REVIEW: My Bloody Valentines (old and new)

To 3-D or not 3-D. That was the question Saturday night as we took a quest out to the local cinema to see the new horror opus, My Bloody Valentine 3-D. But let's back up a bit and look at the original film produced in in 1981 and directed by George Mihalka. I think I saw this in a TV edit, a long time ago. I quickly dismissed it then, and never really though of it as a slasher classic by any means, so I was a bit taken a back that they wanted to remake this sucker. In the original a little mining town is cursed after some minors are left to die in a collapsed mine on Valentine's Day. One miner escapes named Harry Warden. Ticked off at any attempt to celebrate Valentine's Day again old Mr. Warden seems to return to town ten years later to wreak havoc amongst the kiddies again. Or does he? Halloween anyone? Basically this is a typical 80's slasher clone revolving around a teenage love triangle. The one thing that sets this movie apart was for me the appearance of the killer. The mining suit is quite scary and used very effectively in both this version and even more so in the updated 3-D version, which we will get to later. Now I rented the new director's cut of the original because the old R-rated version had 9 minutes of gore cut out. That's a lot MPAA! So this new version on dvd from Lions Gate gives you the option of playing both the original and uncut versions. I can't say the old version is anything of a buried treasure. The mine getup is very scary here, and this version spends a lot more time in the mining tunnels which is something the remake could have learned from.



My Bloody Valentine 3-D is the remake out in theaters now. I really wanted to see this to experience the new Real D technology I had heard about. It sounded like it could be fun. The plot is pretty much the same, they just updated things and re-arranged the characters to throw off fans of the original. There is a lot of nudity and lot of gore, and tons of Harry Warden. And really the Warden character and the creepy tunnels are the main reason to see this movie other than the 3-D. This movie is more a return in tone to the Scream and I Know What you (and your cleavage) Did Last Summer flicks from the 90's. But at the same time it does have some good old fashioned 80's style gore effects. Director Patrick Lussier who is Wes Craven's editor in his free time, does a nice job with the director's duties making a much slicker film than the original. Jaimie King and Jensen Ackles play the main leads and do a serviceable job here.



Now on to the 3-D. I loved it. I wish it was on a bigger screen, so you can get more immersed in it, but I thought it was fun as hell. The depth was really amazing, and as far as the things flying out at you, it was so-so. The light on Harry Warden's mining hat was very spooky. And the 3-D in the tunnel system was outstanding. Stay through the end credits and you'll see even more of what I'm talking about. The movie though, is pretty forgettable. And please no more CG body parts being thrown at me. I didn't buy the effects there. Overall I had a good time, and although its still early in the game for 3-D, you can see it's coming, and it will only be a matter of time before we are all walking around the house in giant grandma glasses waiting to see Star Wars 55 in 3-D. If you like 3-D and bad 80's remakes then you can't go wrong with this one.

The Vacation Film Festival Blowout

OK, so this vacation I decided to really relax and take it easy, get some exercise, travel, and watch a crap load of movies that have been stacked up for ages. I made some progress, so here is a quick review of everything I watched. Starting with the Documentaries:



Confessions of a Superhero
Great documentary about the crazies that dress up as super heroes or celebrities in front of Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. It mostly focuses on four people who dress as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and the Hulk. Some of them are struggling actors and some of them are just plain mental patients. Highly recommended.



Cocaine Cowboys:
Another terrific documentary that will captivate you from second one. This doc chronicles the late 70's and early 80's drug wars in Miami. This is the real deal and not Crocket and Tubbs. The characters are real and very dangerous and maybe someday they can make a movie based on this and not something like Scarface, who one of the murderers says was not accurate. He said they were more insane than that!

Sicko:
I used to dig Michael Moore, but his shtick has grown very very tired. His docs are less and less like docs now but more like comedy routines that try to make him look like Mr. Funny and Gee how great am I for showing people these things. Roger and Me and Columbine were great docs, and parts of Fahrenheit 911 were too, but its getting old dude.

Autism: The Musical
This is about a mother of an adopted kid with Autism and her class of autistic kids that decide to put on a musical to show off their talents. Through the course you learn about each kids problems and plights. Some of the mothers are a bit on the crazy side and things begin to melt down hours before the performance as egos begin take over. I had heard some good things about this doc, but nothing really captured my attention.

The Road to Guantanamo:
A 2006 doc about three guys arrested for being part of Al Queda when in fact they were on their way to a wedding for a good friend. Upon arriving he went missing and in the search in finding him they get thrown into the 911 throw down and are mistaken for terrorists and spend several years in prison and wind up in Guantanamo. I liked the story of this movie, but since they had no footage of any of this , they went back and tried to recreate it intermixed with the real guys interviews. The reacted stuff bothered me so much that I had a hard time really feeling this. But like I said the story itself is very good.




Harlan County USA:
This is an older doc on Criterion disc from Barbara Kopple that I've always heard about but could never find. It details the efforts of coal miners strikes in Harlan County against "The Man". These strikes go on for a year or so and get quite intense. The greatest thing about this doc is the way its done. You can tell this director went all out and became of these minors. Every aspect is detailed from the strike to family life. It is literally like being a fly on the wall. Highly recommended.



Baraka
8K transfer bitches! This is the sharpest Blu-ray disc on the Earth. Ron Frickes 92 film is much like Cronos the Imax movie and Koyanskatsi. The images are breathtaking and mind blowing in 1080p. This film was shot in 65mm, and transferred frame by frame at 8K res. Most films are done in 4K. There is also a great documentary on the disc about the making of not just the movie but the restoration as well. Amazing stuff that can only be seen with the best Blu-ray tech.

I watched a few more that were not worth mentioning, so let's move on to some narratives:




The Promotion:
Starring Sean Williams Scott and John C. Reilly I really fell for this comedy. Scott plays a guy who works as a grocery store manager who is hoping to get a big promotion from corporate, when John C. Reilly is brought in from Canada to help run the store, and he too is up for the same promotion. The rest may seem predictable and formulaic but this is different in that takes some really interesting dramatic turns but is still really funny while remaining true to life. Which is probably why it pretty much went straight to video. Check this one out for sure. I usually hate anything with Scott in it, but he administered the shocker to me on this one.




Talk to Me:
A Biopic of DJ Petey Greene. This movie tells the story of convict Greene played nicely by Don Cheadle who upon getting out of prison attempts to or insists on being a disc jockey. Music soon takes a backseat to his ability to talk to the people of Detroit and once the assassination of Martin Luther King happens he finds himself as a person who can bring people together. However Green just wants to BS on the air and a TV show and Johnny Carson appearance begin to reveal that Green is not comfortable in his hero role at all and begins a path so self destruction that leaves his manager played by Chiwetel Ejiofor to become a famous DJ when Green leaves the game. I liked this movie as I learned a few more things about Green I didn't know. Most of my knowledge of him comes from his association with Howard Stern. Stern cites him as an inspiration for his own show. Recommended.




Last King of Scotland:
Forrest Whitaker has come a long way since Fast Times. And newcomer James McAvoy was equally great in this amazing film about Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. I even think the movie could of been even longer and better has it expanded upon some of Amin's crimes. This one is a keeper for those of you who have not seen it.

Paranoid Park:
Gus Van Sant returns to his native Portand, OR roots to make another experimental film this time incorporating some thriller/noir elements in a movie that left me pretty empty. I appreciate what he was going for with he realistic treatment of characters and stuff. But I didn't really learn much from this that I didn't already know. Skater kids are depressed and it rains a lot in Oregon, which makes them pine for the return of grunge music so everyone can be sad together. Not Van's worst movie by far but not his greatest. Hey at least its not Gerry! I will give props to the cinematography by my hero Christopher Doyle who does some really pretty work on a no budget.




Perhaps Love:
This is a blu-ray i picked up on import because the director Peter Chan made a really oool movie called Comrades Almost a Love Story a few years back I really dug. So this one won a crap load of HK awards, and its a musical. What could go wrong? And while make no mistake the imagery in this is breathtaking especially in 1080p on Blu, but in the end I found the film to be overly sentimental and I had checked out at about half time.




Half Nelson:
This is not The Wrestler Part 2. Ryan Gosling plays this high school history teacher in the ghetto in what we think might be Dangerous Minds or some shit, but ends up being Bad Lieutenant goes to High School. It seems our inspirational teacher has a really bad drug problem. Heck he even gets high in the girls locker room! All fin aside this is a really good movie and shows that in the hood black, white, green whatever, all have struggles. And every day is a fight to find something left to fight for. The movie never comes out and says that, you have to find it. Check this one out.

Hancock:
Great first half and really unfocused second half. I wonder if there is a mystery cut of this film floating around somewhere... Recommended for fun.




The Proposition:
This is an intense Western that pulls no punches when it comes to violence. Guy Pierce stars in a Australian western that would kill Baz Luhrman then Skull F his Australia movie for fun. Its that crazy. This is about a lawman that captures the younger brother of a notorious outlaw and threatens to kill him unless he kills his even more notorious older brother outlaw. This is a great movie that must have been overlooked which is too bad. Seek it.

Redbelt:
A David Mamet movie about Mixed Martial Arts. Well mediocre Mamet is better than Grade A other stuff I guess, but I have high expectations with things saying Mamet, so I was slightly disappointed. And please dude stop putting your wife in your movies. Does she have some sex video of you and a small animal?




Diving Bell and the Butterfly:
OK hands down this was the best film I saw over vacation marathon. This is the amazing story of Elle magazine editor, Jean-Do in a staggering performance by Mathieu Amalric who had a stroke that left him paralyzed to the point where he only had the use of one eye to blink. He along with a nurse developed a communication system based on winking that enabled him to write a book about his life before he passed on. Flashbacks aside this film is told mainly from the POV of his one eye which puts the viewer in situations beyond their control much like he was. The cinematography here by Spielberg DP Janusz Kaminski is amazing. I hope this comes out on Blu really soon. This is a story about a life of regret and a man unable to express it to the ones he loves. But somehow he finds that way. REALLY RECOMMENDED!



In Bruges:
Great thriller with Colin Farrel as an assassin who has a hit go horrible wrong hiding out in Bruges with a fellow assassin. Things get a bit crazy, midgets get involved and fat Americans provide a lot of laughs in this great little thriller, that I would like to watch again. Farrel is very good here, and the film within the film being shot in Bruges is also a neat device that works in well with the plot. Check it out!




Boarding Gate
Ah. Asia Argento. You had me at A. This is a story about Asia who kills her crazy ass criminal businessman boyfriend Michael Madson, (who actually acts in this one) and is on the run in Hong Kong the rest of the time trying to not get knocked off by her other criminal boyfriend. This is pretty much a arty chase film with amazing photography by French director Oliver Assias who did Irma Vep with Maggie Chueng. Asia does a great job here and this film is a good one for a rainy day that is really just a bunch of amazing images intersected with boring dialog scenes.

Fatal Contact:
Abysmal Hong Kong fighting movie. Really bad. Bad.




Trafic:
Very entertaining Jacque Tati movie that suffers from a bit of being too long. This time Tati takes his act on the road mixing up all sorts of madcap sight gags while trying to get from one place to another for a car show. If you are into Tati, this one is quite fun.

Dog Bites Dog:
Another Hong Kong action movie that tries to eliminate dialog and create a visual tour de force action movie with limited speaking. Unfortunately the story is a bit of a leap of faith, and if you don't buy in it won't grab you much. And I'm in that category here. Skip.

Star Wars: Clone Wars
F Lucas.




Snow Angels:
Very depressing character drama from Director David Gordon Green. Sam Rockwell and Kate Beckinsale are divorced with a little girl who one day goes missing, setting off a series of unfortunate events in a sleepy little town of sleepy characters looking for some purpose in a very sad limited universe. Both Rockwell and Beckinsale give great performances. The very ending is quite a shocker, and really took me off guard. I don't know if it was the perfect ending, but it did make me think. So I guess it worked.

The Notebook:
I'm not going to review this because I'm the last one on Earth who has not seen it. Suffice to say I liked it, but thought the core story could of done without the current day sentimental overkill.




Wanted:
This movie really took me off guard. I liked both Nightwatch and Daywatch, Timur Bekmambetovthe's previous Russian films, but at the end of the day I found them both pretty empty. Wanted however is really fun. I'm not familiar with the comic book its based on, but it had a great comic feel to it, so I hope its a faithful adaptation. Jolie and McAvoy make a good team and the rest of the cast are equally fun. Its a totally insane premise but for whatever reason it works and its a very entertaining film, that for once they make a sequel, cause I "wanted" more.




The Protector:
Tony Jaa stars as a dude who wants his stolen elephant back. He goes to Australia and kicks some serious ass. I watched the US cut of this, and I should of watched the international cut instead, because the editing is horrendous and the music is god awful. This is no Ong Bak folks. In fact it could be Rumble in the Bronx 2. Do all the punks in Australia and Vancouver seem stuck in an 80's Michael Jackson video? Fights are good in spots and if you like Tony Jaa, you will dig it.

Flight of the Conchords 2nd Season Premiere!

Season 2 Online Premiere - Flight of the Conchords (US Only) - watch more funny videos

My Dad has a Blog!

Holy crap the apocalypse is near, my dad has a blog now! My dad is a retired professional photographer who as of last year finally put his big Nikon away and got a digital camera. So I set him up a blog where he can post his digital photos. His website is www.davesdigitalphotos.blogspot.com

REVIEW: Flags of our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima

Wow and Wow are the first two things that come to mind in describing the greatness that Clint Eastwood's two films I watched on Blu-ray the other night. I guess the best way to review these are to review them together since in essence they are one story told from opposites sides of WWII. Flags details the US perspective of the Iwo Jima invasion. The battle scenes are intense, but in a very realistic and classic sense of filmmaking. There is nothing showy about Eastwood's directorial style. He composes his films like classical music. They have structure and layers that is such a lost and necessary art in Hollywoodland these days. Unlike Saving Private Ryan's brilliant flurry of high shutter speed violence, Flags and Iwo take there time so that you feel the impending doom of these characters. The one flaw I would lay on the Flags battle scenes is that at times its difficult to follow who is who on the battlefield, but that is a minor quip in an otherwise masterpiece of modern cinema.



Once Fathers gets going past Iwo Jima we follow the tale of three solders who survived the battle and were captured raising the flag in that famous photograph. But we soon learn a nasty lesson in US Government PR, that the three guys that raised the flag were actually raising the replacement flag because the original flag was taken down hours after it was raised so that a general could have it as a souvenir to hang in his living room after the war. Sad but true. The film follows the lives of those three men as they were rushed back to the states to go on tour to promote the war by selling war bonds. The US used these guys as heroes to promote the war as win able, yet the men themselves were living a lie day in and day out. The ending coda for some of these men are very sad as their lives post war were quite sad. I was really taken with Flags not so much as a war movie but on a psychological level it has a fascinating structure about how war is promoted to the public and how the casualties of that war linger forever.



Letters From Iwo Jima doesn't do much to lighten up the party, as this film now sees the invasion of Iwo jima from the Japanese perspective which was an idea producer Spielberg thought might be interesting to do during pre-production on Flags and Eastwood agreed and shot them both at the same time. This film follows the lives of a general and his men preparing for the landing of the US troops on the island. Unlike the US soldiers who were told they would be coming back from the war as heroes, the Japanese men were told that they were not coming back. So its interesting to see the different mindsets that poses on the battlefield. The General and the men know that they can't win, so they go into the battle purely just trying everything they can to survive one day after another and prolong death one day at a time. The film also details some of the US soldiers who see taken capture in Flags but we don't know what happened to them. We discover here that some of them were treated well and with honor.



The young Japanese soldiers see reflections of themselves in a particular prisoner and the general played by the genius of Ken Wantanbe speaks English and spent time in America is able to read some of the prisoners letters to his Mom to the troops. Some of the letters he is writing are exactly those thoughts and feelings that they have. All of the solder's write their families letters thinking that they are being sent home, when in fat they are all going a big bag. Towards the end of the film as the Americans are overtaking the caves and underground bunkers, a Japanese solider buries the letters in the cave. Later in a scene showing real explorers in the caves they are found. Both films detail the honor both sides had for their country and that in reality there was not a winning side with the thousands of men that lost their lives. They were all just young men 18 to 20 years old fighting alternate versions of themselves when every one of them wanted to be at home with their loved ones. These two films are both an amazing testament to the talent that Clint Eastwood is as a director. He is turning out films in his 70's that filmmakers in their prime will never match. Having said that where can I get a ticket to see Grand Torino right now? In all seriousness I know I am late to the party on these two films, but you must see them if you have not. They are modern day classics. Oh and an apology to Kevin F, because I told him we would watch these and I went off and did on my own. My bad. I will gladly watch them again!

Where Christmas Happens

Where Christmas Happens... from Atombomb.tv on Vimeo.

Amy and i did a little spoof of all those NBA Where Amazing Happens spots on TV, to use as our Christmas video for everyone. Hope you guys like it and Happy Holidays to everyone. Click HERE to see the original commercial we were spoofing. There are 50 of those things out there. Happy Holidays to everyone!

Zu the Cat Packaging Superstar!

We are proud of our little Zu Warrior being the face of Home 360 cat food! Go Zu!

Playing the Blog Catchup Game

I am sorry for not updating any sooner, but since I last posted things got crazy busy at work and at home. So I'll pick up about a month ago on my last post. I did attend the Lone Star Film Festival in Downtown Fort Worth on that Friday. I tried to make it back out for some of the shorts and another feature but could not. So here are my mini reviews of what I have seen either at home or at the movies:

Let the Right One In (2008)



I was a bit disappointed that the screening for this movie was from a DVD and not a film print. This was very frustrating considering its currently in distribution around the States. However that aside, the film itself is among my favorites of the year. It's about a young boy, Oscar who befriends a new neighbor girl, Eli who seems as lonely and odd as he is. One difference is the new neighbor is a vampire. Now, for me vampire movies have been done to death. If you are able to breath life into that dead genre you have done something special, and this film is special. It's very slow paced and that was a welcome change from the MTV cutting style of recent vampire trite. The look and feel of the film is cold, inside and out. You want to start a fire while watching it. It feels like a Ikea vampire movie the way the Sweedish film moves along in a very neat and comfy fashion. I thought the performance of Eli by Lina Leandersson was particulary spot on as she toes the gender line of boy/girl/vampire. I have heard that in the book the gender issue is more a topic than the film where its dealt with and disposed of quickly. This is a great little vampire film that I think stays with you both visually and emotionally. Director Tomas Alfredson visual style oozes over you like a great painting from shot to shot. And of course if its a good unique piece of work it is being remade for illiterate US audiences that can't read subtitles. See the original!

12 (2007)



This is a Russian film that is essentially a remake of sorts of Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men. 12 jurors must decide the fate of a Chechen teenager charged with murdering his stepfather. Directed by Nikita Mikhalkov with a very strong character oriented visual style, the film never gets boring despite its 2 and half hour running time. The story within the story is not as compelling as the ones in the jury room. And in fact I guess it may be a little more compelling if I knew a bit more of the history of the Chechen/Russian history. But for dramas sake it was all very fascinating. If you are a fan of courtroom drama and that sort of thing, then this is an excellent film. Starting off the film every one but one feel the boy is guilty of murder, then one by one each begin to change there mind as they reconstruct the case in the basketball gym where they are held up using props to imagine how the murder may have happened. It was all very well done and not disrespectful to Lumet's original masterwork.

So here is some rapid fire thoughts on stuff I watched on dvd/blu recently:

Reno 911: Season 1
Awesome! Can't wait for season 2

The Sopranos: Season 6 (final season)
Sad, that the epic is over, but wow what an accomplishment for David Chase. I would retire now and never make anything again.

Hellboy 2
The blu-ray rules! The 2plus-hour documentary about the making of the film is worth the price of the disc. Del Toro rules.

Zodiac
I really wanted to flip out over David Fincher's new film, but as much as I liked it, it left me wanting more, and not in a good way. Still very recomended for the performances and directing. Also on a tech note, this is Finchers first film to be totally digital HD.

Incredible Hulk
Another blu-ray that I love. This film has gotten better with each repeated viewing. Highly recommended.

Dark City: Director's Cut
This blu-ray of a new cut of Dark City is really fun if your a fan of this film. I thought the film holds up really well over time and I still had a blast watching it.

Indiana Jones and the Raping of my Generation
Ok, thats not the title to the film, but it might as well be. There is some fun stuff, but George Lucas managed to mess up a movie with monkeys in it. You know why? Cause they are digital! You BASTARD!



Planet of the Apes: Blu-ray box set
This is heaven. Pure heaven. Will review more extensiviely later.

The Universe: Season One (blu)
This is great if you're a space junkie like me. Its like taking a Astronomy class refresher course. Good stuff and Highly recommended.

Wall-E
Best Pixar movie yet, for me anyway. I really dug the hell out of this movie. Pixar is a magical place.

X-Files: I Want to Believe
I wanted to believe I was watching something else. Enjoyed the return of the characters, but the movie sucks.

Transiberian
I really liked this movie by Brad Anderson (Session 9) This is about a couple who find themselves in a middle of a gangster ordeal while on a train in a very cold place.

The Fall
Tarsem (The Cell) directs this fantasy film that is unbelievable to look at it. Every shot is elegantly composed, however a good movie it is not...

Bruce Lee Plays Ping Pong

I know I'm late to the party on this one, but if you have not seen this, enjoy....


Bruce Lee Plays Ping Pong with Nunchuks - The funniest videos are a click away

Lone Star International Film Festival Part Deux

Hey this came up so fast it almost passed me by! Come by the Lone Star Film festival in downtown Ft. Worth this weekend and see some great flicks. Here is a LINK to the website and you can see all the films. I'm going to see "12" and "Let the Right One In" tonight at the Palace.

Storm Chasers

I was going to write a post about how bad Heroes and Smallville are this year, but most of you probably already know this if you've seen them. So let's focus on some positive programming... And that is The Discovery Channel's show Storm Chasers now in its second season. This is a documentary show following around two groups of storm chasers looking to "intercept" a tornado for scientific research and for footage for an Imax film. the Imax camera truck is a tank that locks into the ground because the cameraman wants to drive the tankcam into the actual tornado to get footage of being inside the twister. Last season they came up short, and this year is not off to the best of starts. Yes these people are nuts.

Then there is a new group this year from Oklahoma that chase storms solely for the footage to sell to news stations and other outlets. There is a crazy competition between these two teams which is great to watch. If you like weather watching, this is a great show to get addicted to. Think of this as "Twister" the series but it's for real. Highly recommended.

An Article of Me

Mike Price is a guy whose movie reviews in the Fort Worth Star Telegram I grew up reading and respecting. As I got older I discovered his talent in the wide world of comic books starting with his Carnival of Souls adaptation. As a pimple faced loser I went to the Comic Shop get the comic autographed by him and fellow Telegram critic Todd Camp. I mentioned that I was a "screenwriter" and he graciously started accepting my really bad horror movie scripts. And I mean they were bad... To my shock he has actually kept them. He may be the only one with copies of them in existence! So I was quite honored that he chose me to write an article on for the Fort Worth Business Press. You can read all the action by clicking HERE.

REVIEW: Inland Empire

I love David Lynch. Not many filmmakers operate on his level. I put off seeing Inland Empire for quite some time now. I was trying to pick the right night, the right mood, etc. For his latest film, Inland Empire Lynch abandoned his elaborate 35mm past and embraced the technology of DV. Actually in this case he took many years with making it, so even in the time he made it, technology has improved to a point where this film looks dated tech wise. In fact if I'm not mistaken I think he used the tiny Sony PD150 DVCAM. Now if you are a big Lynch devotee as I am you are aware that Lynch is more than just a filmmaker he is a film artist and Inland takes this to a new extreme. Gone are the lush colorful wide shots of panavision and in their place are desaturated extreme close ups with handheld cameras operated most of the time by Lynch himself. Just thinking aloud for a moment maybe Lynch thought to himself that he had pushed the boundaries of his previous style that it was time to go the opposite direction. Style wise he has succeeded, content wise we are back in very Lynchian territory. And thank the Lord for that!



Inland focuses on an actress, Laura Dern who is cast in a film with a handsome leading man in a film they believe is an original screenplay. During the making of the film they learn that the film is in fact a remake of a Polish film that was never completed because the the two leads were murdered. The film was thought to have a gypsy curse attached to it. At a point Dern, enters a very familiar Lynchian dark void on the sound stage where they are filming and crosses over into a mirrored version of her reality. The film and what we believe was reality has merged. This falls into the same doppelganger style that dominated Twin Peaks, Lost Highway, and Mullholand Drive. Lost Highway is maybe my favorite Lynch film. For me it's his grim masterpiece. There are moments in Inland that really got to me. The flashlight sequence for one is quite unnerving in an erotic way that only Lynch can serve up. The music of course is always great for a Lynch film. This is without a doubt Dern's movie. Supporting cast includes Jeremy Irons, Harry Dean Stanton, and Grace Z. Lynch again does his own sound design, and the DVD gives you multiple mix options to enjoy.



Inland Empire is a way too long though. It's never boring mind you, but you feel like as with this new DV technology he's pushing he also pushed the boundaries of its running time. And that's too bad because he paints a very wonderful idea here. I was very excited being a fan of DV that Lynch was doing this. But during it there were shots made for film. Dark voids and whatnot don't look good on video. I was longing for some 35mm or better grade of DV in the form of HD. I think other filmmakers like Mike Figgis have transitioned to video a little better. Inland has its own style and mood, and you either accept it or don't. I enjoyed the ride and can't wait for what's next for Mr. David Lynch.

Wassup 2008

I thought this was a great idea...

Wassup 2008
by 60Frames

Watchmen poster!

CAN WE PLEASE GET A TIME MACHINE GOING SO I CAN SEE THIS MOVIE ALREADY!!!

Halloween Reviews....Diary of the Dead

Watched a few horror films the last week and a tad this weekend when time. One of those films, "George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead". I couldn't remember if I had reviewed here on the blog or not. But being that I am a mega-fan of director George A. Romero I thought I owed to him. Just kidding. I didn't get to see it on it's brief theatrical run here in the DFW area, so I had to settle for the DVD release back in April or May. I watched it and was very annoyed for the first half of it, then it took me in a new direction that I really liked. So I picked it up on Blu-ray for a second look. My first reaction was that I didn't care for it, at least the first half. So my reaction to the film upon second viewing is pretty close to my first reaction. But this time I liked that second half even more. Unlike most horror movies George's flicks are commentaries. This one like Night, Dawn, Day, and Land has a message and for me the message was that our dependence on media from the news, smart phones, and blogs is scary.

Fellow Ft. Worth Filmmaker J. Mitchel Johnson made his film, World Without Waves about a man who is allergic to electricity or technology if you will. And Mitchel should revisit that theme cause its much worse now. Everything coming at us these days is filtered. We don't know the truth anymore. Everyone has a blog and an opinion and a point of view. anyone can re-edit a video and make it work for their point of view. Spin is king. And this is only part of the message George is at work here. If the world was coming to an end would the government tell us what we needed to hear? Probably. Would the real media have any control? Maybe not. This movie tells the story of Zombies beginning to take over. The TV outlets say its a virus, but a filmmaking crew see otherwise. They continue filming and upload the footage through myspace, blogs, etc to try and convey to whoever is listening that the government/press is lying to us. Then others jump on the bandwagon and use whats left of the web to tell their stories of whats going on.



The ending of the film is very haunting and sad. Have you ever had one of those days where you just need to get rid of technology. The computer, the PDA, TV and whatnot. Well our heroes whats left of them end up locking themselves in a house with a safe room surrounded by security cameras displaying nothing but images of Zombies coming in to eat them. Very nice stuff. So the message gets there, but its not so smooth sailing. Using all unknowns actors, the acting is spotty at best. And the level of technology that is employed takes a big hunk of that ole' suspension of disbelief medicine. This is a harder pill to swallow if you are tech savvy. The image too is shot on HD camera, but its too clean looking. Needs to be dirtied up. SO all in all I would recommend Diary if you like George's other Dead films. But don't go in looking for it to be too much like the last 3. This is more in line with Night of the Living Dead. But not to worry George does deliver the red stuff. Although a lot of it is digital red. Not a fan of that personally. So this is my least favorite of the Dead series. Hopefully Island will be better, but this one does have some strong important messages to tell that places it high above the recent slate of Zombie films.

Hope to post a review of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre on blu-ray. I'm about halfway through it, and loving every second of it!!! TCM rulZ!

Watchmen footage from the Scream Awards

Last night I sat down for a minute and scanned through the Scream Awards for best Horror, Sci-Fi, and Comic stuff. Most Anticipated Movie was Watchmen, so director Zach Snider showed some new footage, and I have to say this thing looks big. It feels epic, and I can only hope the movie is as good as the comic. Based on the footage so far, I can't wait for March to get here. And in HD last night it looked mind blowing. They showed the teaser trailer for the new Friday the 13th remake too, but that was quickly washed out of my mind after I saw this... The quality is not very good, if a new version pops up I will re-post it because this really needs to be seen in HD. Check it:

Friday the 13th - Remix 09

As many of you know I love the big guy in the hockey mask. And on Friday Feb. 13th we get new Jason love with the remake or reboot of Friday the 13th. Last night the premiered the teaser trailer for the new flick directed by Marcus Nispel who did the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake which I enjoyed quite a bit on its own terms. Overall, not much to get anyone overly excited. The best part is at the very end when Jason is running at someone in the woods. I mean I hope this is a start to new Jason movies, but I hope they don't take it too seriously. I don't think it was ever intended to me more than a guy in mask who kills teenagers. And who hasn't wanted to do that before? Fingers crossed.


Friday the 13th: Exclusive First Look

RIP, the great Rudy Ray Moore aka Dolemite!

One of my favorite blacxploitation movie stars of all time is the awesome Rudy Ray Moore. He passed away today sadly. If you have never seen the film Dolemite or it's sequel, The Human Tornado, then you have not lived a real day of your life. I pay tribute to his greatness in almost all of my films. A little known fact is that in every movie I've ever made there is the line, "Bitch are you for real." Don't ask me why, you just have to see The Human Tornado trailer below to fully understand. It is with great regret that the genius of Rudy is no longer with us. Right now he is busting up motherfxxers games in heaven and enjoying it. Some of my favorite quotes from the master:

"From the first to the last I give them the blast so fast that their lives have passed before their ass has even hit the grass"

"See me uptown, downtown, crowned and renowned"

"if you crave satisfaction this is the place you will find that action"

"Bitch are you for real"

"He think he bad and got no class, I'm gonna ram this shotgun up his mother(bleeping)ass."

I loved this guy since high school. I still quote his lines to this day. Very sad to see him pass on to the next plain. Ain't it Cool has a nice tribute page up for him. Click HERE.

Let the Right One In

I have been hearing nothing but good things about this little horror movie, "Let the Right One In" that comes out on October 24th. Many people who have seen it including genius Guillermo Del Toro have said its not only the best horror movie in a long time, but its also a beautiful looking film. I've also heard that it is hands down the best horror movie of the year. Here is a LINK to the website for the film. I think that I have heard its already been remade at this very moment for us illiterate Americans who can't read subtitles. Go support the original on the 24th. Here is a creepy ass trailer:

Retrospectives: What's Next? Readers Choice...

Above is a still from the new Star Trek movie. I am very hyped, because I have not been into any Star Trek since the second season of Deep Space Nine and that was in the 90's I think. And the other day Star Trek III was on in HD and I got completely sucked into it.

I've done quite a few retrospectives on this blog about long running movie series. I love going back and watching a series of films that create a large universe. It's interesting to see how that filmic universe grows or shrinks with each respective entry in the series. So, here's the deal, I have several series that i want to do retrospectives on, but I can't decide which one to do next. I'll let you, my 4 readers decide. I also have another idea for an article that intrgues me that I will throw into this mix.

The other day while at Movie Trading Company, instead of looking through the bargain dvd's, I went through the VHS tapes instead looking for BASF gold. And I did indeed find some. I can't remember all of them, but one was Hell Comes to Frogtown and one I can't recall the title, but the cover had me rolling because it was about this guy who has to come home to Denton, TX to blow away some drug dealers that were making Denton a dirty town. (I have to go back and pick that up.) So my idea is to go in and pick out 5 bad VHS movies and I have to review them all here on the blog. My other retrospectives I want to do are:

Star Trek: The Movie series (original cast, no Next Generation)
Planet of the Apes
Highlander
The Exterminator (1 and 2) That will be fun!
or The Great VHS Hunt

I will try and put a poll somewhere on here that you can click what you would rather have me write...

A Special Message from Hayden Panettiere

See more Hayden Panettiere videos at Funny or Die

Joost 2.0

If you enjoy watching Movies, tv shows, short films etc on-line, Joost 2.0 launched a few days ago and its very cool. Much like Hulu if you use that site, you will like Joost. Joost has been in beta for about 3 years but it was always a software version you had to download and install. It was very clunky and hard to navigate through but they had some decent content. Well I guess they threw it all away and went to a browser interface. I'm testing it out this afternoon, and it works great. They have a lot of good content both old and new. Right now I'm checking Orson Wells The Stranger with Edward G. Robinson. And its running super smooth. I noticed they also have Twin Peaks and V. So go to Joost.com and enjoy some free content!

Zu's Modeling Career

Zu, our cat we found with a missing foot, has discovered a new career as a model. He was chosen to be a model for Food Lion cat food. We've had to get him an agent and he insists on his own trailer and stylist already. I picked out a few pics, some good and some wacky ones. He was really nervous at first but towards the end he actually calmed himself down and they got some great pics for the food label. He tried several new looks he had been working on, including Steel and Jade.

Zu will be signing autographs soon at the nearest Food Lion. Email us for bookings or engagements. Seriously when the labels are done I will post them here. Thanks to our peeps at Marketing Management for thinking of Zu. Maybe he can start a new career path! Amy and I are quite proud of him...

Indiana Jones and Temple of Lucas Doom

South Park is crazy man!

Bobby Hacker's Cars

Before you click play BEWARE, this short contains A LOT of F-Bombs. So if you're at work or with the kiddos, turn the volume down. That being said, this is a very funny short parody of local car commercials. It takes some bizarre twists into an odd demented world, and it feels wonderful! If you look around on youtube, there is a Part 2 and a trailer for part 3. Not for everyone, but I dare you to not going around saying the catch phrase right after you watch it.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

The Rock-afire Explosion Movie Trailer

This is a sign of the Apocolypse. Is it not? Whatever, this is documentary gold, I hope!


The Rock-afire Explosion Movie Trailer from The Rock-afire Explosion on Vimeo.

Usher and the Showbiz Band

This is the most awesome idea ever. This week at least.

Punisher: War Zone trailer

Oh my this looks violent...

George A. Romero's Island of the Dead !!!

Holy shit this started shooting this week and no one knew about it! Go George...

From Variety:

Director George Romero is beginning production on an untitled thriller. Once again, the antagonists are flesh-eating zombies.Romero first mined zombies with "Night of the Living Dead" and has been cannibalizing the genre since, most recently with "Diary of the Dead." Romero wrote the new film and began shooting this week in Ontario.

Plot involves inhabitants of an isolated island off the North American coast who find their relatives rising from the dead to eat their kin. The leaders of the island feud over whether or not to kill their reanimated relatives or preserve them in hopes of finding a cure.

Cast includes Alan Van Sprang, Kenneth Welsh, Kathleen Munroe, Devon Bostick, Richard Fitzpatrick, Stefano Colacitti and Athena Karkanis.

Paula Devonshire is producing. Romero is exec producer along with Peter Grunwald, D.J. Carson and Artfire Films' Ara Katz, Art Spigel and Dan Fireman. Voltage Pictures is handling international sales, and Cinetic Media will sell domestic.