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It is a truth universally acknowledged (or at least should be) that Matthew Lillard is one of the most endlessly fascinating — and, if we're being honest, underrated — character actors of his generation. From Scream's Stu Macher, to Slc Punk!'s Stevo, to Scooby-Doo's Shaggy Rogers and Twin Peaks' William Hastings and Five Nights At Freddy's Steve Raglan/William Afton, the man constantly delivers. And now, ahead of starring in Mike Flanagan's upcoming The Life Of Chuck and reprising the role of Stu in next year's Scream VII, Lillard is already lining up another eye-catching role — as the latest addition to the ever-expanding MCU.

Per Deadline's reporting, Lillard has just signed on to star in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, which sources have confirmed is set to enter production next week. Who exactly Lillard will play in the series, a revival of Netflix's wildly popular mid-2010s take on...

After nearly three decades, Scream 7 is set to deliver one of the biggest twists in the franchise’s history — Matthew Lillard is returning as Stu Macher. The announcement, revealed by Deadline, has sparked speculation and excitement among horror fans, as the character was believed to have been definitively killed off in the 1996 original.

Lillard’s return marks a full-circle moment for the actor, whose role as the horror-obsessed, unhinged high schooler in Wes Craven’s Scream launched his career. While his character’s demise—via a television dropped on his head—seemed final, the Scream series has never shied away from bending its own rules. Whether through flashbacks, retcons, or unexpected narrative twists, the franchise has found ways to bring back past characters in surprising ways. The question remains: How is Stu still alive? Fans have speculated for years that he could have survived, perhaps resurfacing as a mastermind behind Ghostface killings all along.

by Isabel Jacobs

Michael A. Goorjian is an award-winning American actor, filmmaker, and writer, known for his roles in “David’s Mother” (1994), “Slc Punk!” (1998), its sequel, “Punk’s Dead” (2016) and many other films, television series and theater productions. Goorjian received acclaim as a director for his mock-documentary “Oakland Underground” (1997) and the movie “Illusion” (2004), which he wrote, directed and starred in alongside Kirk Douglas.

He was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. His father is Armenian, his grandparents are survivors of the Armenian genocide, an experience that also shapes his latest comedy-drama “Amerikatsi”. The film centers around Charlie Bakhchinyan, played by Goorjian himself, an Armenian-American who repatriates to Soviet Armenia after World War II. Arrested for the crime of wearing a tie, he ends up in prison.

“Amerikatsi” won various awards and became an instant classic in Armenia where it was selected as the country’s entry for the...

Angst is alive and well in Collider's exclusive trailer debut of Rats!, an upcoming film that embodies all the punk rock vibes of the early aughts that you’ve been missing. Throwing things back to familiar and simpler times when movies like Slc Punk! and the Cky film series gave us plenty of reasons to believe in the heavily sarcastic and rage-filled counterculture, the Carl Fry and Maxwell Nalevansky co-helmed feature is a love letter to the coming-of-age genre mixed with small town life and big personalities. Ahead of its theatrical arrival on February 28 and its March 11 digital drop, the trailer for Rats! teases one teenager’s battle with growing up and keeping his nose clean, even when the rest of the world pulls him into its drama.

Dancing With the Stars has opened the door for new opportunities for some celebrities who have competed on the show. In Season 33, The Bachelor's Joey Graziadei and his fiance Kelsey Anderson went from reality TV stars to popular influencers. Model Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko's showmance made constant headlines. Even former mirrorball trophy winner and 90s actor, Alfonso Ribeiro, found himself with a brand-new career as the show's co-host.

However, not every celebrity who gets approached to be on DWTS finds it a great opportunity for their career. A certain Hollywood actor turned down the chance to be a contestant for fears that he wouldn't be able to land any more serious acting roles. For this actor, the thought of competing on the beloved reality TV show would just do the opposite for his career.

Related The Highest-Scoring Celebrities Ever On 'Dancing With The Stars'

These celebs certainly...

Don Mancini and Devon Sawa are both horror icons in their own ways. For Mancini, he’s the creative mind behind the ever-growing and uber-popular Child’s Play franchise which has spawned seven feature-length films and an incredibly successful TV series, which is now in its third season on Syfy and USA Network. On the other side of the camera is Sawa, whose appearance in Chucky marks his first time working with Mancini, but is far from his first foray into horror-centered projects. Back in the early 2000s, Sawa’s face was synonymous with the first film in the Final Destination franchise, and the actor also held roles in other notable projects, including Idle Hands, Slc Punk!, Wild America, Now and Then, and more.

Five Nights at Freddy’s has several notable characters from the video games that have made it into the new movie. Not all of Five Nights at Freddy’s characters are human, and it's no secret that the animatronics have become the stars of the show. The cast of Fnaf is equally iconic with names like Matthew Lillard and Josh Hutcherson leading a wildly talented cast.

This article contains spoilers for Five Nights at Freddy's, now streaming on Peacock.

Video game adaptations are an increasingly popular trend, with movies like Super Mario Bros and Tetris stealing the show. While they're not the best rated, especially by critics, movies that adapt video games are always promising. The latest video game adaptation only solidifies that with Five Nights at Freddy's.

Five Nights at Freddy's is a highly beloved video game franchise, bringing a horror twist to children's entertainment places like Chuck E. Cheese. The...

This post contains spoilers for "Five Nights at Freddy's."

Matthew Lillard is a horror legend and we don't say it enough. We know him and we love him from films like "She's All That," "Slc Punk," "Without a Paddle" ... any "Love's Labour's Lost" fans out there? But the man got his start in horror and his irrepressible comic spirit and fearless willingness to switch to pitch-black menace on a dime have made him an extremely effective and underrated horror star, as you can see in films like "Scream," "Scooby Doo," and "Thirteen Ghosts." 

Lillard has just added another glinting badge to his vest in the form of "Five Nights at Freddy's." We meet him as Steve Raglan, the career counselor that our hero, Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson), is sent to after he beats up a dad in front of his son while on the job. Mike is a man of few words,...

Alex Grant adds intrigue and complexity to the Bondurant murder case in The Lincoln Lawyer season 2, as he is Mickey's best path to getting Lisa acquitted. Michael A. Goorjian plays Alex Grant, a construction company owner with ties to the Armenian mob, and he becomes a suspect in Bondurant's murder due to his threatening email and dangerous connections. Grant's involvement in illegal activities on his construction sites, as confirmed by an FBI letter, puts him in danger and poses a threat to Mickey and his team in The Lincoln Lawyer season 3. Where to Watch Powered by

This article contains spoilers for The Lincoln Lawyer season 2. Of the many new characters introduced in Netflix's The Lincoln Lawyer season 2, Alex Grant is one that adds a certain layer of intrigue and complexity to the Bondurant murder case. The Lincoln Lawyer is a legal drama based on novels by Michael Connelly, and...

Evan Peters played one of his most memorable characters in American Horror Story when he appeared as Kai, and there is an interesting reason for Peters' blue hair. Coming as the horror anthology show's seventh season, American Horror Story: Cult chronicled the rise of a violent cult that asserts itself in the wake of the 2016 US presidential election. The most politically-charged season by far, AHS: Cult didn't shy away from pushing the audience's buttons when truly examining the mentality behind cult leaders and cults in general. Most importantly it found a new way to scare that was eerily realistic.

Understandably controversial considering its subject matter, AHS: Cult received positive reviews from critics and Peters' performance was especially praised. Much in the same way that the actor stole every scene he was in, Peters' blue hair left a distinct impression on viewers, and it became as much a part of...

Five Nights at Freddy’s is an intense horror movie adapted from the video game series of the same name, and its cast is filled with recognizable faces that bring these iconic characters to life for a new generation. The Five Nights at Freddy’s movie follows a mostly original narrative with plenty of unexpected twists and turns that even existing fans of the game won’t expect, though it is inspired heavily by the heaps of background lore in the Five Nights at Freddy’s universe.

The first video game in the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise was released in 2014, and it quickly became a huge online sensation, with players ranking it among the scariest video games ever released. The game follows a troubled security guard who begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, where animatronic characters hunt him down. Five Nights at Freddy's was notorious for its use of tension and jump scares,...

Trainspotting is a cult classic of the '90s that gathers a brilliant young cast to tell a harrowing story about characters mixed up in drugs. Set in Edinburgh in the late '80s, the movie revolves around a group of delinquents at the moment they decide to overcome their heroin addiction and find a better future for themselves. Yet, what seems easy in theory turns out to be nearly impossible with the constant allure of friends and a series of tragedies that bring them right back to their hopeless state.

Trainspotting starts off as a comedy and quickly gives way to drama, exploring the perspective of each character in the face of compulsion, death, and despair. The movie's reputation only grew stronger as the years went by, eventually earning a sequel with the original cast 20 years later. Trainspotting is still considered Danny Boyle's best movie, and it introduced...

With recent films like Everything Everywhere All at Once deftly blending comedy and drama, movie fans can't help but remember other so-called happy films that delivered a surprise emotional gut-punch. While comedies and adventure films are supposed to be uplifting, they can also break audiences' hearts with a sad scene or two.

From animated hits like Inside Out to goofball comedies like Shaun of the Dead, even the peppiest of movies can sometimes take a surprisingly heart-wrenching turn. Though plenty of upbeat movies have sad moments, users on Reddit took to the site to call out the scenes that absolutely shattered them.

Our Idiot Brother (2011)

Though it was mostly forgotten by audiences, the 2011 Paul Rudd vehicle Our Idiot Brother allowed the celebrated comedic actor to show a bit more range than viewers were expecting. Citing a sad scene from the movie, a deleted user wrote "When Paul Rudd's character just...

Much has been made of titles being quietly removed from HBO Max over the last few week, but while the number of films departing the service in September is substantial, at least subscribers have a heads up.

As is the case every month, various movies are due to leave HBO Max in September, and below we’ve got the full list of which films are leaving and when so you can prioritizing some viewing options. Noteworthy removals include the 2021 Warner Bros. thriller “The Little Things” starring Denzel Washington (leaving Sept. 16), the 2020 “Freaky Friday” horror riff “Freaky,” Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” films, the “Lethal Weapon” franchise, “Super 8,” “Tootsie” and the Nancy Meyers classic “The Holiday.”

Check out the full list of what’s leaving HBO Max in September below.

September 4

Meet the Patels, 2014

September 5

Turner Classic Movies: Follow the Thread, 2022

September 8

Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, 2018

September 9

Horrible Bosses 2,...

Matthew Lillard knows his career stirs up a lot of nostalgia for some fans. The actor has been in the business for decades, and several of his films like Scream and the live-action Scooby-Doo movies have become cultural touchstones for a generation. “When you have been around as long as I have, there’s something in my life that means something to somebody,” Lillard told Andrea Towers at the TV Insider and TV Guide Magazine studio, sponsored by Hollywood unBranded, during San Diego Comic-Con 2022. He then pointed out the staying power of 1996 horror blockbuster Scream, in which he played the villainous Stu Macher, as well as his cult favorite 1998 film Slc Punk!. Reflecting on that flick about a group of ’90s punk rock disenfranchised kids, he said, “If you are a kid living on the outside, that movie has resonance. “Fandom is really special that way,” he continued, noting that...

In what can be called movie geek comfort food, Battle: Los Angeles and Krull have become cult favorites over the years. Why? You can watch either movie while doing other things keeping an extra eye on the screen, have devout fans who can recite the dialogue verbatim and will defend both movies to the end. Guilty pleasures, yes, cult status, definitely.

Even HBO Max has it listed as such.

The 2011 sci-fi and 1982 fantasy films have come to HBO Max and are available to stream now.

“Marines don’t quit.”

Battle: Los Angeles, starring Aaron Eckhart, and from director Jonathan Liebesman (Wrath Of The Titans), is the exciting story of a squad of U.S. Marines who become the last line of defense against a global invasion. It gets the military right than most war movies. Numerous Marine units assisted in filming and the movie contains some awesome scenes with Black Hawks,...

The return of fan-favorite shows, auteurs tackling new original series, new documentaries and more headline what’s new on HBO Max in April 2022.

Top of the list is the HBO Max original series “The Flight Attendant,” which returns for its second season on April 21. Then there’s the long-awaited return of Bill Hader’s “Barry” on April 24 on HBO and HBO Max, as well as Season 3 of “The Black Lady Sketch Show” on April 8.

In terms of new originals, “The Wire” and “The Deuce” creator David Simon is back with the new series “We Own This City” on April 25, which chronicles the rise and fall of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force. Michael Mann executive produces and directs the first episode of the neo-noir “Tokyo Vice,” which premieres on April 7. And Ben Foster stars as Holocaust survivor Harry Haft in the HBO Original Film “The Survivor,” which...

April is about to be a good month for returning HBO and HBO Max properties.

HBO Max’s list of releases for April 2022 features three hotly anticipated seasons of television. The Flight Attendant, which helped launch HBO Max as a viable spot for good dramedy in 2020, premieres its second season on April 21. That will be followed by another go-around for the sci-fi comedy Made for Love on April 28. Of course, the big ticket item this month is something that HBO Max inherited from its cable cousin. Barry season 3 will continue the story of hitman-turned-actor Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) on April 24.

The TV offerings run much deeper than just returning shows this month. April 7 sees the arrival of Tokyo Vice, a sprawling crime drama with some episodes directed by Michael Mann. The series stars Ansel Elgort as an American journalist embedding himself in Tokyo’s criminal underground in the late ’90s.

Image Source: Netflix

If you've been wondering if Project Power's Newt (better known as the guy on fire) is played by Machine Gun Kelly, the answer is "yes." And if you were surprised to see him appear in the Netflix film, you really shouldn't be. Colson Baker may be better known as a rapper from Cleveland, but believe it or not, the 30-year-old has actually been adding to his acting résumé for a while now. In fact, he made his acting debut back in 2014 in the romantic drama Beyond the Lights.

Related: Bird Box: Yes, Dumplin's Danielle Macdonald Plays Olympia, and Yes, She's Wonderful

In Beyond the Lights - which stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Minnie Driver, Nate Parker, and Danny Glover - Machine Gun Kelly plays a self-important rapper named Kid Culprit who used to date Mbatha-Raw's character (and who tries to force the rising pop star to remove her...

At this year’s Riot Fest in Chicago, The A.V. Club asked bands to play a game we call Punk Or Not Punk, in which they rate random things on an arbitrary, dichotomic scale. This round, A Day To Remember rates knitting and Slc Punk!, and tells us about the time they unwillingly ended up at a convention for furries.

Read more...

Hokey aliens invade the seventies British punk scene in John Cameron Mitchell’s “How to Talk to Girls at Parties,” and the results are not nearly as ridiculous as that sounds — for a while, at least. Channeling the communal intimacy of “Shortbus” and the riotous musicality of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” Mitchell transforms Neil Gaiman’s sci-fi short story into a vibrant, edgy and at times outright goofy statement on tough antiestablishment rebels and freewheeling hippy vibes, suggesting that they’re not really all that that different.

At its center, scrawny, leather-clad punk teen Enn (Alex Sharp) veers across the grimy London suburb of Croydon alongside equally rambunctious pals John (Ethan Lawrence) and Vic (Abraham Lewis), heckling at passersby en route to a noisy concert. As English rockers The Damned blast on the soundtrack, the frame rate gets jagged and the kids seem to content to run wild in...

Summer is coming to an end and the 2016-17 TV season is just around the corner (not to mention football and more football). So it’s a good time to cram in a whole collection of shows and movies on Netflix before your schedule gets so full you won’t know what to do with yourself. Some exciting additions are a couple Fast and Furious movies, No Country for Old Men and Funny Or Die Presents: Donald Trump’s Art of the Deal: The Movie, which stars Jonny Depp as Trump. Check out the list. Find a comfortable spot and begin watching. New to Netflix August 1 The American Side An Inconvenient Truth Apex: The Story of the Hypercar Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure Big Daddy Black Widow Critical Condition Deadfall Destination: Team USA Funny Or Die Presents: Donald Trump’s Art of the Deal: The Movie The Family Man The Fast and the Furious...

Crazy cops, cuddly fish, punk rockers, and X-treme super-spies all have a home in today’s edition of Sequel Bits: Director Joe Carnahan teases a Bad Boys 3 action scene. New toys reveal Finding Dory‘s new characters. XXX 3: The Return of Xander Cage gets a distributor and a new image. A clip from Slc Punk […]

The post Sequel Bits: ‘Bad Boys 3’, ‘Finding Dory,’ ‘Slc Punk 2,’ ‘XXX 3: The Return of Xander Cage’ appeared first on /Film.

17 years after writer-director James Merendino explored the Utah punk scene in the cult classic Slc Punk!, the filmmaker has returned for his long-awaited follow-up Punk's Dead: Slc Punk 2. The film will be released in select theaters from February 11 through February 15 via Tugg, before debuting on Digital Download February 16 and DVD, VOD and Digital HD March 8. To get fans ready for this long-awaited sequel, Cinedigm has provided us with an exclusive clip, featuring original stars Devon Sawa and James Duval reprising their roles as Sean and John the Mod.

James Merendino returns to the wild world of Salt Lake City punk's underground with his new feature Punk's Dead: Slc Punk 2. Garnering a fan following, along with an Independent Spirit Award nomination, for his 1999 cult hit Slc Punk!, Merendino's highly anticipated follow-up was partially financed by a highly successful Indiegogo campaign. Punk's Dead: Slc Punk 2 will be available exclusively...

“In a country of lost souls rebellion comes hard. But in a religiously oppressive city, where half it’s population isn’t even of that religion, it comes like fire!”

Slc Punk! screens Wednesday night February 3rd at Schlafly Bottleworks at 8pm

Last month at Webster University’s Strange Brew Film series, we went back in time to 1976. This month, we go back to 1985 for a look at punk rockers adrift in a city of confounding religious values.

Writer-director James Merendino’s Slc Punk! (made in 1998) is a tour through Salt Lake City through the eyes of two punks, Stevo (Mathew Lillard), an intellectual punk rocker devoted to anarchy and Heroin Bob (Michael Goorjian) circa 1985. Stevo makes it clear early that Heroin Bob’s name is ironic for the fact that he is petrified of drugs, needles in particular. Stevo narrates the movie in the style of a documentary about punks in the Utah area,...

Fans of cult favorite Slc Punk have been anxiously awaiting this news: the sequel finally has a release date. It was announced that the roll-out of Punk's Dead: Slc Punk 2 will begin in theaters followed by VOD and DVD in February 2016. Almost one year ago, we saw the full trailer for James Merendino's sequel which has been teased for almost two years. After a crowd-funding campaign that reunited... Read More...

Happy Birthday Adam Pascal Pascal received Obie and Theatre World awards and Tony and Drama Desk nominations for best actor for Rent. On Broadway, he also originated the role of Radames in the hit musical Aida and starred as the Emcee in the long-running revival of Cabaret. His film credits include Rent, School of Rock, Slc Punk, Temptation and Goyband. He most recently starred in Memphis on Broadway.

The distributor has picked up all Us and Canadian rights Gabrielle Demeestere’s Slamdance selection starring James Franco and Henry Hopper.

Newcomer Calum John, Alec Mansky and Everett Meckler round out the cast on the 1985-set tale of three school friends in the wealthy California local of Palo Alto.

Yosemite is based on Franco’s short stories from his collection A California Childhood. Rabbit Bandini Productions produced with The Art Of Elysium and Sam Slater and Paul Bernon of Burn Later Productions.

monterey brokered the deal with ICM Partners and plans a winter 2015 launch.

Cinedigm has acquired all North American rights to Punk’s Dead: Slc Punk 2 and will release theatrically in early 2016 followed by digital roll-out. Punk’s Dead is the sequel to 1999’s Slc Punk and follows the next generation of outcast misfits adrift in the Utah hinterlands. Cinedigm brokered the deal with Xyf Films.

Read More: Watch: Heroin Bob Lives In New Trailer For ‘Slc Punk 2: Punk’s Dead’ Cinedigm has acquired all North American distribution rights to "Punk's Dead: Slc Punk 2," the sequel to the 1998 cult hit that follows the next generation of outcast misfits through the Utah hinterlands. The film was financed in part by an Indiegogo campaign. Ben Schnetzer, Hannah Marks, Colson "Mgk" Baker, Sarah Clarke and Devon Sawa star. James Merendino, who directed the original "Slc Punk," returns for the followup and centers the story on Heroin Bob's teenage son, Ross, who embarks on a road trip to a punk show along with his friends. During their odyssey — and with the help of a healthy dose of drugs, alcohol and punk music — Ross shreds his Gothic outlook and embraces life. "We’re thrilled to be bringing this cult favorite sequel to both the original fans of Slc Punk,...

Cinedigm has acquired the North American distribution rights to “Punk’s Dead: Slc Punk 2,” the distributor announced Wednesday. The sequel to “Slc Punk,” the 1998 cult classic starring Matthew Lillard and Michael A. Goorjian as two punks battling adulthood in Salt Lake City, will be released in theaters in early 2016, followed by digital, TV and VOD distribution. The film follows the next generation of outcast misfits through the Utah Hinterlands. The teenage son of Heroin Bob (Goorjian), Ross, along with his friends Penny and Crash, embark on a road trip to see a huge punk show. Also Read: Cinedigm Appoints...

In this installment of Off the Cuff with Peter Travers from the Sundance Film Festival, Rolling Stone's movie critic catches up with actor Jason Segel, who makes his first visit to the Utah fest since 1997, when a 17-year-old Segel was promoting Slc Punk. "I remember [Sundance] being a little more quaint than this. It's turned into a real kerfuffle," Segel says. Travers adds, "There's something about Sundance. It's an audience like no other. They'll wait in the snow for two hours to see a movie they’ve never heard of because,...

Rising stars Ben Schnetzer (“Pride”) and Nick Jonas (“Kingdom”) are nearing deals to play brothers in “Goat,” an adaptation of Brad Land’s acclaimed memoir that Andrew Neel will direct for Killer Films and James Franco’s Rabbit Bandini Productions, TheWrap has learned.

Neel (“King Kelly”) will direct from a script he co-wrote with Mike Roberts, based on an earlier draft by David Gordon Green.

Reeling from a terrifying assault, 19-year-old Brad Land (Schnetzer) enrolls in college with his charismatic younger brother (Jonas) and pledges the same fraternity. What happens there, in the name of “brotherhood,” tests the boy and...

Heroine Bob may still be dead, but his son is alive and well and looking to turn himself into a legend. Writer and director James Merendino returns 18 years after the cult classic Slc Punk! with the sequel Punk's Dead. The first trailer has arrived, and we finally get to see what happened to some of our favorite characters from the 1999 original.

In Punk's Dead, Heroin Bob's son Ross (Ben Schnetzer) is having an existential crisis, with his father offering some insight from beyond the grave. Back from the original are Trish from the Bong Shop, Stevo, Sean the Beggar, John the Mod, crazy Mark and tree hugger Mike as they all set out to arrogantly save the world for another generation...or at least Od trying.

Find out what has happened in the past two decades, as Punk's Dead takes us to the pivotal events in some of these characters' lives since Slc Punk!

"I thought you guys had no rules. I thought you lived life and took risks and fucked systems." We've already seen a teaser trailer for the surprise follow-up to the cult classic Slc Punk!, but now the full trailer for the indie sequel Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2 has arrived. Heroin Bob's son Ross (Ben Schnetzer) is the focus this time, and it looks like he's having some kind of existential crisis. But it looks like his father will offer some slices of wisdom from beyond the grave, and there's other familiar faces like Devon Sawa, Michael Goorjian, Adam Pascal and James Duval. It seems to have its heart in the right place. Watch! Here's the full trailer for Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2 from the film's YouTube page: You can still watch the teaser trailer for Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2 right here. Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2 is...

When I worked at Blockbuster Video (man, that makes me sound old), there were always certain movies constantly checked out or with a waiting list. The Boondock Saints was one and Slc Punk! was another. I never quite got all of the love for Slc Punk! but I know there is a rabid fan-base that has been clamoring for the long in development sequel Punk's Dead: A Young Punk's Odyssey. Featuring some of the main cast (Jason Segal and Matthew Lillard are not back), director James Merendino has...

Whether you are a filmmaker, or one of the Sundance programmers whose task it is to identify the films that make up a line-up, it is indeed the most wonderful, panic-filled and nerve racking time of the year. The 31st edition of the Sundance Film Festival kicks off on January 22nd with Park City and Salt Lake City playing host to some of the more innovative, thought-provoking narrative and non-fiction films of 2015. Last year, a Jenga tall order of 4,057 features and 8,161 shorts were submitted. Now let’s think about those numbers for a second.

Twenty years ago, Terry Zwigoff’s Crumb claimed the Grand Jury Prize Documentary award, Living in Oblivion‘s Tom Dicillo was honored with the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, and Edward Burns’ micro-budgeted The Brothers McMullen (there is a read-worthy, lively, eleventh hour account on how it was submitted to the fest in Ted Hope’s “Hope...

Happy Birthday Adam Pascal Pascal received Obie and Theatre World awards and Tony and Drama Desk nominations for best actor for Rent. On Broadway, he also originated the role of Radames in the hit musical Aida and starred as the Emcee in the long-running revival of Cabaret. His film credits include Rent, School of Rock, Slc Punk, Temptation and Goyband. He most recently starred in Memphis on Broadway.

In case you’ve forgotten, or potentially not even seen it, 1998’s "Slc Punk!" told the hilarious and bitter story of two unruly punks, Stevo and Heroin Bob, trying to maintain an anarchist way of life in the cultural wasteland, of the very unpunk conservative suburbs of Salt Lake City circa 1980. An irreverent and self-aware satire about maintaining the punk ethos while trying to figure out next steps in life, this funny coming-of age tale was often compared to slacker/druggie-centric films like "Trainspotting" and "Clerks." But as wry, sharply written and critically acclaimed as "Slc Punk!" was, the indie was a generally little-seen portrait of the clash between the blind conformism of the suburbs and the rebellious punk lifestyle. Writer/director James Merendino made several films before and since, but none seemed to posses the same spark as his semi-autobiographical look at his nihilistic teenage years (which was nominated for a Best.

The original members of the Ramones may all be dead now, just like the music they played, but man do they and that music still sound great in a movie trailer. This time it’s “Cretin Hop” over part of the new teaser trailer for Punk’s Dead: Slc Punk! 2, a sequel that we’ve been waiting to see come to light for the last year. This is proof that it’s looking like a worthy follow-up for all the fans of the 1998 original. Of which I am definitely one. Still, in punk rock fashion, it ends with a proper “Fu” directed right at all of us. This first spot also shares a good indication of what the plot entails. It’s 2004 and “Heroin” Bob (Michael Goorjian) is indeed still dead, but he apparently is still cursing us out from the afterlife. Meanwhile, he’s left behind a very pretty son (Ben Schnetzer) who is now about...

Heroin Bob might not be in such great shape these days — given that he's dead and all — but that doesn't prevent him from introducing his son's adventures in the teaser trailer for Punk's Dead: Slc Punk 2. Photos 19 Sequels That Outgrossed the Original Movies Drugs, partying and swordplay abound in the trailer for the sequel to 1998 cult hit Slc Punk. The new film centers on Heroin Bob's son, Ross, who deals with his dad's death by swallowing a ton of shrooms. Plus, Heroin Bob (Michael Goorjian) shows up from beyond the grave in the beginning of the

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We've got the first teaser trailer for writer and director James Merendino's Punk's Dead: Slc Punk 2, and it brings back Heroin Bob (Michael A. Goorjan). He's still dead, but he does play a part in the story that's being told. The film focuses on Ross (Ben Schnetzer), the son Bob had with Trish. Bob seems to be narrating the film from his grave.

Merendino went into a little more detail about the story in an interview saying:

“It’s about him interacting in this world with a much sharper point of view than even Stevo. He’s sort of a goth kid. He’s not mired by having to say he’s a punk rocker. I don’t know what else to say. I could give away more spoilers but then who’s gonna want to see the movie?”

Here's what the director had to say about the teaser...

"My name's Bob, and back in the day, this is where I totally fucking died." Back at the beginning of the month, some first look photos from the quickly progressing sequel Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2 surfaced, showing off Heroin Bob (Michael A. Goorjan) and his grave along with some old and new faces. Now director James Merendino has released a teaser trailer, and the old gang is back, including Devon Sawa, Adam Pascal and James Duval. Don't worry, Heroin Bob isn't back from the dead, but he seems to be narrating this film from the grave while his son Ross (Ben Schnetzer) is coming-of-age in Salt Lake City. Here's the teaser trailer for James Merendino's Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2 from The Wrap: Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2 is written and directed by James Merendino. 18 years later, Bob is still dead, but Trish from the Bong Shop, Stevo, Sean the Beggar,...

Hey posers, I got something for ya! Director James Merendino has released a teaser trailer for Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2, the upcoming sequel to his 1998 cult movie Slc Punk! Although Matthew Lillard and Jason Segal won't be back for the follow up, Michael Goorjian will return as Heroin Bob, and he will also be the narrator this time. The film also stars Ben Schnetzer (Warcraft) as Bob's son Ross, as well as Hannah Marks (The Amazing Spider-man) and Sarah Clarke...

We now have a first look at Punk's Dead: Slc Punk 2, James Merendino's follow-up to his 1998 cult classic about two young anarchist punks navigating life in Salt Lake City in the mid-80s. Of the follow-up, Merendino told the Wrap: “In this teaser, you will get a glimpse at familiar faces and I briefly introduce Bob's son, Ross. I am not revealing all of the characters or even much of the story. There's more, much more. Enjoy.” So, what else do we know so far? Well, the original gang is all back (minus Matthew Lillard), Heroin Bob has risen from the grave, and there will be plenty of moshing, because of course.

Writer-director James Merendino has released a teaser trailer for “Punk's Dead: Slc Punk 2.” Matthew Lillard starred in the 1998 cult classic, which co-starred Devon Sawa, Adam Pascal, James Duval and Michael Goorjian. Those four original cast members return to reprise their respective roles of Sean, Eddie, John the Mod and Heroin Bob, the latter of whom returns from the grave in the teaser. Also read: ‘Slc Punk!’ Sequel Shooting This Summer With Heroin Bob Set to Return The sequel introduces Ben Schnetzer (“Warcraft”) as Heroin Bob's son, Ross, while Machine Gun Kelly co-stars as a character named Crash. The new female...

Liberty Spike Productions has released eight photos from director James Merendino's new film Punk's Dead: Slc Punk 2. The film was successfully crowd funded through IndieGoGo, and it's awesome to see this movie taking shape! I'm a huge fan of the original 1990s film, which over the years has become a cult classic. It's going to be really awesome to be able to revisit some of these characters.

The photos include a huge mosh pit, Bob's ravaged headstone, Hannah Marks as Penny, Ben Schnetzer as Ross, Michael Goorjian returning as Heroin Bob, and more. Devon Sawa will reprise his role and Til Schweiger is rumored to be returning as well.

The story will revolve around a new character, who happens to be the child of Heroin Bob and Trish. Merendino went into a little more detail in a previous interview saying, “It’s about him interacting in this world with...

This past May, some surprising news arrived announcing a sequel to the 1998 cult classic Slc Punk! from writer and director James Merendino. Even more surprising was the return of Devon Sawa, Michael Goorjian, Adam Pascal and James Duval reprising their roles from the first film. Now some first look images from Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2 have surfaced, showing off Hannah Marks as Penny, Ben Schnetzer looking like a vampire as Ross, and the return of Heroin Bob in two different forms. The photos seem to capture the spirit of the original film, but will this be anything more than nostaliga? We'll see. Look! Here's the first photos from James Merendino's Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2 (via Film School Rejects): Punk's Dead: Slc Punk! 2 is written and directed by James Merendino. 18 years later, Bob is still dead, but Trish from the Bong Shop, Stevo, Sean the Beggar, John the Mod,...

There’s an open discussion about nostalgia happening now where participants either decry our reliance on it based on Buzzfeed Gif-sticles and co-opting major studios, or vaunt a highly personalized flavor of hazy memories by looking uncritically at the past. Then there’s Punk’s Dead: Slc Punk! 2, an attempt at opening the wounds of the 90s cult classic and rooting around inside. Like the mohawked engine that could, the production has taken a successful crowdfunding campaign (no doubt fueled in part by nostalgia) and converted money into moving images — some of which director James Merendino saw fit to share with us. The second coolest image is from the concert scene where now-older characters reconnect. Merendino used the IndieGoGo money to bring Screeching Weasel and anyone who donated at least $10 to the cause together for a show that scored over 1,200 participants. The coolest image, as you’ll see below, is the grave of a beloved friend. That...

The Slc Punk sequel is called Slc Punk 2: Punk's Dead. But guess who's not dead anymore? Heroin Bob! Yup, despite overdosing in the 1998 cult classic, this Slc Punk anti-hero is back, and he brought the family with him. Updated: Matthew Lillard has just Tweeted the following, dashing the hopes of Slc Punk fans everywhere: I'm officially not involved with Slc Punk sequel. I know, I think it's weird too. But... There you go. Good luck to all involved.— matthew lillard (@MatthewLillard) May 8, 2014 So, that's that. From earlier: The Wrap reports Slc Punk writer-director James Merendino will shoot Slc Punk 2: Punk's Dead this summer in Salt Lake City. And fans of the original can get in on the action, as Merendino is allowing 2,000 fans to be extras in a major concert scene featuring headliners Screeching Weasel and the Dwarves. This sequence will be funded through Indiegogo and shot ...

Matthew Lillard seems just as surprised as everyone else that “Slc Punk!” is getting a sequel after all these years. Earlier this week, writer/director James Merendino announced that his 1998 film, about two punks living on the edge of society in conservative Salt Lake City, would return for a second go-round. In the announcement, he said that the new movie, “Slc Punk 2: Punk's Dead,” would return original cast members Devon Sawa, Michael Goorjian, Adam Pascal and James Duval. But Lillard, who played Stevo in the first film, was missing from that list, and now we know why: I'm officially not involved.