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“Did you hear what happened to Baroness?”

That was the portentous question that got passed around the mostly insular heavy metal community in August 2012. After all, the group had just released Yellow & Green, a double-album (and the group’s third full-length) to nearly universal acclaim barely a month earlier.

It should have been their breakthrough. Baroness were one of a breed of bands operating in the thorny haze of post-2000s metal that wasn’t quite thrash, wasn’t quite nü-metal (thankfully), and wasn’t quite punk, but a postmodern hybrid of virtually every form of heavy music from the...

Satisfactory Endeavor: Evans’ Latest Enjoyable Fluff

Welsh director Marc Evans explores 1970’s rural Wales with his latest film, Hunky Dory, following his 2010 film Patagonia. While Evans is somewhat of a genre jumper, oscillating between thrillers like My Little Eye and Trauma to indie drama like 2006’s Snowcake, his films don’t quite seem to bear a directorial signature. His latest, which is a sort of coming of age story about a group of high school students staging an ambitious musical that, on one hand feels much more sincere than any number of similar American examples (yes, like Glee), lacks any sort of real depth. As its title implies, everything seems to be moving along quite alright, which perhaps is only evidence that Evans’ film isn’t trying to be anything more than it simply is, a kindhearted film about a friendly, progressive minded teacher helping kids explore emotions through art.

Mena Suvai is probably best known for her work in the American Pie movies and American Beauty but she recently turned her hand to a UK based comedy called The Knot (out tomorrow 5th October) which has been written by Noel Clarke of Adulthood fame. She takes on the role as Sarah in the film which was directed by Jesse Lawrence for his first feature film.

I got to chat with Mena about her role in the movie, what it was about it that attracted her to it, working in the UK and what it is she loves so much about it. I ask her about her previous work, what she gets recognised for most and how she found working with the British team that has worked with Clarke for such a long time now.

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Can you tell how you got involved in the movie

The last time I was in London,...

The American actress came over to the UK to work on forthcoming movie 'The Knot' – which Noel Clarke co-starred and wrote – and she was very impressed by the up-and-coming screenplay writer and actor. Speaking about Clarke Suvari told BANG Showbiz: "Noel Clarke is great! The movie centres around a wedding and so the groom's side, the bride's side, everyone coming together for this event. It's really funny. "I play one of the bridesmaids, it was a lot of fun. Noel is great, and so talented. He wrote this and starred in it. I really admire him. I'd love to be able to work with him again in the future." ------------------- Read More: Sexy new stills of Robert Pattinson released -See Photo Sinead O’Connor announces winner of her perfect man contest The secret of Bono's great marriage -- his wife Ali ------------------- Noel – who has starred in sci-fi TV series 'Doctor Who',...

The American actress came over to the UK to work on forthcoming movie 'The Knot' – which British star Noel writes, produces and stars in – and she was very impressed by the up-and-coming filmmaker.

She exclusively told Bang Showbiz: "Noel Clarke is great! The movie centres around a wedding and so the groom's side, the bride's side, everyone coming together for this event. It's really funny.

"I play one of the bridesmaids, it was a lot of fun. Noel is great, and so talented. He wrote this and starred in it. I really admire him. I'd love to be able to work with him again in the future."

Noel – who has starred in sci-fi TV series 'Doctor Who', gritty London crime movie 'Kidulthood' and Ian Dury biopic 'Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll' - is not the only British star Mena has enjoyed working with.

The 32-year-old screen...

The King's Speech; Blue Valentine; Archipelago; The Way Back; I Saw the Devil

What is there left to say about The King's Speech (2010, Momentum, 12)? Having triumphed at both the box office and at international awards ceremonies it arrives on DVD, where its ascension to the top of the charts seems more certain than Charles's ascension to the throne. In cinemas, the real genius (accidental or otherwise) of Tom Hooper's impressively old-fashioned film was that it attracted an audience many of whom don't go to the movies any more, drawing the kind of spontaneous end-credits applause which went out with the playing of the national anthem.

On DVD it comes packed with a host of extras, such as commentaries, making ofs and original broadcasts by Bertie himself, including the eponymous address to the nation on the eve of war. But the main attraction remains the same: Colin Firth's mesmerising...

Subject: Colin Firth, 50-year old English actor

Date of Assessment: March 30, 2011

Positive Buzzwords: Underrated, mainstream

Negative Buzzwords: Stiff, posh, bore

The Case: The good news, as accurately declared by Colin Firth in his recent (Best Actor) Oscar acceptance speech, is that his career really has just peaked. The bad news, however, is that in the event of a career peak, a downward slide might be inevitable. In the best case scenario, it is entirely possible Firth could parlay his Oscar win into more exposure for the sorts of roles that he's played before and for which he hasn't yet received proper recognition.

Most of us know Firth as the quintessential Englishman and for good reason. He's quite notorious for his straight-out-of-the-novel portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the six-episode miniseries Pride and Prejudice, in which he performed the classic Regency version of a one-man wet t-shirt contest. Indeed, there's something strange...

It is that time of year again when Dread Central pays its respects to those who have worked in our beloved genre and made it to the red carpet on Oscar night 2011. The genre was in rare form when it came to the nominations. Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan was up for the gold in multiple categories (best picture, best actress, cinematography, and direction); even The Wolfman was on the short-list for best make-up. And win we did.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves because therein lie the gems of VHS past for a large share of both the winners and folks who were nominated. Highlights include a win for Melissa Leo (nominated two years ago for Frozen River), whom we remember best as Judith 'MaMa' Baer in Deadtime Stories. And who could forget Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho? My fellow fright fiends, he brought home the gold last night.

Colin Firth and Natalie Portman will be respectively presented the Desert Palm Achievement Award for Actor and Actress at the 22nd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival. The Awards Gala will kick off the 2011 awards season on Saturday, January 8 at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

This award is very fitting for both actors. Firth is receiving major Oscar buzz for his performance as King George VI in "The King's Speech," and Portman for Darren Aronofsky's "The Black Swan."

I'm excited for these two actors, and I'm excited for the Film fest. I'm a Palm Springs resident so this is good news! Here's the complete press release:

The 22nd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will present Colin Firth and Natalie Portman with the Desert Palm Achievement Award for Actor and Actress, respectively. Presented by Cartier, the Awards Gala will kick off the 2011 awards season on Saturday, January 8 at...

It's a game of who shot first. All three major horror rags featured The Walking Dead on their covers. What does that tell you? The shows anticipation is at a fever pitch and all three brands are clamoring to get the scoop. This month's September issue of Rue Morgue delves deep into the AMC series. Which magazine will you choose or are you like us, do you own all three?...

Rue Morgue The Walking Dead #104

Featuring zombies taking over on the cover!

Dead Air

Frank Darabont wants to rot your brain with his TV take on Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead, the greatest zombie comic of all time.

Plus: Kirkman on his original comic book series and the TV adaptation, and quotes from the cast and crew.

by Dave Alexander and April Snellings

The Meat Generation

Fantagraphics’ Four Color Fear unearths the goriest, most perverse and offensive terror tales...

Everyone on this site knows how much I desperately despise re-makes of classic films. To your surprise, I am really happy about a recent movie that has been released to DVD; that movie would be the direct-to-dvd movie “ Day Of The Dead”. This film literally has an all star strutted cast which include Mena Suvari (American Pie, American Beauty, Trauma, Sugar and Spice), Nick Cannon (MTV TV Show host, Roll Bounce, Drum-Line, Men in Black II), Ving Rhames (Death Race 2: Frankenstein Lives, I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry, Idlewild, MI2) and Annalynne McCord (TV’s 90210, Fired Up!, Transporter 2).

Here is the Official Plot : In Leadville, Colorado, Captain Rhodes and his army seals off the town to contain an influenza-type epidemic. The locals are not allowed to leave the town and the Pine Valley Medical Center is crowded with sick people. Corporal Sarah Bowman was born...

The actor's fame was assured in a clinging wet shirt in Pride and Prejudice and now he has an Oscar nomination for his starring role in A Single Man. His true passion, however, is far removed from the trappings of stardom

The idea of being a minority taste appealed to Colin Firth. It was a comfortable place to be. There would be fans around, of course, but not banks of adoring hoi polloi lining the pavement when he went out for a stroll.

"There are some actors who, wherever they go, people show up because they think they are fantastic," he once mused. "Then there are slightly marginalised people who are like somebody's secret. I feel like a Second Division football team that has this following who are more into it for the fellowship of each other."

An Oscar nomination for his lead role in Tom Ford's debut feature, A Single Man,...

Adam Lambert (Sort Of) Kissed A Girl ... And No One Could Stop Talking About It

The big gay news of the week is that one big gay icon did something not so gay and set the gay blogosphere abuzz. That's right, Adam Lambert posed for some racy pictures with a nekkid girl and the reaction of our readers was all over the place as demonstrated by the nearly 70 comments folks posted. Our follow-up poll the next day registered nearly 2,000 votes and generated another 50+ comments.

As for the poll results — it was a dead heat with 41% of folks loving the pics and 41% saying "Ew" and believing that someone was trying to give Adam a "hetero" make-over. I'll say one thing; you folks had a ton of passionate, mostly articulate things to say about the topic.

Personally, I see the whole issue as being a nice little zeitgeist-y moment in how we...

Curious to know what frightful films and devilish discs will be available to view in the privacy of your own digital dungeon this week? Fango's got you covered.

Below the jump you'll find the full list of titles arriving in-stores this Tuesday, September 29, 2009 in our weekly version of the famous Fangoria Chopping List. There's a good bounty to be had, so start making your own chopping list now!

Note: Clickable links lead to Amazon.com

42Nd Street Forever Volume 5: The Alamo Drafthouse Edition (special edition): Synapse

Welcome To The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the most awesome post-modern hot spot for exploitation movie revival, deep in the heart of Texas! Home to world-famous events such as The Quentin Tarantino Film Fest, Fantastic Fest and Butt-Numb-A-Thon, the Alamo is one of the last places on earth where you can still see grindhouse classics such as The Devil Within Her and Mad Monkey Kung Fu.

DEJ Prods. has acquired North America rights in all media to the psychological thriller Trauma. The first film from Little Bird's genre label Ministry of Fear, Trauma was directed by Marc Evans from an original script from Richard Smith and centers on Ben (Colin Firth), who awakes from a coma to discover his wife has been killed but then learns she might be alive. It was produced by Jonathan Cavendish and Nicky Kentish Barnes. The deal was negotiated by Myriad Pictures president Kirk D'Amico, who exec produced with Stephen Break of DEJ Prods.

Mena Suvari has signed on to star opposite Jennifer Aniston in an untitled Ted Griffin project. The Warner Bros. Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures production is gearing up for a start later this summer. Suvari, seen in an eight-episode arc on HBO's Six Feet Under, will star as Annie, the younger sister of Aniston's character, whose wedding brings all the characters together in the film. Griffin is directing from his own script. Already set for roles are Shirley MacLaine, Kevin Costner, Mark Ruffalo and Charlie Hunnam. Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney are producing for their studio-based Section 8 outfit along with Paula Weinstein. Bruce Berman and Mike Rachmil are executive producing. Suvari is repped by the Gersh Agency and attorney Debbie Klein. After Six Feet Under, Suvari will be seen opposite Colin Firth in the indie thriller Trauma, followed by the MGM Queen Latifah starrer Beauty Shop.