Kevin's Kreapy Korner is up!

Hey, everyone!

It's been a busy week or so, but this week had a ton of posts go up, and I actually had some success this week with a few of them. So, thank you all for your support.

I hope you all have a great, safe Halloween!

Here is another post I did this week reguarding the alternate ending to Paranormal Activity. Obviously, if you haven't seen it, don't see the video. It's a great ending, so don't spoil it.


Here is the link to Kevin's Kreapy Korner (it's a bit much on the illiteration, isn't it?)

the Epic debate to end epic debates - Slow or Fast?

Among the great debates of all time, I decided to tackle one of the more prominent ones; no, not Coke vs. Pepsi, Star Wars vs. Star Trek, or Freddy vs. Jason. No, today, we are talking about slow zombies vs. fast zombies. That’s right, the debate over whether our zombies should be sprinting or slow, methodical monsters rages on here today!


Zombies started out with George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. The brain-starved monsters were slow, methodical creatures that were the embodiement of fear, and were representing death, unstoppable, unavoidable, and slowly coming for us all. The fear was balanced between the gruesomeness of brain-eating people and the idea that you will never escape the terror.

After several years of Romero movies that formed a legacy, zombies lost a bit of their dread when they learned to talk, use tools, and all sorts of un-zombie-like behavior. When 2002’s remake of Romero’s Dawn of the Dead came out, it featured a much more aggressive zombie with blood dripping from their lips as they sprinted to viciously tear apart their prey. Many horror fans liked the new, more modern zombies as they showed a new, vicious kind of terror not seen before in zombie movies. Now, you have to try and out run something that looked like it could’ve been a sprinter in a previous life. The downside here is that it loses it’s primal fear of death following you.

For my money, the zombie horde closing in slow, and methodical like is much more terrifying, as there is nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide.

So, which to you prefer, the slow, meandering ones, or the running, sprinting ones?

The mother of all geek-outs. Firefly edition

If you haven't seen Castle yet, you are missing something. The show features Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic and involves a horror writer following a detective around and helping solve murders. While the story is good, the true gem is the characters, and the chemistry, specifically Fillion's Rick Castle.

This week, the halloween episode starts off with Fillion dressing up as a "space cowbody" a costume, according to his daughter he last wore five years ago. Does anyone reckognize it?!? Yeah, I haven't geeked out like that in a long time. Bonus points to the people who spotted the power coupling that was the pineapple in Firefly sitting on the shelf. The part in question was the MacGuffin in the episode "out of gas."
Check it out, and prepare to squeal like a little girl.....errr uhh, grunt, yeah, that's it, like a man!

"women are box office poison" - A rebuttle to a rebuttle

In an article that ran in today's tbt* by Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post, the writer talks about how strong female leads lead to poor box office results. Amelia was the most current example of a flop, and the writer is saying she is being told, it's because of the fact all movie-goers are male, and they just don't like strong women in a main role (In my opinion, in the case of Amelia, they forgot ugly). The writer also goes on to site Erin Brokovich, Sex in the city and Mamma Mia! as examples of movies that had strong leads, and had financial success. Finally, it seems, the writer is suggesting sexism in the movie theater.

So, I had to rebute this. First off, examples of poor box office results include the recently released Amelia and the Jodie Foster bomb The Brave One. While both of those movies bombed, it's not due to the fact they both had female leads, but rather that both suck, and suck bad. Sure, there are female leads, but that's like saying 'every movie with Dinosaurs will do well' just because Jurassic Park had success. The film also drops a Drew Barrymore movie called Whip It as another example of a bomb, despite the pull of Barrymore. I would say a determining factor in all three of these would be the sub-par marketing done for all three of these films. I've seen one TV commercial, no internet ads and no newspaper ads for Amelia, so, instead of blaming the incredibly untalented Hillary Swank, maybe blame the marketing company in charge of wasting a studio's money.

So, why is it that female leads aren't as popular as their male counterparts? There is a study that shows that women actually buy more movie tickets than men (clearly some cheap-skate dates out there) so why is it that they don't go to see female leads? Let's look at some of them..
Ripley - Aliens - Awesome
Erin Brokovich - Awesome
Clarice Starling - Silence of the Lambs - Awesome
Clearly, if I can think of three great examples, either they are the exception to the rule, or there is no rule.

So, when you have a good premise, plenty of marketing behind it, you have a good movie, despite the sex of the lead.

Kevin's Korner this week

And now, the article you’ve waited all month … err, all week … err, all day … well, you’ve waited long enough, it’s Kevin’s Korner (Insert applause here). This week we have all kinds of fun movie news, a trailer and a bit of a rant. So buckle up, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride; well, not really, but you get the idea.


So, are you teased, tittelated, intrigued even? If so, check it out, and if not, well....I guess, don't check it out.....dick!  

Here is Kevin's Korner. Next weeks edition is the Halloween edition. Better get cookin!

Is Chris Farley on TV a bad thing? I think so.

Recently, DirecTV brought out its newest commercial featuring a scene with Chris Farley and David Spade in the movie Tommy Boy. The commercial has caused quite a stir since it features Farley, who died in December of 1997. So, should people quit being prude and get over it, or did DirecTV actually commit a no no?

I think the commercial isn’t exactly offensive, but I don’t particularly appreciate it. It just feels kind of wrong to be trying to get customers by making fun of a dead guy. While it wouldn’t stop me from getting a DirecTV package if I so chose, I think the advertising tactic is low and immoral.

This isn’t the first time they have been less than considerate regarding a deceased actor. Previously, they ran another ad, featuring Heather O’Rourke, a 12 year old actress who died back in 1988. I just find it hard to believe it’s so hard to find a movie with actors that are still alive.

So, what do you think, do you find it immoral, or am I being too serious with a commercial that is meant to be funny? It’s alright, you can tell me!




EDITORS NOTE: This was published in Creative Loafing's website along with a poll. Check out the results HERE.

Top Comedies of all time? That's a tough list...

Alright, so I decided I was going to do a top 10 or 15 list of comedies. The tough part about comedies is that it takes different elements to make different people laugh. So, while some people may find fart jokes entertaining (and who doesn't) some people like a more intellectual approach.

Obviously the list won't please everyone, but I'm gonna do my favorites. Here is where I need YOUR help. Every time I do a list, I always think of one later on that truly should've been on the list. So, what do you guys think should be on there? Is it hard to think of some? I know, it's not easy. But, instead of working, I was busy thinking of great comedies for a bit of a list. Don't worry, I worked a bit, too. So, here is a list of comedies that came to mind, to make your decision making a bit easier.

Thanks for the input.

40 year old virgin
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Airplane
Anchorman
Animal House
Austin Powers
Balls of Fury
Beer Fest
Blazing Saddles
Borat
Caddyshack
Captain Ron
City Slickers
Clerks
Clerks 2
Dr. Strangelove
Dumb and dumber
Fargo
Ferris Buellers Day Off
Ghostbusters
Harold & Kumar Go to Whitecastle
History of the World Part I
Hot Shots
Life of Brian
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python The Meaning of Life
Naked Gun
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
National Lampoon’s Vacation
Office Space
Old School
PCU
Raising Arizona
Replacements
Robin Hood: Men in TightsShaun of the Dead
Shrek
Spaceballs
Super Troopers
Support Your Local Sheriff
Swingers
The Big Lebowski
The Blue’s Brothers
The Hangover
The Jerk
The Princess Bride
The Three Amigos
Tropic Thunder
Van Wilder
Waynes World
Wedding Crashers
Young Frankenstein
Zombieland
Zoolander

Box office predictions: Trailer vs. dollars

In an interesting chart this week (because you can't argue with a chart) we have a comparison between how popular a trailer is and how popular the movie is. After looking at this chart, which takes some of the top movies lately; it looks to me like how popular the trailer is may actually hurt the movie. And, in some cases, the trailer has no effect at all.

In light of this data, my opinion should change on trailers, but I still think a trailer can be the most useful marketing tool out there, if done right. The problem is, most trailers are done poorly in my opinion, and either give too much away, or go the opposite and don't pull in the audience. I think there are very few great trailers this year. I think I found another post!

So, what do you think, are the importance of trailers diminishing with all kinds of info on the interweb?

Mos Eisley - the real dialogue

In Star Wars, Ep. 4, Obi Wan Kinobi introduces us to Mos Eisley by saying "you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy." Granted, that is a pretty good intro to a place, I mean, I want to go there now! I would think you could easily find the droids you are looking for there.

However, thanks to this video, we see what Obi Wan was really saying!

The Cove worked!

Just in case you haven't heard about the Cove, it's a documentary about a town in Japan, called Taijii, and how they hunt and brutally slaughter dolphins. The film was so much more than just a collection of brutal shots; it was beautiful, suspensful, and at times comical. It was also one of the first movies I ever reviewed for Creative Loafing. On top of that little milestone, I also got a chance to talk with the director, Loui Psihoyos and star Rick O'Barry about the film. There mission was simple, stop the slaughter of dolphins, and it seems like they have done just that. Here is the link for a story Yahoo! presented today, check it out, and when you read the article, you will see that documentaries really do change the world!

When I talked to both gentleman, they were very kind, and freely anwsered any questions I had, but both were very excited about the project, and the prospect of stopping the slaughter of dolphins. Another thing that I was surprised about, was how much respect they had for the town itself, Taijii. Both gentleman said the town was beautiful, and with the exception of the few fisherman (a couple dozen) the town was very friendly and also completely unaware of the dark stain that layed beneath it.

Originally, it looked like the film would be banned from Japan completely, but O'Barry had promised me that would not stop him and his colleagues of finding a way to get his message out, even if it meant a free showing. Obviously, he was a man of his word.

So, have you seen the documentary yet? If so, what did you think?

What if the Pixar Lamp was a murderer?

So, this is the best video ever, and yet, I just felt dirty watching it. The best part is the "P" in the beginning!
Check it out!!!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Thor is coming...but does anyone care?

Circulating the movie blogs today was a story about how Domonic Cooper is rumored to take hold of the hammer of Thor. Of course, other casting was mentioned, and of course, Stan Lee is set to make a cameo. Now, normally, I soak up all this juicy info like a sponge, but I found myself not really caring at all. That got me thinking, first off; did I have enough coffee? 2 cups, check. Am I awake? Not really. Check. So, why do I not care? I think it has to do with the project itself.

I have to admit, I simply have no excitement or desire about this project at all. Granted it is Marvel, and they have given me some goodies in the past with Spiderman, Iron Man, X-men and the like. And, the casting is looking quite good, but come on, a god on earth, but they're trying to make it a regular world, despite gods wandering around. I mean, come on, it was a weak concept back in the day, and its still weak.

I say, drop Thor and concentrate on more exciting projects. There are a ton for Marvel to choose from, I never understood why they chose Thor.

Am I the only one that feels this way?

Chuck is going to Thursdays?

Well, a bumbling move for NBC leads to us possibly getting more excited about our favorite Buy More employee and super spy, Chuck.

There were rumors going around that since some of the shows on NBC were doing really, really terrible, Chuck could be brought back early; as in late October early. Obviously, that got all the Chuck fans excited and trembling, but a bit apprehensive about just throwing the show back on with no warning and no advertising. Well, NBC came out with a banner today, and thanks to Spoilertv, here it is. It sounds like the mest up on the time, but Thursday's, hopefully soon!

FAQ About Time Travel Review

Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel

I saw a trailer this week on Facebook, and the trailer said the movie was a combination of Dr. Who meets Shaun of the Dead. With that kind of billing, how am I not going to see a movie like that?

The title pretty much explains it all with this one. Basically, you have your text-book movie geeks which right away make me like the movie, and they stumble across a sort of time paradox, Anna Faris, and some beer in the course of 30 minutes, or hundreds of years, I’m not really sure.

Time travel is always a tricky think, and can easily be a cheap way to write yourself out of a corner, but in this case, it was kind of the opposite. The movie was written by someone who had a very good knowledge of time travel theories (minus Dr. Sam Beckett’s theory from Quantum Leap, but we won’t hold that against him) and the movie uses pretty much every theory…together…in the same movie. And, if your not confused yet, you certainty will be.

I liked this movie to a point. It was simple, yet incredibly complicated. The characters were a bit clichéd, and while the time travel was written perfectly, the dialogue was a bit on the rough side. Also, the humor was basically movie geek one-liners. So, if you’re a movie geek like me, the one liners that come are hilarious, and probably something you and your friends talk about. If you haven’t fully embraced your inner movie geek just yet, however, you will find this movie incredibly boring.

Overall, I’m thrilled I saw it, and will probably watch it again. Just, next time, I will have far more alcohol in me.

I give it 6 Deloreans out of 10

Google Wave Demo goes Pulp Fiction-ey

Have you heard of Pulp Fiction? Sure you have; don't be silly. Now, have you heard of Google WAVE?
No? Well, now you have. "Wow, Kevin's Movie Blog, thank you so much!" Your Welcome!!
Google Wave is a new form of IM/Email/Twittering that Google is still working the kinks out on, and is distributing for beta testing as we speak. And no, Google hasn't given me one yet, but soon, I'm sure.

So, check out this video that mixes Pulp Fiction with Google Wave, and see the possibilities of Google Wave while Samule L. Jackson amuses you...

Blockbuster streams on Tivo today

What was once considered a competition for video rental chain Blockbuster has become a possible lifeline for the struggling company. As of today, if you have a Tivo service, you will see an option to rent movies from Blockbuster on your menu. This will allow you to pay anywhere from $2 to $4 for a movie rental that will stream right to your TV. This move was made to try and combat Netflix's streaming service that goes along with their monthly rental fee.

Everyone already knows my feelings on Blockbuster, but this is the perfect example of what is wrong with Blockbuster. This is a very reactive move, as opposed to what needs to be done, a proactive move. I find it hard to believe many people will use this service with Netflix having already one-upped them months ago. If Blockbuster wants to make it through the next year or so, they need to be ahead of the curve, not months behind it. And, partnering with Tivo, another fading fad, is just silly.

What do you think, is this smart for the Block, or is it just another step towards the grave? (Sounds scary, doesn't it?)

FAQ About Time Travel

So, check out this trailer, described as "Dr. Who meets Shawn of the Dead." If that wasn't enough, Anna Faris is in it.... I know! I don't think its in the U.S. yet, but, I'm sure it will be soon enough.

Heroes has sold out-my take on the lesbian kiss

I generally don't comment too much about TV, but I came across this, and I had to comment, because Heroes isn't the only one blatently selling out, they just did it without any tact.

Alright, so, the story goes... once upon a time...ok, nevermind.
Last week's episode of Heroes had the local honeypot and all around hottie Hayden Panitiere kiss her roomate chick in a steamy lesbian scene. As a guy, I have to say its a turn on, and no, I'm not getting into why, but as a fan of TV and cinema, I have to cry fowl.

Heroes ratings have been in the toilet, circling the drain for awhile now, and instead of writing some good characters in, killing off the bad ones, and thinking up some good angles, they just decided to go with "the cheap pop." Granted they have been giving the cute Hayden some skimpier and skimpier outfits to wear, but here, they just come out and admit they have nothing creative and milk the proverbial cow for all its worth.

It's sad, Heroes used to have some creativity, great characters, and some great acting, especially in Sylar (Zachary Quinto), but now, the shark has been jumped.

I found out what I'm getting my new niece:

This was posted today, and now I really want one. I don't want one for me...ok, yes I do, but I really want one for my newborn niece. I think this would be perfect for her. Don't you agree?

Kevin's Korner

Ladies, gentleman and movie geeks, Kevin’s Korner is back, and better than ever. This week, I wrap up some great news that was found floating around the Interwebs, along with some box office news *cough Zombieland cough* what’s out on DVD, along with a mild rant and the trailer of the week. So, let’s get going with the good stuff, shall we?

Movie News

A Pryor Engagement – You see what I did there? Cause the story is about a Richard Pryor biopic…ok, fine, enough of the puns. So, it was announced that Eddie Murphy was going to portray Richard Pryor in a biopic entitled Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? for Paramount. Now, unfortunately, Paramount and Eddie Murphy have backed out because they don’t like each other. So, the show must go on, but now Happy Madison (Adam Sandler’s production company) is now backing the film with Marlon Wayans as the star. Despite Wayans doing a good job in G.I. Joe, I simply don’t see him as a lead in a movie like this, but, I guess we’ll see.

Lost in La Mancha no more - Recently, director Terry Gilliam told Empire the famed flop Man of La Mancha is back up and running, with a reworked script that is finally theirs again, along with a possible lead, although Gilliam is mum on who it is. You’ll remember the last time Gilliam tried to tackle this project; his subsequent failure and loss of the rights and scripts were turned into a documentary that was absolutely tragic. Hopefully, Gilliam will have more success this time around.

Venom gets legs – Variety is reporting Gary Ross (Pleasantville) will be writing and directing a Venom spin-off after helping with the Spiderman 4 script. There are some rumors going around about a possible crossover between the two characters, which Marvel seems really keen on lately. There is no word on Topher Grace coming back as Eddie Brock, but I would think it would be someone else inside the black ooze.

On Stranger Tides IS based off a book – When Disney announced the title to the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, somewhere, there was someone saying “timeout, there is a book with the same name.” The book, now confirmed as the source material for the story was written by Tim Powers and features a pirate on a quest for the fountain of youth. The books main character hardly resembles Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow, uhh, sorry, Captain Jack Sparrow, but the quest is probably what Disney was after.

The Griswalds are back – Yes, you heard me correctly. It was announced this week that National Lampoon, now owned by WB is hiring David Dobkin to head a new Vacation movie. This time, the adventures will center around Rusty Griswald, Chevy Chase’s son, who is now head of his own family as they … well, they go on vacation. I know what you’re thinking; National Lampoon hasn’t put out anything good in twenty years, and your right!

Predators remake got some actors – Adrian Brody and Topher Grace have joined Danny Trejo and Oleg Taktarov in a Predator reboot helmed by Robert Rodriguez. Apparently, the idea is that predators capture some of the most skilled hunters and assassins on earth and take them to their crib from a duel to the death. I just really don’t see Topher Grace or Adrian Brody lasting that long against a predator.


Box Office Report

1. Zombieland: $24,733,155
2. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs: $15,809,039
3. Toy Story & Toy Story 2 (3D): $12,491,789
4. Surrogates: $7,241,054
5. The Invention of Lying: $7,027,472
6. Whip It: $4,650,812
7. Fame: $4,626,952
8. Capitalism: A Love Story: $4,447,378
9. The Informant!: $3,689,235
10. Love Happens: $2,749,025

Opening This Week

Couples Retreat
Good Hair
An Education
St. Trinian's
Trucker

New DVDs This Week

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Year One
My Life in Ruins
Trick 'r Treat
Bones: Season 4

My Rant –

Well, I was scratching my head as to what topic to choose; I mean, there are so many, the Roman Polanski topic came to mind, but I decided to go in a different direction. So, this week, I chose Torture Porn, and why it should die.

Torture Porn is a term for a style of a movie, in my opinion, made popular by Saw, where it graphically shows someone getting mutilated in some fashion, generally the more grotesque, the better. This technique generally pushes the limits of the R rating to the extreme and seems to drive crazy amounts of teenagers into theaters.

I have never been a fan of torture porn, not because of a week stomach, or because it looks like they use General Tsao’s chicken for some guys leg, but because it just feels like a cheap way to get a reaction. Movies like Blair Witch, The Ring, Paranormal Activity, Jaws, and Alien all made great movies without pushing the gross factor. The idea is that what is not seen is generally made more terrifying by the persons imagination, far better than some cheesy special effects and sheep’s blood. With Paranormal Activity, there was almost nothing of a scary monster actually seen, and no blood, and it was incredibly terrifying.

So, remember, filmmakers, next time you think about trying to remake Saw or Hostile, remember less is more.

Trailer of the week –
This week, is a bit of tribute to Woody Harrelson after his amazingly entertaining performance in Zombieland. This week’s trailer is for The Messenger, a complete switch from Harrelson’s last performance. The movie also stars Ben Foster who is one of the more underrated stars in Hollywood. So, check it out!




HERE is the link to the Creative Loafing article. I always appreciate the clicks!

TMNT a look at a weird trailer

I love the Internet sometimes, because everyone throughout the world can come together and discuss a wide variety of subjects from politics to religion to movies. So, when someone from 'across the pond' at 411mania.com wrote about a classic movie called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, naturally my interest was peaked, I mean, as a kid (*cough* and still today *cough*) I loved those movies. So, when he said it was originally called "Teenage Mutant Ninja Heroe's" I started to get a little worried; then, he shared the trailer for the movie. The dubbing is just disturbing. I mean, its like having great songs sung by Peter Griffin...it just feels wrong.

So, check out the trailer, and let me know if I'm just freakin' out for nothin' or if the voices seem......off....


See? The voices are weird, and the dubbing seems off, but whatever. Anyway, you should check out the article. Looking back on the franchise is pretty entertaining, despite the 411 mania writer looking at the series a bit harshly. Well, now, I need to get back in the right frame of mind....I need... ... ... Vanilla Ice!

Trick 'R Treat Review

Halloween has many traditions, from carving pumpkins to dressing up, to begging for candy, to toilet papering your teachers house (not that I ever did that). One of my favorite traditions is the scary movies, especially the Halloween-themed ones. Sure there is Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin, but there are few other good Halloween themed movies out there. Trick 'R Treat tries to make a movie that is fun, scary and Halloween-ey (it's a word) all at the same time.

The movie starts out at the end of the night with a classic case of someone dissing Halloween. We see them immediately pay for blowing out the jack-o-lantern. After that, the movie doubles back on itself and goes back to earlier in the evening to show the events of the night for four other groups of people. The four stories are classic Halloween stories of people not following the rules of Halloween, and then paying for it. After a second double-back in the movie, events going on in the background are more interesting; given you already know what happens to them later on.

This movie was kind of campy, but really fun. The best way to describe this movie is to compare it to a really scary costume. Sure it's a bit spooky, but that is part of the fun of Halloween. The stories offer a few little twists and a very sexy Anna Paquin, and the movie concludes with a bizarre scare-crow fight scene that starts off scary and just ends up silly and campy.

Over all, this was a fun little flick that would've been great in theaters. I recommend renting it before Halloween and enjoy the festivities.

Paranomal Activity director gets new project

Paranormal Activity director Oren Peli is using the fame his latest scary movie has gotten, and taking off for another gig, this time, to the mysterious Area 51 for another movie with shaky camera, and who knows what else.

The story, which has a reported budget of over $5 million, (well over the $15,000 budget of Paranormal Activity) involves some stupid teenagers heading to Nellis Air Force Base and the site of more urban legends than any other place in America, Area 51. After these teenagers get inside the base, all kinds of weird extra-terrestrial shenanigans will ensue.

The movie will have the same crew and same feel as Paranormal Activity with the “found footage” idea, which means whatever happens to the camera operator isn’t a good thing.

After the greatness that is Paranormal Activity, I am excited to see what this director can do with a real budget, but I just hope the whole found footage idea doesn’t get run into the ground and this doesn’t become Paranormal Activity with Aliens.

What do you think does this sound like a good idea or a worn out concept? And, have you seen Paranormal Activity yet, and if so, did you squeal like a little girl?

I did NOT get paid Jillions of dollars for this blog

The FTC made a move that changed everything for the better, but also made things confusing at the same time. In a move earlier this week, they ammended the rules for fines on writers to include blog writing. Basically, if you are given an item, or compensated in anyway for an article, it needs to be clearly outlined in the blog post to avoid hefty fines. While this seems like a great idea, it does include companies sending their gadgets to be tested, and let the blog company keep them, it also includes DVD screeners, from what I understand.

Another great point mentioned on G-4's Attack of the Show last night was the fact that it is not clear who the FTC is going after and who is considered a writer. Could they fine someone who tweets, saying a movie rocked, or a gadget is great? No one really knows, and how would someone enforce one blog without looking at another?

So, while the idea makes sense, the execution will be poor at best.
Kevin, or Kevin's Movie Blog were unfortunetly not compensated for this article...not a friggin' dime...that's right, this loser does this for free....no, I don't think he gets laid....

5 movies that scare the hell outta me

So, it's October, which means scary movies. You can't go through October without watching a good horror movie or two, so here are 5 of the scariest movies I have ever seen!

EDITORS NOTE: This article appeared on Creative Loafings site, HERE, and also was in the October 14th Edition of the Loafing Newspaper!


Event Horizon – This movie brought the terror that is space along with gallons upon gallons of blood, and some really creepy images of Sam Neil with his eyes gouged out. I am not sure why, but this movie was incredibly scary. From the time the rescue crew gets to the eerie Event Horizon all the way until the end with the few people left running for their lives, this movie was a sci-fi terror. This movie gets a few bonus points for casting Lawrence Fishburn.

The Descent – This movie was tremendous. It has the scary creature part to it, but it also has that continuous feeling of claustrophobia. In the first third of the film, there is a scene where a girl gets trapped in a narrow passage that starts collapsing that had me terrified long before creatures showed up. When the creatures did show up, that was scary too as the girls in the movie were ravaged by these eerie monsters. Extra bonus points for the awesome ending that follows.

Blair Witch Project – What Jaws did for the water, Blair Witch did for the woods. It is ridiculous how easy and simple this movie was, yet how terrifying it is. There is a scene, after they are lost and finding stupid little stick things, where they hear children laughing, and all of a sudden, the tent starts shaking, and I am scared beyond all reason. The ending was kind of weird, and going for the shock value, which I liked, but ended just a bit too quickly. Bonus points for the viral marketing that is king of viral marketing. When they showed this in the host town the first time, at the end of the movie, the 911 dispatcher got over 600 calls from people who thought it was real. Party on!

Jaws – I love the water and going to the beach, so when I saw Jaws when I was about 6 years old, I wanted to never go near the water again. Fortunately I got over it, but the movie was still incredibly scary. There is just something about not being able to see the killer; in this case, a giant shark until it’s too late. I still think the scene at night on the boat, when they are comparing scars, and the barrels pop up, and the boat starts sinking is one of the scariest scenes in history.

Paranormal Activity – This movie just recently came out, but don’t let that sway you from the terror it brings. This movie just kept ratcheting up the tension and dread throughout the movie, all the way to the jaw-dropping climax. At one point, the girl gets up and just stands at the side of the bed for hours before going back to bed, which doesn’t sound scary until its coupled with the rest of the events, the sounds, and the bizarre behavior to make one of the scariest moments on film, second, maybe only to the finale of the film.

Paranormal Activity continues to grow

Paranormal Activity, the scariest movie of the year continues to expand. After stellar reviews, especially from yours truly (check it out here), the viral “demand it” marketing has taken off, and given Paranormal Activity over $535,000 for this past weekend.

As a result, Paranormal Activity will be doubling its markets to over 40 now, with more to come this weekend. They are also adding additional shows at AMC Veterans all week to go along with the midnight showings already scheduled.

The film has already been a huge success in marketing with the “Demand it” campaign, compounded by word of mouth through Twitter with TweetYourScream. The budget was roughly $15,000, so expect some great things to come from this incredibly terrifying movie.

So, if you haven’t seen it yet, and are looking for a great scary movie, I encourage you to check it out…if you’re brave enough.

This story also appeared on Creative Loafings website. You can check out the journalistic goodness HERE.

Zombieland review

Zomedy: a movie that has zombies in the plot yet gets put in the comedy section at Blockbuster. Ok, sure, that is not the official definition, but its close enough. Zombieland takes that definition and runs with it in one of this year’s funniest movies.

The movie is about Tallahassee, brilliantly played by Woody Harrelson and Columbus, played by Jesse Eisenberg. These two people are exact opposites, one brash and aggressive, the other meek, and shy. Somehow, they have managed to survive while nearly everyone else in the world has been turned to zombies. After they meet two girls, they team up to visit a theme park to have one night of normalcy.

Besides the fact this movie is hilarious, it seems like they just sat around and thought up all the crazy stuff you and I would want to do if there were zombies, and they do it. Examples include “zombie kill of the week;” backing over zombies multiple times, smashing up abandoned storefronts and enjoying spraying thousands of bullets at the undead hordes.

On top of the crazy zombies, the characters are perfect, as is their portrayal. Tallahassee is easily liked by all as the crazy zombie killer who just wants a Twinkie. The interesting part is the guys past who is just briefly touched on. Eisenberg does a good job as the obsessive compulsive wimp guy who outlines rules for staying alive, which pop up frequently through the movie. Rules like “rule #4: Double Tap” are often made clear to the reason, along with others such as cardio and enjoying the little things.

The girls, Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) are also portrayed very well. Emma Stone is hot, but it’s also clear she is no push around, and often is the brains in the group. It’s good to see a strong female character in a zombie movie.

Finally, another element that seems to stand out is the cameo. I won’t spoil anything, and I encourage you not to look it up before partaking, but the cameo is easily one of the best cameos of the year, possibly ever.

Zombieland is exactly what it looks like, a funny comedy with great characters, plenty of laughs, line after line of quotable dialogue and of course, zombies. I highly encourage you check this out for yourself, possibly twice, just to make sure!

Rule # 33: Zombieland Rocks!

Paranormal Activity Review

When I was 6 years old, I saw Jaws for the first time and was truly terrified my trip to the beach the next day would be my last. Despite my love for the water, I still feel the terror that movie caused. Now, twenty something years later, I experience that true terror again. This time, the terror isn’t in the water; it’s in the bedroom with a movie called Paranormal Activity.

I had heard reports that is was the scariest movie some people had seen, so I sought out the movie and “demanded it” on the films website, and sure enough, the movie came to Tampa (your welcome) but only for a midnight showing. After seeing the movie that only cost a small amount to make, I was truly terrified and amazed at something as simple as a shadow, and a random light turning on could be so scary.

The movie involves a couple who experience some sound effects the girl, Katie thinks are a ghost. When the boyfriend, Micah comes home with a camera, they set up the camera in the bedroom to film the goings on, and see if they can catch a ghost. Fortunately, instead of the comparable Blair Witch Project, Micah was smart enough to buy a tripod so the audience doesn’t get sick. The shot that is setup in the bedroom is the source of dread and terror throughout the film, as night after night, the haunting get more and more intense and the dread and suspense build with no release in sight.

I have to say, this is one of the scariest movies I have ever seen. The acting was pretty good, and the camcorder gimmick wasn’t as annoying as Blair Witch or Cloverfield. After the movie ended, the ending was so shocking, I just sat there, with my mouth open, trying to relax after the great terror I just saw. The most amazing part is this movie has no torture scenes; no blood and guts and no masked man running around with a big knife; in fact you never actually see the source of the terror, which is the scariest part.

I highly recommend this movie for anyone looking for a good scare. This movie is an excellent date movie, because it will get the two of you (or three, I don’t judge) holding each other for comfort; but guys, remember; don’t expect the date to go farther if you scream like a little girl!



EDITORS NOTE: This did appear on Creative Loafing's website. Here is the link, as always, I appreciate the clicks!!  

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/2009/10/03/movie-review-paranormal-activity/
 

How it should have ended: Terminator/Back to the Future

So, I had never heard of Howitshouldhaveended.com, but after this video, it could become my favorite website ever....yes, better than muppetsporn.com (I really ought to see if that website is real).

So, the folks over at Howitshouldhaveended.com put together a great mashup of Terminator and Back to the Future, and showed what could and should have happened. Seriously this 1 minute trailer is better than Terminator 3 and Salvation combined!

So, check it out, and remember, you don't have to take my word for it!  (Take THAT LeVar Burton)

Transformers 3 is coming, and some chick is signed on too....

Oh, and what's-her-name looks to be along as well. Ya know who I'm talking about, right, that hot chick? I know no one has heard of her, but she is hot, and has a big mouth, and looks good standing over the engine of a car... Megan... oh, yeah, Megan Fox.

According to director Michael Bay's website, he has started day 1 of preproduction with a meeting with ILM, probably on how to make more explosions, or put testicles on Optimus Prime, but whatever. Apparently, according to Bay, tomorrow he has a meeting to discuss character plans. The date the movie is scheduled to come out is July 1st, 2010. Originally, Bay had said he wanted some time off from the world of robots in disguise to make a small movie, but obviously something, more than likely a crazy amount of money changed his mind.

Bay also noted that Megan Fox would be returning and took the opportunity to be clever.

"Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture. Please consult your Physician when working under my direction because some side effects can occur, such as mild dizziness, intense nausea, suicidal tendencies, depression, minor chest hair growth, random internal hemorrhaging and inability to sleep. As some directors may be hazardous to your health, please consult your Doctor to determine if this is right for you."

So, get your earplugs ready, and prepare for another explosive adventure with Shiah, Megan, Optimus and the rest...oh yeah, and there maybe some stuff blowing up.

EDITORS NOTE: Here is the link to the Creative Loafing post. I would appreciate the click!
http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/2009/10/02/transformers-3-coming-in-july-2011/

Is QT blowing smoke or will the bride ACTUALLY be back?

In an interview on an Italian talk show, the host was asking famed movie director and fellow movie geek Quentin Tarantino about some possible sequels. He said 'maybe' to an Inglorious Basterds sequel, 'no way' to a Pulp Fiction sequel, and when the host stopped, he said, 'what about the last question,' which caused the host to pause, when QT said 'what about a Kill Bill 3?" When the host asked the question, QT exclaimed "Yes! The bride will fight again."

Alright, calm down, I know you may have had an accident due to the excitment, but there has been talk about this for awhile. The question is, will it ever come about, and if it does, will it be live action or an animated piece? Also, what would it be about? Not to get all spoilerific, but Bill is dead, so I don't think the bride would be going after Bill anymore. Do you have any good ideas?

There were a few ideas tossed around, but two that I liked were a revenge tale from one of the surviving Crazy 88's, going after the bride, and the other is a bit more off the wall with the daughter of the bride taking on the family business.

Either way, there could be a lot of blood, and some sword work, so, party on!