We’ve crossed the halfway mark of 2018, so each day this week, a different member of Team /Film will be counting down his or her favorite films of the year so far. Some of these movies have only played at festivals, but as long as they have release dates slated for sometime this year, they’re fair game for our lists. Find out how two horror movies, two superhero films, a few wildly inventive indies, and more stack up in my ranking below. Read More »

Alex Garland is Not Interested in an ‘Annihilation’ Sequel
Posted on Tuesday, May 29th, 2018 by Hoai-Tran Bui
Annihilation was one of the most profound sci-fi experiences to be had in theaters this year. But don’t look to director Alex Garland to try to replicate the sci-fi/horror film that critics were hailing as a modern masterpiece. Though the film is based on the first entry in author Jeff VanderMeer‘s trilogy of sci-fi novels, Garland says that he isn’t interested in making an Annihilation sequel.
We’re giving away three free Annihilation 4K Blu-rays, and you won’t have to travel to Area X to win. Details on your chance to win our Annihilation contest are below.

Exclusive ‘Annihilation’ Behind-the-Scenes Video Reveals How That Horrifying Bear-Creature Came to Be
Posted on Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018 by Chris Evangelista
One of the most memorable scenes in Alex Garland‘s amazing sci-fi mind-trip Annihilation involves a genuinely terrifying mutated bear-creature. In an exclusive Annihilation behind the scenes video below, learn how the filmmakers created the monster bear from the film.

New Blu-ray Releases: ‘Black Panther’, ‘Annihilation’, ‘It’s Alive’ Trilogy, ‘Wild at Heart’
Posted on Tuesday, May 15th, 2018 by Chris Evangelista
(Welcome to Not Dead Yet, a feature dedicated to new Blu-ray releases and what special features you should be excited about. Because yes, some of us still like to own physical copies of our movies.)
It’s time to round-up the best Blu-ray’s available right now, and in the immediate future. This week’s biggest release is, of course, Black Panther. Beyond that, we have an early look at the impending Blu-ray release of Annihilation. Also: Scream! Factory’s It’s Alive box set, and Shout Select’s Blu-ray release of David Lynch’s Wild and Heart.
Here are the new Blu-ray releases and their special features you should check out this week, and beyond.

‘Annihilation’ Deleted Scene Revealed by Director Alex Garland
Posted on Wednesday, February 28th, 2018 by Chris Evangelista
Director Alex Garland recently spilled the beans on a lengthy Annihilation deleted scene that never made it into the final film. The scene in question featured more time spent at the mysterious Southern Reach facility.
David, Devindra, Jeff, and Kristy discuss Alex Garland’s latest film, Annihilation. Check out Indiewire’s piece on Netflix streaming and Chris Evangelista’s deep-dive into Annihilation. To enter our Coco contest, email slashfilmcast@gmail.com with the words “Coco Contest” in the subject line and share your favorite musical moment in films. Include your address (US only, no PO boxes).
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Daily Podcast: A Spoiler Discussion Of Annihilation: The Ending, Themes, Book, Script, Sequels & More
Posted on Monday, February 26th, 2018 by Peter Sciretta
On the February 26, 2018 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editor-in-chief Peter Sciretta is joined /Film weekend editor Brad Oman and writers Ben Pearson, Hoai-Tran Bui and Chris Evangelista to talk about the latest news, that filmmaker Kevin Smith suffered a heart attack. In the Spoiler Room, we’ll be talking all about Annihilation. Spoilers, the ending, the differences from the book, script and what the sequels would have been about.
You can subscribe to /Film Daily on iTunes, Google Play, Overcast and all the popular podcast apps (here is the RSS URL if you need it).
Major spoilers for Annihilation await you below.
A woman stands on a deserted beach. Behind her, grey waves crash; ahead of her, crystal trees grow out of the sand, and a row of bones mark the entrance of a lighthouse, a structure containing the horror and beauty of the universe.
That’s the setup for the third of act of Alex Garland’s dazzling new sci-fi epic, Annihilation. Natalie Portman plays the woman, Lena, a retired Army veteran and a biology professor at Johns Hopkins University. She’s in a place called the Shimmer, a strange anomaly of land that started when something resembling a meteor crashed into the lighthouse and took up home there. The anomaly spread, and teams started going in to investigate. Lena’s husband, Kane (Oscar Isaac), was a part of one expedition – he was the only survivor, and returned abruptly with no memory of what happened to him, and with multiple organ failure. Lena, hoping to find answers in the Shimmer, enters with an all-female crew to do what the other expeditions could not: uncover the nature of the anomaly and stop it from spreading.

The Original ‘Annihilation’ Script Featured a Very Different Ending
Posted on Monday, February 26th, 2018 by Chris Evangelista
Annihilation may not have been a box office smash over the weekend, but it’s certainly a film that has people talking. Those who’ve watched Alex Garland‘s weird, disturbing adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer‘s novel have come away with questions; particularly in regards to the film’s ambiguous conclusion. An earlier draft of Garland’s Annihilation script, however, reveals a an alternate Annihilation ending that’s far less mysterious. Spoilers follow.