Thursday, December 30, 2010

Spider-Girl #1 puts the fun back into comics

I remember when I first started reading comics back in the 80's they were cool. They were entertaining and exciting and most of all, they were fun. Flash forward to present times and comics are all dark and depressing. Marvel had a Civil War just rip through their universe. DC had to deal with Blackest Night. Things are just so bleak. I mean we're talking about people running around in spandex. Come on lighten up. But here comes Spider-Girl to save the day. The story has teen-ager Anya Corazon, the daughter of a famed journalist, doing the super-hero thing in New York. A few years ago Anya was transformed by a strange Spider Society into Arana, a champion who had similar powers to Spider-Man. She recently lost though powers but got trained by the best heroes in the business like Black Widow and Ms. Marvel to compensate. Now she is Spider-Girl, who continue to battle the bad guys, even without powers. The opening scene has our girl tangling with this internet crazed villaness called Screwball who wants to put her exploits all over the web. Spider-Girl ain't having it and quickly dispatches Screwball. Later on, Anya who lives with her dad plans some family time with him until he has to go to work unexpectedly. So he decides that Sue Storm AKA The Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four would be a suitable replacement. The two gals bond over dinner until Sue gets an emergency call to dispatch some new villainy. She leaves and Anya goes to vent off some frustration by taking on some would be thieves. Of course things turn out to be a lot worse as Anya happens along to see the FF getting hammered by the Red Hulk and it's up to her to save the day. I love this book. It's refreshing and it's fun, like comics should be. Spider-Man now is all dramatic and serious, so I stopped reading his book, but it appears Spider-Girl will get the job down. The writing by Paul Tobin is great and filled with lots of humor. The art by Clayton Henry is clean and sharp. I love Spider-Girl's costume. It's black with a white spider symbol on the front. Kind of like Venom but with better taste. And Anya delivers quips like a seasoned pro. She will remind you of the old Spider-Man, you know when he was cool. So I look forward to reading the adventures of Spider-Girl on a monthly basis.
B+

Sunday, December 19, 2010

TRON - LEGACY takes it to a new level...

The long delayed sequel to the 1982 cult classic film Tron arrives in cinema and it's awesome. The sequel picks up with a flashback to the original as game designer/genius Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is talking to his young son Sam before taking off and never being seen or heard from again. Fans of the original Tron know that Flynn got sucked into the game world he created and had to battle against the Master Control Program. Flash forward 20 years when Flynn's now grown son (played by Garrett Hedlund) ventures into the digital world called The Grid to find out what happened to his father. When arriving he is quickly captured and forced to participate in gladiator type games where the loser is killed. Sam manages to survive and meets the ruler of this world named Clu (also played by Bridges but de-aged thru digital effects to look about 30 years old). Clu wants to track down Flynn as well but for his own personal reasons and Sam is caught in the middle. He is aided by Quorra (Olivia Wilde in a terrific performance) a woman who has been Flynn's protector. The storyline is ok but it does get a little talky and bogged down at times. And the character of Clu's appearance is unsettling. Some times it looks good, other times it looks really fake. That's about my only gripe about this visually stunning film. Well also Bridges as Flynn is a little too much at times. Like he's channeling his character The Big Lebowski for the most part. Hedlund is good as Sam though. But it's Wilde who gives the best performance. She may remind you of Trinity from the Matrix films, except Quorra is a lot more fun and even human, despite being a program, more or less. Wilde infuses Tron with some personality. Of course the visual effects are the main draw of this film and they do not disappoint. The digital world of Tron is a sight to behold. And the action scenes are thrilling from the combat games to what I believe to be the best sequence in the film, the light cycle chase. It just takes hold of you and carries you along for the ride. The thumping music score by Daft Punk is another plus. It positively drives the film with all the beats and pulsating sounds. Tron Legacy is a bold new film that will please fans of the original and bring in newcomers as well. It's a must see.
B

Monday, December 6, 2010

TRON:LEGACY is almost here...

The much anticpated sequel Tron: Legacy is almost here. The film hits theatres next Friday in IMAX 3D. If there is any movie worth seeing in IMAX 3D, it looks to be TRON. Starring Jeff Bridges and Olivia Wilde.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Harry Potter Starts Tonight...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part IThe first part of the final Harry Potter film, The Deathly Hallows begins tonight with midnight showings. Should be a huge film and I can't wait to see it. Plans are to go this week-end. I can't believe the series is coming to an end. I can remember when it all began with the first film back in 2001 and it's one of the few series that actually got better with each new film. So expectations are high for these final 2 films which hopefully will close out this fantastic series on a high note.


Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Review - Batman: Under The Red Hood (2010)

Batman: Under the Red Hood
Another winner from the DC Universe animated films library. These guys may be slacking when it comes to making live action films like their counterpart Marvel does, but they are definitely at the head of the class when it comes making entertaining animated films based on their roster of iconic super heroes. For this one, Under The Red Hood, they adapted one of their more popular stories from the last few years. The story takes place 5 years after the brutal murder of Jason Todd (the second Robin) by the psychotic Joker, which begins this film. After that strong opening, things switch to Gotham when a new player calling himself The Red Hood, arrives looking to shake things up. He targets the crime lords who work for the sadistic crime boss, The Black Mask and manages to interfere with Mask's criminal operations. Enter Batman and Nightwing (Dick Grayson, the first Robin) who stop one of Mask's illegal shipments, which happen to contain the powerhouse android Amazo, who has battled the entire Justice League a few times. The dynamic duo leap into action and it's cool as hell seeing these guys together again just like the good old days. Nightwing spits out the wisecracks left and right and Batman is his usual grim and determined self, but manages a few nice one-liners himself. Black Mask gets wind of all this and hires a crew of armored powered goons to take out Hood and Batman which leads to a fantastic throw-down. After that skirmish, Batman and Hood face off and Batman learns that Hood is indeed Jason Todd back from the dead. Only one person could have pulled that off..Ra's al Ghul, which sends Batman to question him. Things reach a boiling point when Black Mask has had it with these two and breaks The Joker out of Arkham to kill Red  Hood. Which sets up a knock down drag out fight between Batman, Red Hood, and The Joker. Under The Red Hood is one of the best comic book movies ever. And just because it's animated, it does not diminish the quality of the story and characters. I enjoyed this much as I did the live action The Dark Knight. A superlative voice cast which includes Bruce Greenwood as Batman, Jensen Ackles as Red Hood, Neil Patrick Harris as Nightwing, Jason Issacs as Ghul, and John Di Maggio as The Joker. Trust me, Under The Red Hood is truly a sensational film that will not disappoint comic book fans.
B+

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Hero Worship in November

Now that Halloween has come and gone, my horror movie postings are done and things are back to normal. For the month of November, in anticipation of the first part of the final Harry Potter film, The Deathly Hallows, Harry and company will be the stars of the month. Harry Potter is one of my favorite film series. I can't wait to see the final 2 parts. So I will review all previous films and posts pics and facts about the series all month long. And the usual reviews and photos of other movies, tv series, comics, etc. Let the magic begin.

Monday, November 1, 2010

KICK-ASS is well, uh, kick ass!

kick-ass
Finally watched Kick-Ass and I loved it. The film is based on the popular graphic novel by Mark Millar and while I read only a few issues of the series, I think the movie delivers on everything promised. Say unlike the Angelina Jolie misguided comic adaptation of Wanted, another Millar book. Kick-Ass takes the comic book movie and turns it on it's head. And it's a joy to behold and an awesome ride to take. The story centers on Dave Lizewski (a solid Aaron Johnson) who is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides to become a super-hero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so. He proposes the question to his friends, why a regular person hasn't done the super-hero thing before. The response is that they would get their ass handed to them. Which Dave learns the hard way. He orders a suit from online complete with mask and fighting batons, takes the name Kick-Ass and promptly tries to fight crime. His initial foray nearly kills him but he becomes better at super-heroics as the movie goes along. Well, he gets a lot of help from a father and daughter team named Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit Girl (a sensational Chloe Moretz). This duo will remind you of Batman and Robin. Except for that they kill the bad guys, graphically. Hit Girl is just a whirlwind dynamo, proficient in martial arts and firearms. Did I mention she is only 11 years old. Anyway, these heroes stir up trouble for the local bad guy Frank D'Amico (played by Mark Strong), whose own son (Superbad's Christopher Mintz-Plasse) takes on the identity of another hero called Red Mist, who tries to form a friendship with Kick-Ass.
Hit-Girl
This is one of the most fun movies I have seen in a while. But don't let the costumes fool you, this ain't no kiddie movie. The violence is graphic and brutal. Big Daddy and Hit Girl don't play around. And while the movie centers on Dave's exploits and his repeated attempts at trying to woo fellow class-mate Katie, the movie gets it's biggest kick whenever Hit Girl is onscreen. The fight scenes are incredible and the stunt work amazing. There is also a lot of humor, but this is no spoof. Things get deadly serious when the bad guys strike back at our heroes. And then you realize, these guys don't have any powers and they could die at any moment. Kick-Ass is an awesome movie. Just let me say that after only one viewing, it ranks pretty high on my favorite comic book movies list. Probably in the top 5, definitely top 10.The cast is top notch and the music score is thrilling and rivals Batman, Superman and Spider-Man in that department. I look forward to a sequel. It's rare when you can say that about a movie nowadays.
B+

Kick-Ass (2010, rated R) Stars Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moretz, Mark Strong, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Yancy Butler, Clark Duke.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 30 (THE DESCENT)

The Descent
I thought The Descent was a pretty good film. It won't be to everyone's tastes though. Part women bonding film, part horror film. The second half of the film is more action packed and bloodier but the first half is just as good setting the mood of the film perfectly. Plus it has a little humor. Two of the women stand out from the rest: Natalie Mendoza and Shauna MacDonald. A must see for anyone looking for some thrills mixed with a good storyline.


(2005) Stars Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Mendoza, Nora Jane Noone, Alex Reid. Directed by Neil Marshall.
Juno and Rebecca
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Beth:"I'm an English teacher, not fucking Tomb Raider".

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 26 (SCREAM)

Scream

Wes Craven 1996's horror film Scream is a wonderful homage to all the slasher flicks before it. Written by Kevin Williamson of Dawson's Creek fame with an ironic twist and respect for older horror films, most notably Halloween, Psycho, and Friday the 13th. Set in a small sleepy town in California, Scream begins with a hell of a 10 minute opening sequence which has a young girl home alone (wonderfully played by Drew Barrymore) who is being harassed by a twisted phone caller. Things get really scary when said caller shows up at her house. From that beginning, Scream continues with a steady pace of thrills and scares and humor. Our heroine of the film is Sidney (a fresh faced Neve Campbell) who is dealing with the 1 year anniversary of her mom's murder. She manages to survive a first encounter with the killer, who manages to hack up everyone else in sight. What makes Scream works for me is the self aware attitude most of the characters have especially Sidney and one her friends, video geek Randy (played with relish by Jamie Kennedy). There is plenty of gore and blood to be found in this film but it is balanced with well timed humor and much respect for previous horror movies. The supporting cast is top notch especially Courtney Cox (playing news reporter Gail Weathers) She looks fantastic and her character will no way remind you of Monica from Friends. Gail is a different kind of animal. Her future husband David Arquette is inept deputy Dewey, and Arquette nails his performance perfectly. Rose McGowan is a hoot as Sidney's hot-to-trot friend Tatum. Henry Winkler is actually pretty good as the principal. Skeet Ulrich is kinda creepy as Sidney's boyfriend. But it's Neve Campbell who rocks the most as Sidney. She goes from bereaving daughter to stand up woman who holds her own against the killer. Scream was a surprise smash when it hit theaters in December 1996. I remembering the audience being totally jacked up for it too. A worthy sequel followed one year later that was nearly as good as this one. Less said about the third chapter the better, even though it did have its moments. But Scream is a perfect way to wind down the Halloween season. If you have never seen it I suggest checking out the whole trilogy just to be complete. And Scream 4 is due out April 2011. I've seen the trailer and it looks awesome. Can't wait.

(1996) Stars Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich, Drew Barrymore, Rose McGowan, Jamie Kennedy, Liev Schreiber.
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Phone Voice: Do you like scary movies?
Sidney Prescott: What's the point they're all the same, some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can't act who is always running up the stairs when she should be running out the front door, it's insulting.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Awesome Movie Weapons - M41 Pulse Rifle (Aliens)

Probably one of my most favorite movie weapons is the M41 Pulse Rifle used by the Colonial Marines in James Cameron sci-fi epic Aliens. The pulse rifles were created from a Thompson SMG, with an attached forend of a Franchi SPAS-12 shotgun and a Remington 12 Gauge Model 870P receiver with barrel. It's an awesome weapon and yet to be surpassed in terms of use on film. It sounds and looks cool. And gets a lot of screen time. The M41 Pulse rifle is THE weapon. Check out the trailer for some of it's cool usage.

31 Days of Horror - Day 21 (THE LOST BOYS)

The Lost Boys (1987)

A group of teenage vampires attempts to recruit a new member who is not quite so certain about the trouble he is getting into. One of my favorite vampire movies of all time. Featuring a super cast and a rocking music score. Kiefer Sutherland is awesome as David, leader of the vampires who recruits Michael (Jason Patric).
Corey Haim plays Michael's younger brother Sam, who is into comic books, big time. Dianne Wiest plays their gullible mom. Barnard Hughes is a riot as Grandpa. And let's not forget the Frog Brothers (Corey Feldman, Jamison Newlander). They make this movie as comic book store owners by day, and vampire hunters by night. They supply most of the humor. But there is plenty of gore and graphic deaths in this movie as well. The Lost Boys rocks.
The Lost Boys
(1987) Stars Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, Dianne Wiest, Edward Hermann, Barnard Hughes, Jami Gertz.



Edward Frog: Listen, just so you know, if you try to stop us, or vamp out in any way, I'll stake you without even thinking twice about it!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 20 (THE FRIGHTENERS)

The Frighteners

Frank Bannister (a departure for Michael J. Fox)is a psychic swindler with the perfect business partners. They work cheap... they're dedicated... and they're dead. Possessed with a genuine ability to communicate with the dearly departed, Bannister earns a stiff living by setting up spirit clearance scams with his trio of ghostly cronies. But Frank may not be the only one in the small town of Fairwater working the paranormal side of the street. A series of inexplicable deaths and bizarre occurrences suggests the presence of a malevolent poltergeist. With the suspicious finger of a zealous FBI agent pointing directly at him, and the woman he cares for in danger, Bannister attempts to unravel the supernatural crime spree by venturing into a realm where all fears are realized... and true evil does not die. Very cool movie directed by Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings series). And it was great seeing horror vets like Jeffrey Combs and Dee Wallace Stone make appearances.

(1996) Stars Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Jeffrey Combs, Jake Busey, Chi McBride, Dee Wallace Stone, R. Lee Ermey, John Astin.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 19 (MISERY)

misery

A famous novelist (James Caan) is "rescued" from a car crash by an obsessed fan (Kathy Bates). Awesome film adaptation of Stephen King's best-seller featuring a powerhouse performance by Kathy Bates as Caan's character number one fan. She deservedly won an Oscar for Best Actress. A chilling movie peppered with dark humor.

(1990) Stars James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Frances Sternhagen and screen legend Lauren Bacall.

Monday, October 18, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 18 (BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA)

A Vampire's Kiss

Based on the Victorian horror novel written by Bram Stoker in 1897, about the vampire Dracula, who is on a quest to be eternally reunited with the one woman he ever loved. Dracula travels from Transylvania to London to find the young woman who is the double image of the love he lost centuries earlier. I loved this adapation of Stoker's famed novel and Gary Oldman made an effective Count Dracula. Supported by a solid cast in Anthony Hopkins as Van Helsing, Winona Ryder, Sadie Frost, Richard E. Thomas, and Tom Waits. A great looking movie with a bombastic music score.

Van Helsing: "Mr. Morris, your bullets will not harm him. He must be beheaded. I suggest that you use your big Bowie knife".
Morris: "Well, I wasn't planning on getting that close, Doc".

(1992) Stars Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Tom Waits, Monica Belluci. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 17 (UNDERWORLD)

Underworld
Selene (an awesome Kate Beckinsale), a beautiful vampire warrior, is entrenched in a war between the vampire and werewolf races. Although she is aligned with the vampires, she falls in love with Michael, a werewolf who longs for the war to end. Cool action pulsates throughout this entertaining movie. Beckinsale, usually known for English dramas, cuts loose as Selene. And Bill Nighy is awesome as Victor, lord of the Vampires. Michael Sheen is equally good as the werewolf leader, Lucian.

(2003) Stars Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Bill Nighy, Michael Sheen, Sophia Myles.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 16 (RESIDENT EVIL Film Series)

milla jovovich & michelle rodriguez

RESIDENT EVIL (2002) A special military unit fights a powerful, out-of-control supercomputer and hundreds of scientists who have mutated into flesh-eating creatures after a laboratory accident. Milla Jovovich headlines the first Resident Evil as Alice, an employee of The Umbrella Corporation, the company that made the T-rex virus, which causes mutation in humans. The first in the series is ok, but not the best. Milla is awesome though. C+

Resident Evil - Apocalypse

RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE (2004) Much better film and my favorite of the series. Milla kicks ass the whole movie and gets help from the equally bad ass detective Jill Valentine (played awesomely by Sienna Guillory). This is like a comic book come to life with action galore. Bresident evil

RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION (2007) Disappointing to say the least. The third chapter in this series just never clicks for me. Milla Jovovich returns as Alice, the only person to survive the virus that infected most of the human population.


In addition to her awesome fighting skills, she now has telekenetic abilities. In this one, she is traveling through the Nevada desert, hiding out from the Umbrella Corporation and teams up with some survivors including returnees Mike Epps and Oded Fehr, Newcomer to the series Ali Larter plays leader Claire Redfield. To me there was not a lot of action especially compared to the last film. And Milla who can kick ass with the best of them, seemed bored throughout. Larter was game as Claire but I missed Sienna Guillory as Jill Valentine. They never even mentioned her in this one. There is one cool action scene about midway through involving super fast zombies attacking Alice and company, but that is about it. If you have seen the first two, then you need to see this one just to get some answers. But be warned, the ending leaves the door open for a fourth one. Hopefully to make up for this one. C
Resident Evil: Afterlife
RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE (2010) Improves on the third film in every way. Alice (once again played by Milla) is on the search for more survivors and ends up helping a ragtag band of people in decimated Los Angeles. Ali Larter returns as Claire Redfield and the action is amped up quite a bit. And the 3D effects are awesome. B

Friday, October 15, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 15 (DEAD SNOW)

Dead Snow

A ski vacation turns horrific for a group of teenagers, as they find themselves confronted by an unimaginable menace: Nazi zombies. Graphic killings and plenty of gore and dismemberment. Fun stuff.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 14 (NEAR DARK)

Nart Dark

A mid-western farm boy (Adrian Pasdar) reluctantly becomes a member of the undead when a girl he meets turns out to be part of a band of southern vampires who roam the highways in stolen cars. Wild and bloody vampire tale that features loads of blood and gore. Lance Henriksen is the leader of the vampire family. Bill Paxton is totally wild as a family member. A very different vampire movie that is one of the best in the genre. One of director's Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, The Hurt Locker) first films and it's a good one.

(1987) Stars Adrian Pasdar, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Jenny Wright, Jenette Goldstein, Tim Thomerson.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Classic Horror Films - Day 13 (THE RING)

The Ring

It sounded like just another urban legend--videotape filled with nightmarish images, leading to a phone call foretelling the viewer's death in exactly seven days. As a newspaper reporter, Rachel Keller was naturally skeptical of the story, until four teenagers all met with mysterious deaths exactly one week after watching just such a tape. Allowing her investigative curiosity to get the better of her, Rachel tracks down the video... and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery of the "Ring." Terrific performance by Naomi Watts and a brief cameo by Amber Tamblyn. The Ring is one of my favorite modern horror films.

(2002) Starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Jane Alexander, Brian Cox, Pauley Perrette.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 12 (CUJO)

Cujo
It's synergy today on my blogs. On All Good Things, I posted about Cat People. And here I'm posting about a killer dog. A saint bernard gets bit by a bat and contracts rabies. A mother and her son take their car to the mechanic's shop and must endure a day long siege by the rabid mutt. Cujo was one of my favorite horror movies from the 80's and it still holds up today. Dee Wallace Stone, a mainstay of 80's movies such as E.T., The Howling, and Critters is perfect as the mom trying to save herself and her son. The attacks by Cujo are brutal and harrowing. Based on the Stephen King best-seller.

(1983) Starring Dee Wallace Stone, Danny Pintauro, Daniel Hugh Kelly, and Ed Lauter.

Cujo

Cujo

Monday, October 11, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 11 (THE EXORCIST)

Prayer

When a 12-year old girl is possessed by demons, a young priest takes it upon himself to selflessly save her at the behest of her famous movie-star mother. In your face horror flick that doesn't hold back. Pushes the R rating to the breaking point with scenes of intense graphic violence and coarse language. 13 year old Linda Blair is put through the wringer as she goes from a sweet young girl to a monster. Unbelievable makeup effects and stellar performances by Blair, Ellen Bursytn as her mom, and Max von Sydow as the priest who performs the exorcism.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 10 (ALIEN)

Alien

In deep space, the crew of the commercial ship Nostromo--comprised of five men and two women--is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules, halfway through their journey home to investigate a distress all from an alien vessel. The tale unfolds as they further look into the S.O.S. distress call from that battered commercial space vessel--only to discover that it's a warning call, rather than a call for help. However, it is too late to turn back as three members of the crew have already left to investigate the derelict ship. Far away in space and time, all five encounter an awesome galactic horror, that begins to kill the crew members one by one. Sigourney Weaver's break-out role as Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley carries the film as she becomes the leader. Strong support from Tom Skerritt, Yaphet Kotto, John Hurt, and Veronica Cartwright.Terrifying film...I saw this when I was around 13 and it scared the crap out of me.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

31 Days of Horror - Day 9 (THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE - 1974; 2003)

Marilyn Burns!

Chainsaw Dance(1974 version) A group of teenagers on the road in Texas stop off at the wrong farm and encounter a family gone awry. Once abattoir workers, the decay of the Southern rural economy has left them unemployed, and the directionless father and sons take to using their butchering skills on passing people. One by one, the kids encounter members of the grisly family. Tobe Hooper makes a truly creepy and horror film that will have you on edge. Marilyn Burns goes through hell for the final 30 minutes as she tries to survive the night face to face with Leatherface, the chainsaw wielding maniac. Classic horror gore.



(2003 version) A tale of five 20-somethings whose free spirited road trip becomes a terrifying descent into madness. When they find themselves isolated in a rural Texas community, they fall into the clutches of a mo... read more nstrous clan of Texas cannibals and find themselves being whittled away by the chainsaw-wielding Leather face. The remake is surprisingly good. And really gory. This time Jessica Biel gets put through the wringer as she tries to survive a night in hell with Leatherface and his demented family including a sadistic R. Lee Ermey as the town sheriff.

Erin Crying


Andrew Bryniarski

Friday, October 8, 2010

31 Days of Horror Schedule

Here is the remaining schedule for my 31 days of horror.
Halloween
Oct 9th: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Oct 10th: Alien
Oct 11th: The Exorcist
Oct 12th: Cujo
Oct 13th: The Ring
Oct 14th: Near Dark
Oct 15th: Dead Snow
Oct 16th: Resident Evil
Oct 17th: Underworld
Oct 18th: Bram Stoker's Dracula
Oct 19th: Misery
Oct 20th: The Lost Boys
Oct 21st: The Frighteners
Oct 22nd: A Nightmare on Elm Street
Oct 23rd: An American Werewolf In London
Oct 24th: The Howling
Oct 25th: Saw
Oct 26th: Scream
Oct 27th: Scanners
Oct 28th: The Blob (1988)
Oct 29th: Final Destination
Oct 30th: The Descent
Oct 31st: Halloween

Happy Friday The 13th! Jason Voorhees is introduced to modern movie audiences....


At Camp Crystal Lake, a group of young counselors begin to get ready to lead guests in the summer. Unfortunately for the counselors, someone isn't happy about what's going on in the camp and enjoys playing 'kill the counselor'. As bodies fall to the ground, no one is safe in the camp. The one that started the cinematic career of masked hockey killer Jason Voorhees, even though Jason doesn't actually do the killing in this film. But everything is in place, the horny teen-agers, the gory killings, and of course, the memorable theme. Adrienne King makes a gutsy heroine in Alice, and Betsy Palmer is positively off her rocker as Jason's pyschotic mom. Also check out Kevin Bacon in one of his first roles. Followed by countless sequels including the even better Part 2, this is the one that started it all!

 Look at a young Kevin Bacon amid the horny teenagers...
 Ouch!
 Yeah one of Jason's few weaknesses...not a very good swimmer
 Meeting Jason's crazy ass mom
Just when you thought it was over

Thursday, October 7, 2010

31 Days Of Horror - Day 7 (MY BLOODY VALENTINE - 2009)

Bloody Valentine 3D
Old school horror flick with lots of gore, blood, screaming, running, and nudity. Delivers on all the thrills promised and it's not watered down like most of the PG-13 horror crap that has infested cinemas for the last few years. And no CGI that ruins it either. Valentine revels in it's own blood and gore and it's one of the best horror films I have seen in awhile. Put it this way, it's way better than the last two Saw films put together. And by putting it in 3D is just icing on the cake. Oh and the acting is surprisingly good for this type of movie. No teenagers here, these are adults who try their best to survive being killed. And the opening 15 minutes features one helluva body count.


2009. Starring Jensen Ackles, Jaime King, Kerr Smith.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

31 Days Of Horror - Day 6 (WRONG TURN)

Wrong Turn Screen Cap

Solid horror flick about young people being chased by deranged hillbillies. The killing scenes are quite graphic and intense. Eliza Dushku stands out as one of the potential victims. If you like your horror movies bloody then you'll like Wrong Turn.

 2003. Starring Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jeremy Sisto, Desmond Harrington, Lindy Booth

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

31 Days Of Horror - Day 5 (30 Days Of Night)

30 Days of Night

A very different kind of vampire movie that is very effective. Set in a small Alaskan town called Barrow, the residents get ready for a month long of no sunlight. Most head south, but some stay to ride it out. On the last day of sunlight a stranger comes in to town, taking out the town's power and communication. And also kills all the sled dogs just for good measure. He's played with relish by Ben Foster (who was a nonfactor as Angel in X-Men 3). Josh Hartnett and Melissa George play the husband and wife sheriff team who must sort out all the weird happenings. When the sun finally goes down, all hell breaks loose. Savage vampires descend on the town led by Marlow (wonderfully played by Danny Huston). And this bunch of bloodsuckers are quite vicious. They paint the town red with their brutal attacks. I thought this movie was pretty cool for a couple of reasons. It showed vampires in a different light, more like killing machines than suave romantics. And the townsfolk are potrayed as regular people. None of them have access to fancy weaponry or training ala Blade and Underworld. But they do fight back the best way they can. With axes, firearms, dynamite, and heavy duty snow plow equipment. The cast is solid led by Hartnett and George. They are very strong in their roles, and to make matters even more complex, they're in the middle of a separation. The vampires are intense-they move very fast and kill even faster. And the look of the film is great. The story does have some holes in it during the down time when our heroes are hiding out and trying to stay quiet. But it doesn't last too long before an attack occurs. Definetly a good movie to see over Halloween. And be prepared because the gore factor is quite high with decapitations, bodies being gutted and chomped on, and vampires being skewered left and right.


30 Days of Night

2007. Starring Josh Harnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Star of The Month: Milla Jovovich






She was born Milica Natasha Jovovich on December 17, 1975, in Kiev, Ukraine, Soviet Union (now Kiev, Ukraine). Her Serbian father, Bogdan Jovovich, was a medical doctor in Kiev. There he met her mother Galina Jovovich, a Russian actress. At the age of 5, in 1981, Milla with her parents emigrated from the Soviet Union, moving first to London, UK, then to Sacramento, California, and eventually settled in Los Angeles. There her parents worked as house-cleaners for the household of director Brian De Palma. Her parents separated, and eventually divorced, because her father was arrested and spent several years in prison.




Young Milla Jovovich was brought up by her single mother in Los Angeles. In addition to her native Russian, she also speaks Serbian and English. However, in spite of her cosmopolitan background, Milla was ostracized by some of her classmates, as a kid who emigrated from the Soviet Union amidst the paranoia of the Cold War. Many emotional scars had affected her behavior, but she eventually emerged as a resilient, multi-talented, albeit rebellious and risk-taking girl. She was coached by her actress mother since her childhood, first at home, then studied music, ballet, and acting in Los Angeles. In 1994 she appeared on the cover of 'High Times' in the UK, at the age of 18.



She shot to international fame after she was spotted by the photographer Richard Avedon at the age of 11, and was featured in Revlon's "Most Unforgettable Women in the World" advertisements, and on the cover of the Italian fashion magazine 'Lei' which was her first cover shoot. She made her first professional model contract at the age of 12, and soon made it to the cover of 'The Face', 'Vogue', 'Cosmopolitan' and many other magazines. The total number of her magazine covers worldwide was over one hundred by 2004, and keeps counting. In 2004 she made $10.4 million, becoming the highest paid supermodel in the world.



Milla Jovovich was torn between two professions, before she eventually became one of the very few supermodels who also developed a steady and serious film career. In 1988, at age 12, she made her film debut credited as Milla in a supporting role in Two Moon Junction (1988) by writer/director Zalman King. During the 1980s and early 1990s, she played several supporting roles as a teenage actress in film and on television, then starred in Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991). In 1997 she co-starred opposite Bruce Willis in the sci-if blockbuster The Fifth Element (1997), then she starred as the title character of The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999). In the early 2000s, Milla had a few years of uncertainty in her acting career due to uneven quality of her films, as well as some hectic events in her private life. However, she managed to overcome her personal crisis. With the leading role as Alice in Resident Evil (2002) and its two sequels, she established herself as a film star, and her success in acting career eventually matched her success as a supermodel.


Outside of her acting and modeling professions, Milla Jovovich released several critically acclaimed musical recordings, making her debut as a singer, songwriter and musician with the 1994 release of 'The Divine Comedy'. She also gave several live performances with her band Plastic Has Memory and was featured on 'Hollywood Goes Wild'. Her vocal recordings appeared on soundtracks of several films. She has been writing music and lyrics to her song-demos, playing her guitar and sampling other sounds from her computer, and allowing free download and remix of her songs from her website.



For many years Milla Jovovich has been maintaining a healthier lifestyle, practicing yoga and meditation, trying to avoid junk food, and cooking for herself. Since she was a little girl, Milla has been writing a private diary, a habit she learned from her mother. She has been keeping a record of many good and bad facts of her life, her travels, her relationships, and all important ideas and events in her career, planning eventually to publish an autobiography. After dissolution of her two previous marriages, Milla Jovovich became engaged to film director Paul W.S. Anderson; their daughter, Ever Anderson, was born on November 3, 2007.



IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve Shelokhonov