Sorry for the lack of updates, it's been sort of hectic around here. Before I can write the review for Double Indemnity (or let myself write it), I want to finish the essay that's due for the class on Wednesday. I should have Breathless by Dean Koontz read in a few days, so that is on the agenda. Then it's on to The Chill.
Thanks for sticking with!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Some new additions
I've put some more blogs on my links section on the right sidebar - check them all out! If you're one of them, congratulations, because you truly deserve it! If you're not and would like to be a part of it, let me know that you want to share links - I'm always up for it, unless you're just a blog that advertises goods; I've gotten a few of those requests, most of them totally unrelated to horror at all.
Trailer for video game-based film Dead Rising
Arrow in the Head's got the new trailer for the film adaptation of Dead Rising, based on the horror video game by Capcom that released a few years ago. Keiji Inafune writes and directs the script, who was also the main designer of the video game. The trailer looks pretty slick and gory, and it's in Japanese so I can't really get an opinion on the script. The film looks to display the same over-the-top comedy that the game had, though, which will attract fans if the film ever makes it to the US.
There's no embed link, so check out the trailer here.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Game Review - Dead Space (XBOX 360)
Dead Space
Horror video games rarely go the way of shooters; instead, they insist on more tactful ways to survive, requiring you to conserve ammo or even run away from monsters. There might be more hand-to-hand combat, and putting you close to the action serves as a way to scare the player. But Dead Space doesn't limit itself to survival horror like the early Resident Evil or Silent Hill games do - instead, the game finds a way to put you in some very tense situations where the only way out is to strategically blast your way through.
Dead Space's story is fairly simple. You're on a rescue crew sent out to a space station that has been overcome by Necromorphs, humans who have been transformed by an alien artifact on the ship into monstrous creatures. A third-person camera views over the shoulder of your character, Isaac Clarke, as he is sent throughout the ship to find out what's happening. Along the way, he stumbles upon some even bigger bad dudes, a doctor who seems pretty crazy, and a few other surprises which keep the story fresh. Though the plot of the story is pretty similar to Doom 3, which released a while back, it never feels too unoriginal or repetitive.
The Necromorphs that you face all have a common flaw in their genetic make-up: if you blast off their appendages, they take more damage. This is a technique different to most shooters; instead of pelting enemies in the head and body, you'll have to target the legs or arms of the creatures in order to conserve ammo. It rewards the practiced player - if you can get good at cutting off limbs, you should have no problems with the weaker Necromorphs. It's the bigger baddies that'll get you.
The creature designs are varied, and you'll encounter around five different types of Necromorphs. A pregnant Necromorph will spill out mini-Necromorphs that attach to Isaac's suit and prove to be quite a hassle. There are Brutes, very tough, armored Necromorphs that charge and take a lot of health away. There are some even bigger enemies as well, but I won't spoil the surprises.
The guns will help you out big time, though. The weapons are less like guns and more like saw shooters, because most of the weapons have some sort of device that chops things up into tiny bits. Each gun has a secondary shot as well, so there's a lot of experimentation to be done on different enemies to see what works the best. Just don't waste too much ammo.
The gameplay's pretty solid, switching areas up between dimly-lit, small corridors and wide-open areas. There're also a few mini-games to played as well, including zero-G basketball and some turret-gunning segments sure to frustrate (at least for the achievements). Shooting is relatively easy to get used to but hard to master, especially in hectic confrontations with a few Necromorphs at once. Dead Space can sometimes overwhelm the player into shooting willy-nilly.
The game can be pretty scary for the first few hours, especially for players just starting out. Enemies jump out of grates in the walls, sometimes dropping down right behind you if you're not paying attention. You'd think that open areas might be less scary as well; not so in this game, as you can never be too sure where a Necromorph is waiting. Sound is key here, and the effects are fantastic. After a while, one gets used to the common places Necromorphs are found, but for the first few chapters of the game, I proceeded very cautiously, scared at every turn that a Necromorph would be looking me in the face.
Replay value is also pretty high. A few achievements require multiple playthroughs, including the difficult Impossible mode. One can also upgrade their guns to maximum for use on a second playthrough of the game on the same difficulty level.
Dead Space is a pretty scary ride, and definitely long enough to be worth your money. For the hardcore gamer, it might take 7-10 hours to finish the game on the first playthrough, but the achievements require additional hours spent. If you're looking for a scary, action-packed, fast-paced horror game, Dead Space is a better bet than slower, methodical games like Resident Evil, and the gameplay is ultimately more varied due to the reliance on limb-cutting.
Horror video games rarely go the way of shooters; instead, they insist on more tactful ways to survive, requiring you to conserve ammo or even run away from monsters. There might be more hand-to-hand combat, and putting you close to the action serves as a way to scare the player. But Dead Space doesn't limit itself to survival horror like the early Resident Evil or Silent Hill games do - instead, the game finds a way to put you in some very tense situations where the only way out is to strategically blast your way through.
Dead Space's story is fairly simple. You're on a rescue crew sent out to a space station that has been overcome by Necromorphs, humans who have been transformed by an alien artifact on the ship into monstrous creatures. A third-person camera views over the shoulder of your character, Isaac Clarke, as he is sent throughout the ship to find out what's happening. Along the way, he stumbles upon some even bigger bad dudes, a doctor who seems pretty crazy, and a few other surprises which keep the story fresh. Though the plot of the story is pretty similar to Doom 3, which released a while back, it never feels too unoriginal or repetitive.
The Necromorphs that you face all have a common flaw in their genetic make-up: if you blast off their appendages, they take more damage. This is a technique different to most shooters; instead of pelting enemies in the head and body, you'll have to target the legs or arms of the creatures in order to conserve ammo. It rewards the practiced player - if you can get good at cutting off limbs, you should have no problems with the weaker Necromorphs. It's the bigger baddies that'll get you.
The creature designs are varied, and you'll encounter around five different types of Necromorphs. A pregnant Necromorph will spill out mini-Necromorphs that attach to Isaac's suit and prove to be quite a hassle. There are Brutes, very tough, armored Necromorphs that charge and take a lot of health away. There are some even bigger enemies as well, but I won't spoil the surprises.
The guns will help you out big time, though. The weapons are less like guns and more like saw shooters, because most of the weapons have some sort of device that chops things up into tiny bits. Each gun has a secondary shot as well, so there's a lot of experimentation to be done on different enemies to see what works the best. Just don't waste too much ammo.
The gameplay's pretty solid, switching areas up between dimly-lit, small corridors and wide-open areas. There're also a few mini-games to played as well, including zero-G basketball and some turret-gunning segments sure to frustrate (at least for the achievements). Shooting is relatively easy to get used to but hard to master, especially in hectic confrontations with a few Necromorphs at once. Dead Space can sometimes overwhelm the player into shooting willy-nilly.
The game can be pretty scary for the first few hours, especially for players just starting out. Enemies jump out of grates in the walls, sometimes dropping down right behind you if you're not paying attention. You'd think that open areas might be less scary as well; not so in this game, as you can never be too sure where a Necromorph is waiting. Sound is key here, and the effects are fantastic. After a while, one gets used to the common places Necromorphs are found, but for the first few chapters of the game, I proceeded very cautiously, scared at every turn that a Necromorph would be looking me in the face.
Replay value is also pretty high. A few achievements require multiple playthroughs, including the difficult Impossible mode. One can also upgrade their guns to maximum for use on a second playthrough of the game on the same difficulty level.
Dead Space is a pretty scary ride, and definitely long enough to be worth your money. For the hardcore gamer, it might take 7-10 hours to finish the game on the first playthrough, but the achievements require additional hours spent. If you're looking for a scary, action-packed, fast-paced horror game, Dead Space is a better bet than slower, methodical games like Resident Evil, and the gameplay is ultimately more varied due to the reliance on limb-cutting.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
New Horrorfest 4 trailers
Since this blog is not big enough to allow for the videos to be streamed on the site, I've decided to just link to each of the videos below. Sorry for the technological fail.
Dread
Hidden
Kill Theory
Lake Mungo
The Final
The Graves
ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction
The Reeds
Dread
Hidden
Kill Theory
Lake Mungo
The Final
The Graves
ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction
The Reeds
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Possible ghostly encounter?
PLEASE HELP. This is real, and I would like to conduct some sort of investigation.
Tonight I was at my girlfriend's house, playing board games with her sister and her boyfriend. We were just getting ready to leave, around 10:30, and I stepped into the bathroom. As I was doing my business, I heard the two dogs that they own barking, which means either they've heard someone come in the house or are getting excited to leave.
I exit the bathroom to exclamations of, "I don't know! It's weird!" I ask what's up, and everyone quickly fills me in on what I missed: the doorbell outside rang while everyone was inside, and when people checked to see who it could be calling so late at night, it was found that no one was outside.
But the even creepier part of this, the one that seems to indicate that the ringing of the doorbell was not a prank, is that the doorbell tone that played was not the normal tone! The normal tone is "Charge!," but the tone that played could not be identified. It probably is within the doorbell tone system, but it is not one that has ever been programmed to play.
Everyone swears they did not touch it, and I believe them, because we are all believers in the supernatural to some degree and I trust wholeheartedly that none are playing a practical joke. My girlfriend's boyfriend has lived in several haunted houses, and just today had the TV turn on in his own house. He also claims that the doorbell tone we heard tonight was his doorbell tone for a house he lived in that was purported to be haunted.
I simply cannot explain the event. I've researched doorbells, and though I've found that doorbells can be affected by certain external factors like wind, car remotes, and batteries, I can almost guarantee none of these are the case. There was no wind tonight. The car remotes only affect wireless doorbells, or so I assume, and this doorbell is wired. There are no batteries. The only thing I can think of is a short circuit, but it seems very unlikely.
Can anyone offer any suggestions to this mysterious case? Rather than jump to conclusions, I'd like to rule out hypotheses scientifically.
Tonight I was at my girlfriend's house, playing board games with her sister and her boyfriend. We were just getting ready to leave, around 10:30, and I stepped into the bathroom. As I was doing my business, I heard the two dogs that they own barking, which means either they've heard someone come in the house or are getting excited to leave.
I exit the bathroom to exclamations of, "I don't know! It's weird!" I ask what's up, and everyone quickly fills me in on what I missed: the doorbell outside rang while everyone was inside, and when people checked to see who it could be calling so late at night, it was found that no one was outside.
But the even creepier part of this, the one that seems to indicate that the ringing of the doorbell was not a prank, is that the doorbell tone that played was not the normal tone! The normal tone is "Charge!," but the tone that played could not be identified. It probably is within the doorbell tone system, but it is not one that has ever been programmed to play.
Everyone swears they did not touch it, and I believe them, because we are all believers in the supernatural to some degree and I trust wholeheartedly that none are playing a practical joke. My girlfriend's boyfriend has lived in several haunted houses, and just today had the TV turn on in his own house. He also claims that the doorbell tone we heard tonight was his doorbell tone for a house he lived in that was purported to be haunted.
I simply cannot explain the event. I've researched doorbells, and though I've found that doorbells can be affected by certain external factors like wind, car remotes, and batteries, I can almost guarantee none of these are the case. There was no wind tonight. The car remotes only affect wireless doorbells, or so I assume, and this doorbell is wired. There are no batteries. The only thing I can think of is a short circuit, but it seems very unlikely.
Can anyone offer any suggestions to this mysterious case? Rather than jump to conclusions, I'd like to rule out hypotheses scientifically.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Book Review - Double Indemnity by James M. Cain
Double Indemnity
The hard-boiled detective story isn't too new of a device anymore, but in the early '40s and '50s, readers were clamoring for these crime dramas starring edgy main characters and sexy or fast-paced dialogue with a smattering of pulpy detective work thrown in. James M. Cain is perhaps one of the more influential of these writers, and you can see his influence at work even in more contemporary crime dramas (I'd say the quips of, say, CSI: Miami perhaps take an interest in the early roman noir).
Double Indemnity is one of those stories you can't help but like right from the get-go. Cain puts us in the first-person perspective of Huff, an insurance salesman who we soon find has been turned off by the ritualism of his job. He falls into an engagement with a married woman, Phyllis, who he suspects has a card up her sleeve that involves some type of "accidental" death of her husband. That doesn't stop our protagonist, though; it partially eggs him on, as he's under a sort of mid-life crisis where he feels like he wants to buck the insurance system, show his skills of understanding his own career, and pull off the ultimate heist: the murder of Phyllis' husband, made to look like an accident of falling off of a train to receive double indemnity - hence the title.
Cain is a master at characterization here. Huff's sweet-talking is more than enough to get the reader to like him, as his narration is rife with personality-infused description in a dark noir style. But Cain also positions Huff in situations where he comes off as a good character even when he does some villainous things. For one thing, Cain implants in our minds the image that something is afoot in the background of the events; maybe Phyllis isn't who we think she is, maybe even Huff's not the gentle-spoken man he makes himself out to be (yet the prose comes off as so honest it's almost impossible to believe). Even then, some of the minor characters are developed well enough where we doubt their involvement in the deeper case but can never quite drop them from our suspect list.
In a way, Double Indemnity plays out like the board game Clue - the book and the game seem simple enough at first, but quickly become much more complex in the later stages. This is a good thing; for Double Indemnity to remain about one murder would lead to a loss of interest with the reader - it becomes less a mystery than a complex ruse to kill a man. But Cain quickly excites the reader with an investigation where even our protagonist doesn't know exactly what's going on. Not to mention that even though part of the twist comes as little surprise, the story's finale does, and works as a psychological investigation of guilt from a man who felt wholly ready to kill in cold blood.
Through the slew of mystery releases, Double Indemnity holds its own, providing a grit and twist that grabs the reader early on and never lets go. The shortness of the book is actually a boon to the book, too, because it enables the slow reader, or the one with a short attention span, ample room to quickly read the story without filler. This was, in all seriousness, a delightful read.
Look for a review of the film sometime next week. These types of reviews, where book and film are reviewed, will be a pattern throughout the half-year, as I'm taking a Film Adaptations course this semester which, oddly enough, has selected books that correspond well with the subject matter of this blog.
The hard-boiled detective story isn't too new of a device anymore, but in the early '40s and '50s, readers were clamoring for these crime dramas starring edgy main characters and sexy or fast-paced dialogue with a smattering of pulpy detective work thrown in. James M. Cain is perhaps one of the more influential of these writers, and you can see his influence at work even in more contemporary crime dramas (I'd say the quips of, say, CSI: Miami perhaps take an interest in the early roman noir).
Double Indemnity is one of those stories you can't help but like right from the get-go. Cain puts us in the first-person perspective of Huff, an insurance salesman who we soon find has been turned off by the ritualism of his job. He falls into an engagement with a married woman, Phyllis, who he suspects has a card up her sleeve that involves some type of "accidental" death of her husband. That doesn't stop our protagonist, though; it partially eggs him on, as he's under a sort of mid-life crisis where he feels like he wants to buck the insurance system, show his skills of understanding his own career, and pull off the ultimate heist: the murder of Phyllis' husband, made to look like an accident of falling off of a train to receive double indemnity - hence the title.
Cain is a master at characterization here. Huff's sweet-talking is more than enough to get the reader to like him, as his narration is rife with personality-infused description in a dark noir style. But Cain also positions Huff in situations where he comes off as a good character even when he does some villainous things. For one thing, Cain implants in our minds the image that something is afoot in the background of the events; maybe Phyllis isn't who we think she is, maybe even Huff's not the gentle-spoken man he makes himself out to be (yet the prose comes off as so honest it's almost impossible to believe). Even then, some of the minor characters are developed well enough where we doubt their involvement in the deeper case but can never quite drop them from our suspect list.
In a way, Double Indemnity plays out like the board game Clue - the book and the game seem simple enough at first, but quickly become much more complex in the later stages. This is a good thing; for Double Indemnity to remain about one murder would lead to a loss of interest with the reader - it becomes less a mystery than a complex ruse to kill a man. But Cain quickly excites the reader with an investigation where even our protagonist doesn't know exactly what's going on. Not to mention that even though part of the twist comes as little surprise, the story's finale does, and works as a psychological investigation of guilt from a man who felt wholly ready to kill in cold blood.
Through the slew of mystery releases, Double Indemnity holds its own, providing a grit and twist that grabs the reader early on and never lets go. The shortness of the book is actually a boon to the book, too, because it enables the slow reader, or the one with a short attention span, ample room to quickly read the story without filler. This was, in all seriousness, a delightful read.
Look for a review of the film sometime next week. These types of reviews, where book and film are reviewed, will be a pattern throughout the half-year, as I'm taking a Film Adaptations course this semester which, oddly enough, has selected books that correspond well with the subject matter of this blog.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Movie Review - Duel (1971)
Duel
Steven Spielberg's directing career began with the made-for-TV movie Duel, adapted from Richard Matheson's short story about a man who is targeted by a maniac trucker while driving on the highway. In essence, the film can partially be summed up as "shot of car, shot of rampaging truck, shot of scared man in car," because for most of the film, a long, drawn out car chase is what we're subject to. But there's a little bit more to it than that.
Spielberg has some tight camera angles and cinematography throughout the film. One of the best things about Duel is how forboding the truck becomes as the camera pans its length, or when it circles back around like a snake. Spielberg adds scenes to the film as well to characterize both Mann (Dennis Weaver) and the trucker, trying to take away some of the abstractions of the story while simultaneously adding others. It is to the movie's benefit that the trucker appears slightly more human than in Matheson's story; it heightens the terror of knowing that the trucker is just another human being (though deranged) who shares the road with us.
The first half of the film is relatively exciting as Mann comes into the understanding that his existence on the highway has become perilous. The car chase that ensues is fresh and welcome; the action starts early and doesn't really relent after that. The truck/car scenes are broken up by Mann's stop at a gas station and a cafe, allowing the viewer to figuratively "get out of the car" for a stretch on land. It works to maintain interest for the viewer; paranoia sets in for Mann as he tries to figure out who the mystery trucker is, and it triggers a duck hunt that ultimately leaves Mann even more terrified than before, and with him the viewer too.
But once we round that bend in the road, there's not much to keep us interested in the narrative again. Sure, there's some car chase that has some arguably profound moments and another land scene where the truck destroys a reptile zoo, but for the most part the film drags on with the aforementioned car-shot./truck-shot alternations that get stale after repetitive viewings. Just when you think Mann will finally ditch that damned truck, the beast rolls around the curve again. It might mimic the frustration of Mann, but it's tough to sit through the last thirty minutes of driving.
There's no flashy special effects here either, just good old-fashioned stunt driving, which may leave some gritting their teeth. There's not even an explosion at the truck's demise, though it does say "flammable" all over. It might be tough for some to appreciate the relatively "low" amount of action - this is, of course, leaving out all of the fine chases and eerie truck appearances.
And though Duel's beginning is especially high-octane, it's unfortunate that Spielberg couldn't do much for the last portion of the film besides more chases sequences. The end feels extremely unfulfilling - it's endless minutes of the same footage we've been seeing throughout the whole movie. It's still an appreciable film, and one that looks great when thought of as a TV movie; but the appeal doesn't really hold up, perhaps due in part because of being spoiled by contemporary dazzling effects, instead becoming a monotonous watch that especially resembles a really long car ride.
BUT: Dennis Weaver does have some fantastic expressions - like this scene!
Duel on Rotten Tomatoes
Steven Spielberg's directing career began with the made-for-TV movie Duel, adapted from Richard Matheson's short story about a man who is targeted by a maniac trucker while driving on the highway. In essence, the film can partially be summed up as "shot of car, shot of rampaging truck, shot of scared man in car," because for most of the film, a long, drawn out car chase is what we're subject to. But there's a little bit more to it than that.
Spielberg has some tight camera angles and cinematography throughout the film. One of the best things about Duel is how forboding the truck becomes as the camera pans its length, or when it circles back around like a snake. Spielberg adds scenes to the film as well to characterize both Mann (Dennis Weaver) and the trucker, trying to take away some of the abstractions of the story while simultaneously adding others. It is to the movie's benefit that the trucker appears slightly more human than in Matheson's story; it heightens the terror of knowing that the trucker is just another human being (though deranged) who shares the road with us.
The first half of the film is relatively exciting as Mann comes into the understanding that his existence on the highway has become perilous. The car chase that ensues is fresh and welcome; the action starts early and doesn't really relent after that. The truck/car scenes are broken up by Mann's stop at a gas station and a cafe, allowing the viewer to figuratively "get out of the car" for a stretch on land. It works to maintain interest for the viewer; paranoia sets in for Mann as he tries to figure out who the mystery trucker is, and it triggers a duck hunt that ultimately leaves Mann even more terrified than before, and with him the viewer too.
But once we round that bend in the road, there's not much to keep us interested in the narrative again. Sure, there's some car chase that has some arguably profound moments and another land scene where the truck destroys a reptile zoo, but for the most part the film drags on with the aforementioned car-shot./truck-shot alternations that get stale after repetitive viewings. Just when you think Mann will finally ditch that damned truck, the beast rolls around the curve again. It might mimic the frustration of Mann, but it's tough to sit through the last thirty minutes of driving.
There's no flashy special effects here either, just good old-fashioned stunt driving, which may leave some gritting their teeth. There's not even an explosion at the truck's demise, though it does say "flammable" all over. It might be tough for some to appreciate the relatively "low" amount of action - this is, of course, leaving out all of the fine chases and eerie truck appearances.
And though Duel's beginning is especially high-octane, it's unfortunate that Spielberg couldn't do much for the last portion of the film besides more chases sequences. The end feels extremely unfulfilling - it's endless minutes of the same footage we've been seeing throughout the whole movie. It's still an appreciable film, and one that looks great when thought of as a TV movie; but the appeal doesn't really hold up, perhaps due in part because of being spoiled by contemporary dazzling effects, instead becoming a monotonous watch that especially resembles a really long car ride.
BUT: Dennis Weaver does have some fantastic expressions - like this scene!
Duel on Rotten Tomatoes
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Is no news good news? Ben Stiller in The Voices, actors for Some Guy Who Kills People, and Scream 4 tidbits
Not too much exciting news coming out about any upcoming horror movies right now, but rumor has it that Ben Stiller may play a psychotic man who can speak to animals in the upcoming dark flick The Voices.
***
Upcoming John Landis production Some Guy Who Kills People horror-comedy has released news of director and actors. Jack Perez will take over the direction while Kevin Corrigan and Barry Bostwick (I wondered where he went after Spin City) will star. Priceless title, but who knows if it will be a good flick.
***
David Arquette and Courtney Cox have (sort of) confirmed that Wes Craven will (might) direct upcoming Scream 4. Both gave semi-conflicting responses, but with many of the original actors returning, one would assume Wes Craven would feel good about manning another sequel.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
In my mailbox...
Went to my college mailbox today, which I haven't been to in a while since I was home for winter break, but I received two great things from DC Comics.
The first was a Christmas card mailed out before the holiday, which I greatly appreciated. It's nice to be included on a business mailing list, and brightened my day to know that even this little blog is important to DC.
The second was a graphic novel from DC called The Chill. I can't wait to start reading it as soon as I finish Breathless by Dean Koontz. It looks amazing.
The first was a Christmas card mailed out before the holiday, which I greatly appreciated. It's nice to be included on a business mailing list, and brightened my day to know that even this little blog is important to DC.
The second was a graphic novel from DC called The Chill. I can't wait to start reading it as soon as I finish Breathless by Dean Koontz. It looks amazing.
These Monsters post creepy new music video
These Monsters, an energetic post-hardcore group from Leeds on Brew Records, has posted a new music video for their single "Call Me Dragon" off of the upcoming album of the same name. It was directed by the drummer Tommy Davidson and Adam Conlon worked with cinematography. Featuring pale zombies, an eerie girl with balloons, a voodoo doctor feel, and tons of blood, the new video is as haunting as the song is catchy. Check it out below:
The new album drops March 1 in the UK with a May 10 date for Europe. Check out Brew Records' website for more info on the release.
The Best Scenes from Dead Alive
In honor of the review I posted recently on Dead Alive, I'd like to offer up my favorite scenes from the film in some sort of order. Here they are.
1. "Zombie Baby at the Park"
Part of the allure of this scene is the taboo of abusing children. But my absolute favorite part of this wacky sequence, the one where I cracked up the most, is right in the beginning, where Lionel is pushing the stroller and people keep trying to look into the carriage. He then starts swerving the carriage all over the place and it rolls down the hill. Something about the way Lionel attempts to shield people from the baby had me laughing out loud.
2. "Mower Mayhem"
Maybe it's the fact that my summertime job is mowing lawns. Or maybe it's my appreciation of Jackson's ode to the nerd finding his cojones. It's quite possible my fascination only stems from the fact that this might just be the most ridiculous, violent scene I've ever had the pleasure to witness. Whatever it is, the whole thing is just delightful fun.
3. "Kung-Fu Priest"
This might be a pretty obvious choice, but who can forget a priest who cries, "I kick ass for the Lord!" and then proceeds to utterly destroy zombies until he's unlucky enough to be bitten by a flying head. Poor guy, at least he put up a good fight.
4. "Clay Monkey"
I love how Jackson doesn't even try to make this rat monkey look real. He'd rather stick with the claymation Celebrity Deathmatch-style animation for the comedy. But honestly, how can you not get a bit of smug glee after seeing the witchy mother get her dues?
1. "Zombie Baby at the Park"
Part of the allure of this scene is the taboo of abusing children. But my absolute favorite part of this wacky sequence, the one where I cracked up the most, is right in the beginning, where Lionel is pushing the stroller and people keep trying to look into the carriage. He then starts swerving the carriage all over the place and it rolls down the hill. Something about the way Lionel attempts to shield people from the baby had me laughing out loud.
2. "Mower Mayhem"
Maybe it's the fact that my summertime job is mowing lawns. Or maybe it's my appreciation of Jackson's ode to the nerd finding his cojones. It's quite possible my fascination only stems from the fact that this might just be the most ridiculous, violent scene I've ever had the pleasure to witness. Whatever it is, the whole thing is just delightful fun.
3. "Kung-Fu Priest"
This might be a pretty obvious choice, but who can forget a priest who cries, "I kick ass for the Lord!" and then proceeds to utterly destroy zombies until he's unlucky enough to be bitten by a flying head. Poor guy, at least he put up a good fight.
4. "Clay Monkey"
I love how Jackson doesn't even try to make this rat monkey look real. He'd rather stick with the claymation Celebrity Deathmatch-style animation for the comedy. But honestly, how can you not get a bit of smug glee after seeing the witchy mother get her dues?
Sunday, January 17, 2010
New Horrorfest 4 main event poster
The news pretty much speaks for itself. Anyone going to one of the dates? I won't be, it's right when college starts; I might have if I had the money.
Movie Review - Dead Alive
Dead Alive
AKA Brain Dead
Before Peter Jackson was ever known to LOTR fans, before he ever graced the cinemas with big-budget, lush-landscaped, critically-lauded films, Jackson dabbled in a few horror films that have, in recent years, reached a cult status. Dead Alive is one of them (Bad Taste being the other), a horror comedy that is in direct opposition to anything that Peter Jackson has directed lately.
Dead Alive is ultra-violent, filled to bursting with dismembered body parts and gore. Yet Jackson manages to reign in the chaos of the film each time one of his more outrageous scenes breaks out, pulling the audience back into the ridiculous but involving story. Dead Alive's script will never be mistaken as horror genius; in fact, it's bare bones at minimum, but it knows its predecessors and is able to parody the zombie genre well by taking the more serious moments of films like Night of the Living Dead and simplifying them into hokey events.
The film starts out slow, creating a love story between Lionel (Timothy Balme) and Maria (Diana Peñalver) which forces the film into a bit of a rut. For one thing, Lionel is not exactly an exciting character; a fairly bland, rubber-necked young man who is under the authoritative demands of his mother, the audience barely has anything to root for in Lionel. There's another dilemma the audience is faced with in the first half hour - we know from the start of the film that Jackson can deliver on the promise of action-packed satirical horror and are eager to get to it faster than having to slog through the beginnings of a rather tiresome love story.
But Dead Alive picks up fast. After his mother is bitten by a noticeably clay-mation rat monkey, things go downhill fast for Lionel. He's stuck babysitting his zombie mother, who he keeps in the basement, while other members of the community are slowly turned to zombies. The decision to keep his mother is a smart one on Jackson's part; it allows for the plot to advance, obviously, but it gives a depth to the film that enhances the dramatic elements (for what they're worth) as well. This is not to mention that it puts Lionel in a bunch of awkward situations that are, frankly, hilarious.
The film has a ton of memorable sequences, most of which are funnier than most of the comedies I've seen in a long while. They're tasteless jokes and slapstick segments that pair very well with the excessive violence of the genre, and instead of crossing the line, the comedy remains relevant by mimicking the parts of horror that should be more offensive than they are.
For those who take movies more seriously, though, Dead Alive is outlandish fun that is focused more on parodying horror than creating a truly scary experience. The jokes might not appeal to those with a more sophisticated sense of humor, and in that case, the plot will leave a lot to be desired. But the chaos that flows throughout Dead Alive keeps the film... well, alive, and in my opinion, a more interesting movie-watching experience than Jackson's more serious output - it's the obvious enjoyment that exudes from the film that attracts and repulses.
Dead Alive on Rotten Tomatoes
AKA Brain Dead
Before Peter Jackson was ever known to LOTR fans, before he ever graced the cinemas with big-budget, lush-landscaped, critically-lauded films, Jackson dabbled in a few horror films that have, in recent years, reached a cult status. Dead Alive is one of them (Bad Taste being the other), a horror comedy that is in direct opposition to anything that Peter Jackson has directed lately.
Dead Alive is ultra-violent, filled to bursting with dismembered body parts and gore. Yet Jackson manages to reign in the chaos of the film each time one of his more outrageous scenes breaks out, pulling the audience back into the ridiculous but involving story. Dead Alive's script will never be mistaken as horror genius; in fact, it's bare bones at minimum, but it knows its predecessors and is able to parody the zombie genre well by taking the more serious moments of films like Night of the Living Dead and simplifying them into hokey events.
The film starts out slow, creating a love story between Lionel (Timothy Balme) and Maria (Diana Peñalver) which forces the film into a bit of a rut. For one thing, Lionel is not exactly an exciting character; a fairly bland, rubber-necked young man who is under the authoritative demands of his mother, the audience barely has anything to root for in Lionel. There's another dilemma the audience is faced with in the first half hour - we know from the start of the film that Jackson can deliver on the promise of action-packed satirical horror and are eager to get to it faster than having to slog through the beginnings of a rather tiresome love story.
But Dead Alive picks up fast. After his mother is bitten by a noticeably clay-mation rat monkey, things go downhill fast for Lionel. He's stuck babysitting his zombie mother, who he keeps in the basement, while other members of the community are slowly turned to zombies. The decision to keep his mother is a smart one on Jackson's part; it allows for the plot to advance, obviously, but it gives a depth to the film that enhances the dramatic elements (for what they're worth) as well. This is not to mention that it puts Lionel in a bunch of awkward situations that are, frankly, hilarious.
The film has a ton of memorable sequences, most of which are funnier than most of the comedies I've seen in a long while. They're tasteless jokes and slapstick segments that pair very well with the excessive violence of the genre, and instead of crossing the line, the comedy remains relevant by mimicking the parts of horror that should be more offensive than they are.
For those who take movies more seriously, though, Dead Alive is outlandish fun that is focused more on parodying horror than creating a truly scary experience. The jokes might not appeal to those with a more sophisticated sense of humor, and in that case, the plot will leave a lot to be desired. But the chaos that flows throughout Dead Alive keeps the film... well, alive, and in my opinion, a more interesting movie-watching experience than Jackson's more serious output - it's the obvious enjoyment that exudes from the film that attracts and repulses.
Dead Alive on Rotten Tomatoes
Friday, January 15, 2010
Book Review - Under the Dome by Stephen King
Under the Dome
Stephen King has released another monster; it's not unusual for King to come out with a six- or seven-hundred page book, but rarely does he ever exceed eight-hundred pages. Under the Dome is one of those exceptions. It's been in the works for decades, and while King admits that it's not the same beast it once was, as a writer, it's easy to see what a risk and undertaking King has made by releasing the finally finished book.
There's also that consideration that King is just not the same person, or writer, that he was twenty years ago. None of us are. But there's a part of me that wants to compare Under the Dome to King's other epic novels, It and The Stand. Perhaps it's just the length that reminds me of the two; but I think, more than that, it's the style of narration that hammers the resemblance home.Yet I'll refrain from making any other comparisons - it's not helpful, for one thing, and it's just not realistic to expect King to remain the same writer he was at that time period.
Under the Dome starts off with a bang; the Dome goes down, obviously, with the death toll skyrocketing immediately. King writes from a semi-omniscient point of view; at times, we're with certain citizens of the town, and at others, we have a grandiose, God-like view of the world. It's a good way for King to get us centralized and involved with the characters; since there's a huge cast, King has to head-jump to get the reader acquainted with everyone.
Here's where The Stand similarities come in. With such a wide variety of characters under the Dome, King allows us to get a feel for almost everyone, and then each character is forced to come together for the climax of the book. The pattern is similar to The Stand: have a bunch of characters spread out on all parts of the US converge and make a stand to stop the evil. But in Under the Dome, King does a fantastic job of characterizing the townsfolk so that each stands out from the other. At first, it may seem impossible to remember who does what and who is who; but after some time, all of the important characters are given such depth that it becomes second nature when recognizing each of the characters.
There's Barbie, a former military captain who has been ostracized by the crazy religious Second Selectman Jim Rennie. There's Julia, town reporter and writer of the town newspaper. There is Scarecrow Joe and his band of smart young kids. And the aforementioned Rennie, who does everything in his power to screw up the town's attempts to break free of the Dome.
Jim Rennie is essentially the villain of the novel. While there is some sort of supernatural force controlling the Dome, it is ultimately less interesting than the human conflicts that arise with Jim Rennie in power. When King sets out to make downright scummy characters, he does it to the nines, because Jim Rennie is a normal man who the reader hates right from the beginning. It only gets worse from there. King has found some really slimy ways to personify evil, and he doesn't shy from it. Under the Dome is violent and, at times, a bit disgusting.
The themes are powerful, touching on environmental issues subtly as a side-thought, with a tight focus on religious frenzy and the gullibility of a group of people when subject to authoritative power. But it's the pressures that King puts on the townspeople, the destructive and pitiful ways in which they act, that carry the novel. King is unrelenting - just when we think we're about to come through the worst of the Dome events, King punches with a KOing left hook to suffocate the reader. This is some pervasive stuff, almost unbearable in some instances.
The nature of the Dome is only secondary; it's King's way of describing human vs. human conflict that really grabs the reader. This is not supernatural, slasher horror. It is realistic horror driven by humanity that makes the skin crawl. If you can put up with King's reluctance to leave any description out, if you have time to read Under the Dome in a few weeks without having to set it down for a long period, Under the Dome is one of King's best recent novels.
Stephen King has released another monster; it's not unusual for King to come out with a six- or seven-hundred page book, but rarely does he ever exceed eight-hundred pages. Under the Dome is one of those exceptions. It's been in the works for decades, and while King admits that it's not the same beast it once was, as a writer, it's easy to see what a risk and undertaking King has made by releasing the finally finished book.
There's also that consideration that King is just not the same person, or writer, that he was twenty years ago. None of us are. But there's a part of me that wants to compare Under the Dome to King's other epic novels, It and The Stand. Perhaps it's just the length that reminds me of the two; but I think, more than that, it's the style of narration that hammers the resemblance home.Yet I'll refrain from making any other comparisons - it's not helpful, for one thing, and it's just not realistic to expect King to remain the same writer he was at that time period.
Under the Dome starts off with a bang; the Dome goes down, obviously, with the death toll skyrocketing immediately. King writes from a semi-omniscient point of view; at times, we're with certain citizens of the town, and at others, we have a grandiose, God-like view of the world. It's a good way for King to get us centralized and involved with the characters; since there's a huge cast, King has to head-jump to get the reader acquainted with everyone.
Here's where The Stand similarities come in. With such a wide variety of characters under the Dome, King allows us to get a feel for almost everyone, and then each character is forced to come together for the climax of the book. The pattern is similar to The Stand: have a bunch of characters spread out on all parts of the US converge and make a stand to stop the evil. But in Under the Dome, King does a fantastic job of characterizing the townsfolk so that each stands out from the other. At first, it may seem impossible to remember who does what and who is who; but after some time, all of the important characters are given such depth that it becomes second nature when recognizing each of the characters.
There's Barbie, a former military captain who has been ostracized by the crazy religious Second Selectman Jim Rennie. There's Julia, town reporter and writer of the town newspaper. There is Scarecrow Joe and his band of smart young kids. And the aforementioned Rennie, who does everything in his power to screw up the town's attempts to break free of the Dome.
Jim Rennie is essentially the villain of the novel. While there is some sort of supernatural force controlling the Dome, it is ultimately less interesting than the human conflicts that arise with Jim Rennie in power. When King sets out to make downright scummy characters, he does it to the nines, because Jim Rennie is a normal man who the reader hates right from the beginning. It only gets worse from there. King has found some really slimy ways to personify evil, and he doesn't shy from it. Under the Dome is violent and, at times, a bit disgusting.
The themes are powerful, touching on environmental issues subtly as a side-thought, with a tight focus on religious frenzy and the gullibility of a group of people when subject to authoritative power. But it's the pressures that King puts on the townspeople, the destructive and pitiful ways in which they act, that carry the novel. King is unrelenting - just when we think we're about to come through the worst of the Dome events, King punches with a KOing left hook to suffocate the reader. This is some pervasive stuff, almost unbearable in some instances.
The nature of the Dome is only secondary; it's King's way of describing human vs. human conflict that really grabs the reader. This is not supernatural, slasher horror. It is realistic horror driven by humanity that makes the skin crawl. If you can put up with King's reluctance to leave any description out, if you have time to read Under the Dome in a few weeks without having to set it down for a long period, Under the Dome is one of King's best recent novels.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Moon Minis - Avatar
Avatar
There are times when I don't believe the hype; some people just jump to conclusions too quickly for my taste. Sometimes, you can't believe the critics either. Most of the time, it seems like one can predict what they will like and dislike just based on their previous reviews.
But Avatar is not like the others. If you've heard good things, grandiose things, about it, it's for good reason. It's just a beast of a movie, combining science fiction, environmental studies, anthropology, and even a slight influence of mecha-based anime to bring about one gigantic hammer of a film.
While some may be turned off by the long run time, be assured that it's necessary for Avatar to carry out the big punches toward the end of the movie. Throughout the one-plus hours of opening exposition, we're treated to a host of characters that will soon become major players throughout the film, each with their own immediately likable personalities.
Avatar proceeds almost like an anthropological trek through a civilization that has some very distinguished Native American characteristics. The story, including the heartless slaughtering of natives on Pandora, plays out very similarly to the conquest of Native Americans, and one can watch Avatar as a dialogue of a futuristic version of genocides in our history.
Avatar looks lush and beautiful, especially in 3D, but the artistry is only secondary to me. It's the feeling of turning on the human race that Avatar inspires that really brings the message home, and the subtle hints that humanity has killed off Earth. It's an interesting, and relatively complex, feeling to find that for once, we don't side with the humans in this one. In the beautiful and moving final battle, when the Na'vi's are forced to fight for their survival, we are rooting for their success, because, just like Sam Worthington's character Jake, we can no longer relate to most of humanity. This ability to change our pride into pity is snaked throughout Avatar so that when we finally bridge the last hour, a shift has been made in our eyes that we don't even realize.
Avatar on Rotten Tomatoes
There are times when I don't believe the hype; some people just jump to conclusions too quickly for my taste. Sometimes, you can't believe the critics either. Most of the time, it seems like one can predict what they will like and dislike just based on their previous reviews.
But Avatar is not like the others. If you've heard good things, grandiose things, about it, it's for good reason. It's just a beast of a movie, combining science fiction, environmental studies, anthropology, and even a slight influence of mecha-based anime to bring about one gigantic hammer of a film.
While some may be turned off by the long run time, be assured that it's necessary for Avatar to carry out the big punches toward the end of the movie. Throughout the one-plus hours of opening exposition, we're treated to a host of characters that will soon become major players throughout the film, each with their own immediately likable personalities.
Avatar proceeds almost like an anthropological trek through a civilization that has some very distinguished Native American characteristics. The story, including the heartless slaughtering of natives on Pandora, plays out very similarly to the conquest of Native Americans, and one can watch Avatar as a dialogue of a futuristic version of genocides in our history.
Avatar looks lush and beautiful, especially in 3D, but the artistry is only secondary to me. It's the feeling of turning on the human race that Avatar inspires that really brings the message home, and the subtle hints that humanity has killed off Earth. It's an interesting, and relatively complex, feeling to find that for once, we don't side with the humans in this one. In the beautiful and moving final battle, when the Na'vi's are forced to fight for their survival, we are rooting for their success, because, just like Sam Worthington's character Jake, we can no longer relate to most of humanity. This ability to change our pride into pity is snaked throughout Avatar so that when we finally bridge the last hour, a shift has been made in our eyes that we don't even realize.
Avatar on Rotten Tomatoes
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Kill Theory named Horrorfest 4's last film
Horrorfest 4 is almost upon us, and After Dark Films has released their pick for the 8th movie in the film festival: Chris Moore's Kill Theory.
The film will be shown beside Dread, Hidden, Lake Mungo, The Final, The Graves, ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction, and The Reeds at Horrorfest 4 from January 29 through February 5. From the official press release, the plot:
"In KILL THEORY, a group of college friends visit a secluded vacation home to celebrate their impending graduation. The fun doesn’t last long, however. Forced to participate in a deadly experiment by a sadistic psychopath, each friend must kill in order to survive. As tension builds and friendships crack, these friends realize that only one can make it out alive. Loyalties are tested, tensions escalate and hope fades as each one struggles to survive."
Check out a clip from the film below.
Moon Minis - The Spirit
The Spirit
Styled in the same vein as director Frank Miller's other comic book film Sin City, The Spirit is shot in black, white, and red, with occasional colors interspersed here and there. The story is adapted from Will Eisner's comic book series, and follows a city's Spirit hero (Gabriel Macht) as he battles Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson); if he succeeds in getting his hands on the blood of Heracles, he will become immortal. But there's also a love story included with one of the women from the Spirit's past (Eva Mendes), who is also after the treasures of Heracles and a golden blanket.
Miller's film is visually attractive, the reds contrasting nicely on the black and white just as Sin City had done earlier. This may be partly the reason why The Spirit fails in my eyes - it's too hesitant to break free from the successes of Sin City to become anything other than a superhero movie directed by "that guy who did Sin City."
But there's more to it than that; for one, The Spirit feels too focused on its witty '40s-noir repartee to do much entertaining otherwise. The dialogue weighs the film down considerably; instead of The Spirit whisking us through an hour and a half, it feels like we're being dragged through the mud by Octopus. There's so much explanation to the drama, most of which we either shouldn't or don't need, that it throws the pacing off. The Spirit just doesn't have the strength to do anything Sin City did right, and so it remains a ghost in Sin City's presence.
The Spirit on Rotten Tomatoes
Styled in the same vein as director Frank Miller's other comic book film Sin City, The Spirit is shot in black, white, and red, with occasional colors interspersed here and there. The story is adapted from Will Eisner's comic book series, and follows a city's Spirit hero (Gabriel Macht) as he battles Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson); if he succeeds in getting his hands on the blood of Heracles, he will become immortal. But there's also a love story included with one of the women from the Spirit's past (Eva Mendes), who is also after the treasures of Heracles and a golden blanket.
Miller's film is visually attractive, the reds contrasting nicely on the black and white just as Sin City had done earlier. This may be partly the reason why The Spirit fails in my eyes - it's too hesitant to break free from the successes of Sin City to become anything other than a superhero movie directed by "that guy who did Sin City."
But there's more to it than that; for one, The Spirit feels too focused on its witty '40s-noir repartee to do much entertaining otherwise. The dialogue weighs the film down considerably; instead of The Spirit whisking us through an hour and a half, it feels like we're being dragged through the mud by Octopus. There's so much explanation to the drama, most of which we either shouldn't or don't need, that it throws the pacing off. The Spirit just doesn't have the strength to do anything Sin City did right, and so it remains a ghost in Sin City's presence.
The Spirit on Rotten Tomatoes
Monday, January 11, 2010
More award thanks...
This is coming late, as these awards occurred a few days ago and I just haven't had time to type up a response, but I have to give huge thanks to:
No Room in Hell for throwing the Zombie Chicken award back at me. Awesome blog, awesome guys. You have to check it out.
The Drunken Severed Head for bestowing the One Lovely Blog award on this site. It's so nice to be
recognized by the only decapitated, bleary-eyed head that I know. Thank you!
I Like Horror Movies (ILHM) for the second One Lovely Blog award I received! Carl never stops posting, I swear, and he's got a ton of great reviews and other daily updates on the blog that are great to check out. Thanks, Carl!
I love awards...
No Room in Hell for throwing the Zombie Chicken award back at me. Awesome blog, awesome guys. You have to check it out.
The Drunken Severed Head for bestowing the One Lovely Blog award on this site. It's so nice to be
recognized by the only decapitated, bleary-eyed head that I know. Thank you!
I Like Horror Movies (ILHM) for the second One Lovely Blog award I received! Carl never stops posting, I swear, and he's got a ton of great reviews and other daily updates on the blog that are great to check out. Thanks, Carl!
I love awards...
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Moon Minis - Away We Go
Away We Go
John Krasinski (The Office) and Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live) team up for slightly more serious roles than their past characters in Sam Mendes' indie dramady about a couple in search of the perfect home for their new baby, which they weren't exactly ready for. Krasinski and Rudolph are believable as a couple, and their characters are sweet and sour enough to make a struggling relationship work on-screen.
The two jump from state to state (and sometimes country), finding people on the way to help them in their resolve to have the baby. The thing is, it seems both characters know a lot of people who are parents with philosophical advice to give on the matter. It's a bit unrealistic, especially when Krasinski is subject to a few emotional tirades from the secondary cast members, but it also becomes some of the most rewarding parts of the film. Mendes has become attuned to where the hard and soft of the films need to be combined, and in Away We Go, the tender bits are widely interspersed with some very funny comedy.
It's a blessing that Away We Go is so funny, because many comedies in this vein have trouble lifting the jokes above small chuckles. But the quirks of every character had me laughing out loud, not because the comedy was so exaggerated but because the outstanding work of the actors had me laughing at the subtle nuances of the cast. Jeff Daniels, with only a small role, does a superb (marvelous!) job as Krasinski's father whose love of adjectives exceeds even my own.
The end may drop the comedy shtick for more of the serious nature we expect, but it never wavers in its ability to affect the viewer. As Krasinski and Rudolph reach their home, hoping it works for them, Rudolph exclaiming, "I really fucking hope so," so too do we. We've been on this journey, we've seen its ups and downs for good people. And in essence, they are we. Eventually, away we all go.
Away We Go on Rotten Tomatoes
John Krasinski (The Office) and Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live) team up for slightly more serious roles than their past characters in Sam Mendes' indie dramady about a couple in search of the perfect home for their new baby, which they weren't exactly ready for. Krasinski and Rudolph are believable as a couple, and their characters are sweet and sour enough to make a struggling relationship work on-screen.
The two jump from state to state (and sometimes country), finding people on the way to help them in their resolve to have the baby. The thing is, it seems both characters know a lot of people who are parents with philosophical advice to give on the matter. It's a bit unrealistic, especially when Krasinski is subject to a few emotional tirades from the secondary cast members, but it also becomes some of the most rewarding parts of the film. Mendes has become attuned to where the hard and soft of the films need to be combined, and in Away We Go, the tender bits are widely interspersed with some very funny comedy.
It's a blessing that Away We Go is so funny, because many comedies in this vein have trouble lifting the jokes above small chuckles. But the quirks of every character had me laughing out loud, not because the comedy was so exaggerated but because the outstanding work of the actors had me laughing at the subtle nuances of the cast. Jeff Daniels, with only a small role, does a superb (marvelous!) job as Krasinski's father whose love of adjectives exceeds even my own.
The end may drop the comedy shtick for more of the serious nature we expect, but it never wavers in its ability to affect the viewer. As Krasinski and Rudolph reach their home, hoping it works for them, Rudolph exclaiming, "I really fucking hope so," so too do we. We've been on this journey, we've seen its ups and downs for good people. And in essence, they are we. Eventually, away we all go.
Away We Go on Rotten Tomatoes
Friday, January 8, 2010
Movie Review - Coraline
This review was written viewing the 2D version only. I'm sure the 3D version would have been even better.
Coraline
Ah, being young and adventurous again; curious about the world and the way it works, never afraid to step on toes by exploring places you might not be allowed to go... That's where Coraline takes me, anyway - a fairytale world where the only thing off-limits is the imagination.
Director Henry Selick brings the adventure out of the film's animation, with the colors and rich environmental detail sucking the viewer in to the strange, inviting textures of both the realistic and illusional worlds. Coraline is a perplexing and intricate young lady, and Selick explores her personality by situating her in positions that require her to act.
The plot is charming, and since it came from Neil Gaiman, dark, vivid, strange, and full of wild hallucinatory sequences, as if we're on some good drug trip. The animation brings Gaiman's visions to life with wonderful scenery and choreography; perhaps the most successful of these sequences is the blooming of Coraline's Other Father's garden, in which we're treated to lush landscapes of glowing colors and intricate set pieces that pop out of the screen in both 2D and 3D.
Coraline looks fantastic, it really does. And the story lends itself to the animation. The film retains a creepiness with the button-eyed people that is fantastically dark and crooked. It resembles a Grimm fairy tale - it's got a good message for kids, designed for kids, but there's also a violent side to it that appeals to adults as well. Plus, the game-like nature in which the film progresses is so enthralling that one can't help but follow with wide eyes.
I mentioned adventure earlier; Coraline's direction brings out the curious kid in all of us, and I soon found myself imagining myself in Coraline's shoes. Maybe it puts the film into a perspective of realism, giving me the ability to ask myself if this seems plausible or if that would really happen. I can safely say yes to both; if I was Coraline, I'd have done the same thing. But even more-so, for an adult to relate to a child in this way speaks for how children might relate to the wonderful protagonist themselves - they'll get the themes of loving what you have vicariously through Coraline, an adventure all on its own.
Coraline on Rotten Tomatoes
Coraline
Ah, being young and adventurous again; curious about the world and the way it works, never afraid to step on toes by exploring places you might not be allowed to go... That's where Coraline takes me, anyway - a fairytale world where the only thing off-limits is the imagination.
Director Henry Selick brings the adventure out of the film's animation, with the colors and rich environmental detail sucking the viewer in to the strange, inviting textures of both the realistic and illusional worlds. Coraline is a perplexing and intricate young lady, and Selick explores her personality by situating her in positions that require her to act.
The plot is charming, and since it came from Neil Gaiman, dark, vivid, strange, and full of wild hallucinatory sequences, as if we're on some good drug trip. The animation brings Gaiman's visions to life with wonderful scenery and choreography; perhaps the most successful of these sequences is the blooming of Coraline's Other Father's garden, in which we're treated to lush landscapes of glowing colors and intricate set pieces that pop out of the screen in both 2D and 3D.
Coraline looks fantastic, it really does. And the story lends itself to the animation. The film retains a creepiness with the button-eyed people that is fantastically dark and crooked. It resembles a Grimm fairy tale - it's got a good message for kids, designed for kids, but there's also a violent side to it that appeals to adults as well. Plus, the game-like nature in which the film progresses is so enthralling that one can't help but follow with wide eyes.
I mentioned adventure earlier; Coraline's direction brings out the curious kid in all of us, and I soon found myself imagining myself in Coraline's shoes. Maybe it puts the film into a perspective of realism, giving me the ability to ask myself if this seems plausible or if that would really happen. I can safely say yes to both; if I was Coraline, I'd have done the same thing. But even more-so, for an adult to relate to a child in this way speaks for how children might relate to the wonderful protagonist themselves - they'll get the themes of loving what you have vicariously through Coraline, an adventure all on its own.
Coraline on Rotten Tomatoes
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Total Film posts vote for Best Horror Blogs; I'm not bitter or anything
Total Film is currently hosting a poll for the best blogs of 2010, and they've put up their noms for best horror blog.
The list is surprisingly lackluster and unoriginal - Shock Till You Drop, Bloody-Disgusting, Upcoming Horror Movies, Dread Central, and Obscure Hollow are all eligible to vote for, and without trying to dispute the recognition that these sites deserve, I'd like to point out that there are a lot more smaller blogs that are doing just as much work and deserve the same credit.
It seems like I'm trying to toot my own horn here, like I'm just a horror blogger who's pulling a Kanye West. But I am appalled that no one from the LOTT D was even nominated for the award. Did the makers of the poll do any research on horror blogs, or did they just take the big names on the Web? Even the fabulous Arrow in the Head is left out!
Just thought I'd bring this to everyone's attention. Thanks to John Cozzoli at Zombos' Closet of Horror (who deserves a nom as well) for pointing this tragic poll out.
Atom.com posts "Sketch of the Dead" short
Atom.com, video host of numerous comedy shorts, has posted a new original video to their website, titled "Sketch of the Dead." The four-minute horror-comedy vid stars Paul F. Tompkins, who you might know from VH1's Best Week Ever series, and Rich Sommer from AMC's hit Mad Men as two men battling zombies in a cabin whose attention is focused on the more... trivial matters of the zombie apocalypse.
You can check the video out on Atom's website here, or just watch it embedded below.
Sketch Of The Dead
You can check the video out on Atom's website here, or just watch it embedded below.
Sketch Of The Dead
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Awardage!
I have to give a huge thank you to BJ-C at Day of the Woman for her recognition of this blog for the Zombie Chicken award.
The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken – excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words.
And now it is my turn to bestow this ravenous award on three lucky souls! I'll try to pick those who haven't received it yet.
1. Acheter et Entre Tenir Sa Tronconneuse - No worries - even though the blog is in French, blogger Ghidorah translates all of his posts into English for those of us who aren't bi-lingual. I've been following this blog for a while now and I love Ghidorah's reviews - short and to the point, with a slew of high-quality pictures. Not to mention the fact that he reviews all of the trash the rest of us don't cover.
2. Midnight Confessions - Rev. Phantom has some great reviews for older, more obscure horror films. Plus, he does some great live reviews on video, and I give him added props for taking the time and energy to shift from the normal format of written reviews. The blog brings the sleaze and gore, and I urge you to check it out.
3. No Room in Hell - This blog has just posted a great retrospective of the 00s, and the bloggers are never ready to rest on their laurels with just a review. With great commentary on the horror genre, the blog stands as great insight into the world horror.
With that said, I think that anyone who takes part of their time to blog about whatever they're interested in deserves this award. Every single one of you horror bloggers, and any bloggers in general, are doing a kickass job. So thanks to everyone!
The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken – excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words.
And now it is my turn to bestow this ravenous award on three lucky souls! I'll try to pick those who haven't received it yet.
1. Acheter et Entre Tenir Sa Tronconneuse - No worries - even though the blog is in French, blogger Ghidorah translates all of his posts into English for those of us who aren't bi-lingual. I've been following this blog for a while now and I love Ghidorah's reviews - short and to the point, with a slew of high-quality pictures. Not to mention the fact that he reviews all of the trash the rest of us don't cover.
2. Midnight Confessions - Rev. Phantom has some great reviews for older, more obscure horror films. Plus, he does some great live reviews on video, and I give him added props for taking the time and energy to shift from the normal format of written reviews. The blog brings the sleaze and gore, and I urge you to check it out.
3. No Room in Hell - This blog has just posted a great retrospective of the 00s, and the bloggers are never ready to rest on their laurels with just a review. With great commentary on the horror genre, the blog stands as great insight into the world horror.
With that said, I think that anyone who takes part of their time to blog about whatever they're interested in deserves this award. Every single one of you horror bloggers, and any bloggers in general, are doing a kickass job. So thanks to everyone!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
New poster for Horrorfests' The Reeds
The Reeds is the seventh pick in the eight-film festival, described in the press release as:
"a weekend boating trip through the Norfolk Broads becomes a deadlyThe film is directed by Nick Cohen; catch it in the festival line-up, which starts January 29.
ordeal for six 20-something year old friends who lose their bearings in the vast reedy
tidewaters. Chances of escape and hopes for survival diminish as inexplicable forces
terrorize the lost and terrified group."
Quirk Books to release sequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Dread Central reports that Quirk Books, the publishers of the original Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Ben H. Winters, will be releasing a prequel to the Jane Austen zombie rehash entitled Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls.
The book will not be authored by Grahame-Smith this time around; Steve Hockensmith is the new writer. Dread Central says of the plot,
"...we will watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naive young teenager into 'a savage slayer of the undead.' Rock 'n roll!"The book is to be released in March 2010. You can catch a preorder on Amazon, or off of the Quirk website.
I've yet to read the first (but I'm getting there), and although I think remaking the original novel into a work of horror was smart thinking, I think a prequel not directly based on the literature may turn into a big flop. Any thoughts?
Thanks to Dread Central for news
Monday, January 4, 2010
Orphanage remake picked up by New Line
In a not-so-surprising event, 2008's creepy Spanish ghost tale The Orphanage (or El Orfanato) is set to be remade by the people at New Line and director Mark Pellington. Remake news comes as no surprise in horror cinema land; Hollywood has been cashing in on old, remade movies for a few years now, and it seems as though it has come to the bitter end now as we see a movie that is less than two years old being remade for American audiences.
Of course, El Orfanato did release in America with English subtitles (I should know; I just received it for Christmas), but in our increasing Americanization of everything foreign, it is no shock that Americans had to put their own stamp on a film that, for all intents and purposes, needed no re-imagining.
Nevertheless, it looks as though, like it or not, horror fans will be forced to sit through yet another retread.
News courtesy of Arrow in the Head
Christmas Horror Inventory
I was fortunate enough to receive a ton of new horror releases this Christmas. We'll start with the DVDs, which will be reviewed over the next few weeks/months.
Films
8 Films to Die For: Slaughter
8 Films to Die For: Voices
8 Films to Die For: From Within
8 Films to Die For: The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations
8 Films to Die For: The Broken
8 Films to Die For: Perkins' 14
8 Films to Die For: Dying Breed
8 Films to Die For: Autopsy
Trick 'r Treat
Haunting: A Haunting in Connecticutt
Haunting: A Haunting in Georgia
The Orphanage
Gorehouse Greats Collection (Including Blood of Dracula's Castle, Blood Mania, Brain Twisters, The Devil's Hand, The Madmen of Mandoras, Nightmare in Wax, Prime Evil, Satan's Slave, Stanley, Terrified, Terror, and Trip with the Teacher)
Saw V
The Evil Dead
Books
What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson
Duel by Richard Matheson
Button, Button: Uncanny Stories by Richard Matheson
7 Steps to Midnight by Richard Matheson
The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters
Breathless by Dean Koontz
Under the Dome by Stephen King (currently over halfway through)
Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton
Shadowland by Peter Straub
Ghost Story by Peter Straub
Games
Dead Space
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead 2
Long list, and a lot of enjoyment/work for me. Here's to 2010's reviews!
Films
8 Films to Die For: Slaughter
8 Films to Die For: Voices
8 Films to Die For: From Within
8 Films to Die For: The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations
8 Films to Die For: The Broken
8 Films to Die For: Perkins' 14
8 Films to Die For: Dying Breed
8 Films to Die For: Autopsy
Trick 'r Treat
Haunting: A Haunting in Connecticutt
Haunting: A Haunting in Georgia
The Orphanage
Gorehouse Greats Collection (Including Blood of Dracula's Castle, Blood Mania, Brain Twisters, The Devil's Hand, The Madmen of Mandoras, Nightmare in Wax, Prime Evil, Satan's Slave, Stanley, Terrified, Terror, and Trip with the Teacher)
Saw V
The Evil Dead
Books
What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson
Duel by Richard Matheson
Button, Button: Uncanny Stories by Richard Matheson
7 Steps to Midnight by Richard Matheson
The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters
Breathless by Dean Koontz
Under the Dome by Stephen King (currently over halfway through)
Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton
Shadowland by Peter Straub
Ghost Story by Peter Straub
Games
Dead Space
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead 2
Long list, and a lot of enjoyment/work for me. Here's to 2010's reviews!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Moon Minis - (500) Days of Summer
(500) Days of Summer
Two indie sweethearts meet by chance at a greeting card company and begin to explore their relationship with each other in this experimental rom-com from music video director Marc Webb. Both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are charming and flawed enough to carry the problems of the film, but it is Gordon-Levitt who shines, perhaps partially because of his character's love-charmed personality. Deschanel plays a different breed of woman from her other roles, one who resents the tethers of falling in love and "uses" Gordon-Levitt as a friend with benefits.
(500) Days of Summer does use its share of quirky indie moments; boy and girl meet while listening to The Smiths, which, of course, is no surprise considering both of their interests. But the film also has a few genuinely inspiring moments, both in script-writing and experimentation. Utilizing a number of interesting techniques, including jumps forwards and backwards in time to highlight the good and the bad of remembering a failed relationship and side-by-side scenes juxtaposing each other, (500) Days of Summer stands out from the more traditional romantic comedies by never actually feeling like one. And on an even better note, the movie is realistic in approach.
Throughout, there's a subtle hint that the event we want, even hope, to happen will never come to fruition; that it was just not meant to be. The end might skirt the audience's upbeat ideas of love, but it also comes with a stronger, more emotional message than having the love succeed - the 500 days of Summer might end, but a true love warms forever.
(500) Days of Summer on Rotten Tomatoes
Two indie sweethearts meet by chance at a greeting card company and begin to explore their relationship with each other in this experimental rom-com from music video director Marc Webb. Both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are charming and flawed enough to carry the problems of the film, but it is Gordon-Levitt who shines, perhaps partially because of his character's love-charmed personality. Deschanel plays a different breed of woman from her other roles, one who resents the tethers of falling in love and "uses" Gordon-Levitt as a friend with benefits.
(500) Days of Summer does use its share of quirky indie moments; boy and girl meet while listening to The Smiths, which, of course, is no surprise considering both of their interests. But the film also has a few genuinely inspiring moments, both in script-writing and experimentation. Utilizing a number of interesting techniques, including jumps forwards and backwards in time to highlight the good and the bad of remembering a failed relationship and side-by-side scenes juxtaposing each other, (500) Days of Summer stands out from the more traditional romantic comedies by never actually feeling like one. And on an even better note, the movie is realistic in approach.
Throughout, there's a subtle hint that the event we want, even hope, to happen will never come to fruition; that it was just not meant to be. The end might skirt the audience's upbeat ideas of love, but it also comes with a stronger, more emotional message than having the love succeed - the 500 days of Summer might end, but a true love warms forever.
(500) Days of Summer on Rotten Tomatoes
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