arcs of television shows "Sons of Anarchy" (one of my favorite programs) and "Hawaii Five-0." 

In addition to her accomplishments on screen, Ms. Manning is also a singer-songwriter - both with her borther Kellin in Boomkat and on her own as a solo artist - and a fashion designer - she co-owns a label called Born Uniqorn, which she also designs for. She was also the cover girl for this year's Playboy Sex & Music issue back in April. Busy lady.

In Zombie Apocalypse, she plays "Ramona," another of the survivors fighting their way across an undead-plagued Los Angeles towards a supposed-sanctuary on Catalina Island. Find out if she brings her usual moxie to the role THIS SATURDAY NIGHT @ 9PM ON SYFY when Zombie Apocalypse makes its world premiere.

inmate profile: Ving Rhames

With the world premiere of Zombie Apocalypse THIS SATURDAY NIGHT ON SYFY @ 9PM, there isn't a lot of time to spotlight the various talent behind this soon-to-be genre classic, so let us make haste and dive right in with the man himself, the star of Zombie Apocalypse and - with all due respect to everyone else, you guys all know I'm a fan - the single biggest star to grace an Asylum flick to date: Ving Rhames.

I don't have to tell you who Ving Rhames is, you know who Ving Rhames is, and if you don't know who Ving Rhames is, it's time to leave the pack of wolves that raised you and step into the real world. Ving Rhames is a veteran actor with a wide range of roles in more than 100 projects over the last 25 years, including Michael Mann's "Crime Story" and "Miami Vice," Paul Schrader's Patty Hearst and Brian DePalma's Casualties of War, Adrian Lyne's Jacob's Ladder, David Mamet's Homicide, Wes Craven's People Under The Stairs, his star-making turn as "Marcellus Wallace" in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, a recurring role in four Mission Impossible movies as "Luther," turns in Striptease, "ER," Rosewood, Con Air, Out of Sight, Entrapment, Bringing Out the Dead, Undisputed, Dawn of the Dead, "Kojak," Day of the Dead, and as "Deputy Fallon" in Piranha 3D, Piranha 3DD and Shark Night 3D. 

But what I remember most fondly about Ving Rhames is both his Golden-Globe winning performance as legendary boxing promoter Don King in the HBO Original Movie "Don King: Only in America," and his acceptance of said Golden Globe: he instead gave it to Hollywood legend Jack Lemmon, who had been nominated in the same category for his turn in the William Friedkin take on 12 Angry Men. That was the single classiest moment of entertainment history I ever personally witnessed - via television, of course - and as Jack Lemmon was and is a personal favorite of mine, one of the most touching moments, as well*. Ving Rhames: helluva actor, helluva guy.

In Zombie Apocalypse Ving plays "Henry," and while there isn't much known about his character, from the pictures you can pretty much tell he's playing the Badass. Find out for yourself when you and every single person you know tunes in to SyFy this Saturday Night, October 29th at 9pm for the world premiere of the latest Asylum masterpiece, Zombie Apocalypse.

*it also set up one of the funniest moments in Golden Globe history: the next year, when Jack Lemmon actually won the award in the same category for "Tuesdays With Morrie," the first thing he said upon taking the stage was (paraphrasing), "In the spirit of Ving Rhames, I'd like to give this award to Jack Lemmon."

11/11/11 Trailer Released

Keeping the news coming in this busy Asylum week - already we've gotten Celebrity Sex Tape info and stills, as well as Air Disaster details - just this morning The Asylum posted the trailer for the upcoming apocalyptic thriller 11/11/11, out 11/1/11 - a few days after the Zombie Apocalypse premiere on SyFy (10/27) and the DVD release of Jared Cohn's Born Bad (11/8) - and this one looks to be a gripping, intense, cerebral drama. Dig the trailer, courtesy of You Tube:

11/11/11 stars Jon Briddell, Hayden Byerly and Erin Coker, and is directed by Keith Allan from a script by he and Kiff Scholl.