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Stars: David Long, Kristi Ray, Taylor Kowalski, Barbara Weetman, Jon Stafford, Nate Panning, Joy Merrow, Shane Callahan, John Marchioni, Simon Crist, Shaun O’Rourke, Johnny Blanton, Patt Noday, Donna Stamm | Written by Joe Stauffer, David Long | Directed by Joe Stauffer

Those who know me personally within certain circles know that I have something of a distaste for a lot of the underground horror films released over the past couple of years. Especially when it comes to “extreme” underground horror. If I had a penny for the amount of times I have been coaxed in to watching an effort that’s been hyped or included in one one of those tedious “Most Extreme Horror Films!” slideshow videos on Youtube (You’re always going to get a lot of views doing one of those lists by the way!), only to be completely disappointed and bored out of my skull, I’d have...

There are great dangers in being an actor. The cutthroat competition, the grueling days on set… and the obsessed serial killers. Well, that serial killer thing isn't the norm, but it's front and center in Pieces of Talent.

Now available to stream, as well as on DVD and in old school VHS format, Pieces of Talent was co-written and directed by Joe Stauffer. It stars co-writer David Long. He is joined in the cast by Kristi Ray, Jon Stafford (Full Metal Jacket), Barbara Weetman (Stuck in Love) and Taylor Kowalski (Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever).

The gruesome F/X were done by Tony Rosen, who created the Annabelle doll for The Conjuring and its upcoming spinoff.

An autographed copy of the film can be purchased at the Pieces of Talent webstore, where you can also pick up other cool items like a bloody VHS Death Tape and hand-painted David Long bobbleheads.

I know very little about this film, mostly on purpose. I have heard Piece of Talent being mentioned by several friends, and on various Facebook groups that focus on solid indie horror, so it was already on my radar, but I have no idea what it is all about. A press release went out today, announcing that the film was now available on DVD & VHS through the Pieces of Talent website. I’m always excited to check out new indie horror films, even though the typical indie horror output as of late has been a little bit disappointing. However, there are definitely still a few gems that slip through the cracks, and this is shaping up to be one of them, in my eyes. Check out the press release below, and order your copy today.

Synopsis:

Set in the small coastal town of Bright Leaf, North Carolina, Pieces of Talent centers around Charlotte,...

There's always the temptation to stay inside during the winter, made even more compelling by the wide array of films you can watch at home. But that would be ignoring the 89 reasons why the only place more inviting than a couch near the fireplace is a seat at your local arthouse where the options range from the ancient Roman war epic "The Eagle" with Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell to the fantastical Palme d'Or-winning elegy "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" from Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Many awards contenders will expand across the country while those sick of such serious fare can fall back on revenge-themed thrillers with Jason Statham, Nicolas Cage or the deadly Korean twosome of "The Housemaid" and "I Saw the Devil," the action stylings of Donnie Yen ("IP Man 2") and Tony Jaa ("Ong Bak 3"), or the comedies of John C. Reilly and Ed Helms ("Cedar Rapids...

A North Yorkshire man has announced that he will be staying indoors on Halloween because he fears the day could kill him. John Stafford, from Scarborough, suffers from an extreme case of arachnophobia and has been told that he could suffer a fatal heart attack if he sees toy spiders on October 31. Reports suggest that the 54-year-old has already collapsed once this month after he spotted joke spiders in a store window while he was out shopping. Stafford told the Yorkshire Post: "When I tell shop owners about it they think it's funny, but it's not a laughing matter. I stop breathing and pass out, it's just (more)...

"Milk" emerged with an original screenplay honor at the 2009 WGA awards!

Dustin Lance Black, the film's scriptwriter said:

.I want to thank God for making my dreams come true, and I want to thank God for giving us Harvey Milk.

.Milk. beat the screenplays for "Burn After Reading," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," "The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."

Black was also honored by the WGA with the Paul Selvin award for his work on civil rights. According to Variety, Black revealed:

.We need to dream bigger than Proposition 8...I.m a child of Harvey Milk, and I.m a child of the movies. Those two things can inspire a guy to dream big..

I love that, "a child of the movies." Yay!

Meanwhile, "Slumdog Millionaire" continues to dominate awards circuit. Scriptwriter Simon Beaufoy won for best adapted screenplay. "Slumdog" is based on a Vikas Swarup novel.

Oscar prognosticators take note!

It's award time yet again. Now, the 2009 WGA winners have been announced! Took place at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles and the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City. Film-wise, "Milk" won the best original screenplay, "Slumdog Millionaire" once again impressed with Simon Beaufoy winning in the adapted screenplay category. "30 Rock" won again in TV and "Black Radio Month" written by Anthony J. McHugh, won the award in Radio for documentary. As listed, here are the winners of the 2009 Writers Guild Awards: Screen Winners Original Screenplay Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features Adapted Screenplay Slumdog Millionaire, Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, Based on the Novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup, Fox Searchlight Pictures Documentary Screenplay Waltz with Bashir, Written by Ari Folman, Sony Pictures Classic Television Winners Dramatic Series Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Jane Anderson, Rick Cleveland, Kater Gordon,...

Slumdog Millionaire continued its winning streak this awards season, with Simon Beaufoy winning the 2009 Writers Guild of America award this evening for adapted screenplay. Dustin Lance Black won the award for best original screenplay for Milk. Slumdog has already won DGA, SAG, PGA and Golden Globe awards, and is a multi-award favorite for the Oscars. Milk has won SAG and PGA awards and is also a strong Oscar contender in multiple categories.

On the television side, awards went to the writers of Mad Men (drama), 30 Rock (comedy), Recount and John Adams in long-form categories, and In Treatment, Breaking Bad, and The Simpsons in various other fields. Controversially, among other awards was one for videogame writing (to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). Some publishers declined to submit their titles for consideration, viewing the award as primarily an organizing tool for a guild seeking to gain a foothold in a non-unionized sector.

Fox Searchlight's Indian drama "Slumdog Millionaire" put another notch in the kudos-season win column Saturday, copping a WGA Award for best adapted screenplay for Simon Beaufoy.

Focus Features' Harvey Milk biopic "Milk," penned by Dustin Lance Black, won best original screenplay.

"This wasn't the easiest movie to produce, you know -- it's pretty gay!" said a grinning Black, who also was honored with the guild's Paul Selvin Award for championing constitutional rights and civil liberties.

Black added that he prayed a lot during the writing of the "Milk" screenplay.

"Mostly, I'll admit, I prayed for a green light," he said. "So I have to thank God, and I want to thank God for making my dreams come true."

In addition to "Milk," nominees in the original screenplay category included "Burn After Reading, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."

In winning the best-adapted laurels, "Slumdog" overcame competition from...