The Last Exorcism : 27 August 2010

I can admit it, this movie is probably going to have me sleeping with the lights on for a few weeks after seeing it, if sleeping at all. But that is the fun of a good old fashioned primal terror film like this one. Again I mention Eli Roth, who is producing this demonic horror feature and I am hopeful that his guidance has steered newcomers to the horror genre, i.e. director Daniel Stamm and the duo writers of the film, in the right scary direction. The trailers are almost too freaky to watch alone in the dark so I can only imagine what I am in for in a theater where covering my eyes would be terribly embarrassing. My only real concern is the rating of PG-13 which implies either subtle horror that gets under your skin rather than in your face, or perhaps a movie lacking in the fear factor. We shall see.

Never Let Me Go : 15 September 2010

Based on the beloved critically acclaimed novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go is most certainly the most sentimental on this list but its science fiction mystery of a twist has peaked my interest. What details have been revealed are few but they tell the story of group of childhood friends growing up in a strangely dystopian boarding school in the English countryside. These friends grow into young adults battling love and their indicated doomed future. Starring British “it” girl actresses Keria Knightly and Carey Mulligan this dramatic mystery should prove to be worth seeing granted it doesn’t turn out to have a M. Night Shyamalan ending. I am going to try to read the book before the film comes out, even though as I often do I might not have time, so I will give a review on it if that be the case. Then I would be forced to throw things at the screen, naturally.

Case 39 : 1 October 2010

I heard about this movie over a year ago starring Renée Zellweger and Bradley Cooper but wasn’t sure if it was actually going to get a release in theaters kind of like the Christina Ricci flick After.Life. Then randomly the trailer showed up on the web and it peaked my interest again. The trailer looks like it might be pretty freaky but I am not sure about how Zellweger will fare in a horror film. It might be hard to focus on the suspense while being distracted by her awkward habit of sticking her lips out. Hoping for the best with this one and on the up side Jodelle Ferland stars as the tormented young girl in the film and she certainly has the “creepy kid” role mastered. Decide for yourself with the trailer HERE.

Let Me In : 8 October 2010

When I, and apparently most fans of the original heard the news that the Swedish masterpiece Let the Right One In was being remake I was undoubtedly disappointed that another great foreign film would get “Americanized” like so many before it. But for me, as the details on this remake started to come in I got more and more hopeful that it might just compliment the original rather than depreciate it. With two young actors who have already proven themselves to be in the ranks with the big talents, Chloe Moretz and Kodi Smit-McPhee (the Road) and grown acting greats like Richard Jenkins and Elias Koteas the cast is certainly solid. As for the story, it supposedly mimics the original almost exactly which is good but I fear that just as with Death At A Funeral earlier this year the monotony of a repeated film might be more tiresome than interesting. I am still crossing my fingers though.

Buried : 8 October 2010

This film has gotten less press than I would expect with a star like Ryan Reynolds in the lead as a man who wakes up to find himself trapped in a coffin like box deep underground with nothing but his cell phone and the clothes on his back. Sure it may not be much as far as break-taking visuals (although Reynolds is quite easy on the eyes) or special effects but the building tension of the plot seems like the stuff that great thrillers are made of. Reynolds always seems to pick a very different type of film every now and then that are usually surprisingly as good as they are out of his normal funny guy film persona. I would imagine this film is hardly for those who suffer from claustrophobia but with nothing but good buzz around the internet about it I am looking forward to the anxiety. Great potential? Definitely.

Jackass 3D : 15 October 2010

Nothing like a bunch of mindless creative self-injury to bring me to tears with laughter even if there is a gag or two mixed in. I loved the original Jackass show on MTV and the previous two films were as funny as they were insanely shocking. I still get giggles when I remember the first clips of grocery-cart hedge-bush diving. Perhaps its a generational thing but I have a feeling audiences will be up for a classic dumb ass fest amidst their everyday stresses. The trailer alone had me rolling – High Five = Giant Face-palm of Death! Priceless if I must say so myself. And in 3D, who knows what these boys have in store for viewers. I am scared and excited at the same time.

Skyline : 12 November 2010

In the trailer for this film I wasn’t particularly impressed until the last few seconds with the scene of a giant craft lifting what appear to be thousands of humans inside itself mid-air all at one time. That got my attention even if the idea of aliens from outer space coming to conquer Earth is hardly a new one. I love the film Independence Day and it had huge box office success so the chances that this film could repeat the audience pull are pretty high and seeing as how this film was on a low-budget it’s sure to make quite a profit. Even with a low budget I have read some reviews of the ComicCon preview it had saying that the special effects where incredibly impressive. Plus I am foolishly holding out for a Donald Faison Poison air band audition repeat (Scrubs). But even without his dancing excellence I am excited to see Faison on the big screen. I am also hopeful that this will be a little like Cloverfield without the shaky camera work and lack of monsters.

Monsters : 12 November 2010

And speaking of monster movies, and my undying love for them, the trailer for Monsters has just come out and I am probably the most excited to see this film of all those being released this fall. Monster movies are so underrated and as of late under produced so the preliminary raving reviews for this film set in Mexico after a space probe crash lands in its southern region are music to my little demented ears. The premise is original and has been compared to last years District 9 in its underlying economical and social themes. I can’t wait to see it!! Definitely check out the trailer HERE via TrailerAddict.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 : 19 November 2010

The wizard geek saga is drawing to a close sadly but the last two films promise to be more dark and exciting than any of the previous ones so it’s not all bad news. I have been a fan of the Harry Potter films for a long long time and although I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t read the books I will still be thrilled to see what’s in store for “the boy who lived”. From what I know of the story the conclusion will be much more dramatic and emotional than ever the last film, which brought out a few geeky tears in me.

Black Swan : 1 December 2010

Director Darren Aronofsky takes on a suspenseful ballet thriller staring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis who play rival dancers up for the part in Swan Lake. I am not sure what is going on with the trailer but the mystery of just what exactly is happening to Portman’s character is enough reason alone for me to want to see it. Plus Aronofsky is without a doubt an amazing director (i.e. Pi, Requiem for a Dream, the Fountain and last years Oscar winner the Wrestler) so I would expect he adds a very unique spin to what already sounds like an interesting plot. The poster for Black Swan is unsettling especially the eyes on Portman.

TRON: Legacy : 17 December 2010

Just barely making it on to the fall list (the first day of winter this year is December 21) is the mega anticipated TRON: Legacy, sequel to the 1982 science fiction special effect achievement. The original film was incredible to see in it’s time with the cutting edge light effects but the story line was a little bit meh for my taste. If anything this remake will be insane to see in 3D and especially in IMAX since the trailers visuals are awesome. Maybe the December release of TRON will give Avatar’s massive box office a run for its money. If one things for sure though I will be seeing it in IMAX.

Honorable Mentions – that might make it on my list.

Paranormal Activity 2 – Not sure it was necessary but lightening might strike twice
Machete – Danny Trejo, need I say more?
Resident Evil Afterlife - Alice is back and hopefully better than ever
The Social Network – the true story of Myspace vs. Facebook
I Spit on your Grave – Remake of a classic girl power vengeance film
Devil – Dear M. Night Shyamalan, please don’t disappoint me again. – Your former fan, Geekjane

I was almost ready to stop watching altogether after the music video atrocity that showed up towards the beginning of this season starring Sookie and Snoop Dogg. Way to sell out and be ridiculous at the same time. But I held out for what the rest of season 3 had in store and haven’t been disappointed. Not yet at least.

I must say though the fairy princess scene last week (you can catch it below via iO9 NSFW) reminded me of when I was 10 and played dress up dancing in my back yard. Although I will point out there were no topless hippies hanging by a pond back then so it was definitely different. But the dialogue was very 10 year old. I.E. “We can always dance.”

Released DVD – June 2010
Rating: R – Crude sexuality, language, nudity and some drug use
Starring: Donald Glover, D.C. Pierson, Dominic Dierkes and Aubrey Plaza
Written by: Donald Glover, Dominic Dierkes and D.C. Pierson

I am an admitted TV addict and one of my favorite funny shows on nowadays is Community on NBC so when I heard that Troy (Donald Glover, no relation to Danny Glover) had a movie coming out I was pretty excited to see it. The trailer was pretty funny and obviously original but I had to wait to catch it on DVD since this indie flick did show up in any theater nearby.

From the very beginning of the film I wasn’t exactly sure where it was going or what type of comedy the DERRICK boys were trying to pull off. The dry humor of the high school mystery-solving dorks was put off by the sharply crude language and tone of everyone else in the movie. It had a very Napoleon Dynamite vibe to it but was more in your face than the kind of comedy where the more you watch it the funnier it gets. What I mean by that is, the first time I watched Napoleon Dynamite I though it was very strange and not that funny but the more I watch it the funnier it becomes. Mystery Team is more of a equal blend of the subtle humor of that movie mixed with the brash funniness of Dumber and Dumber.

Maybe the writing could have used a little more polish but overall I liked it and look forward to seeing other movies by these guys. Of course Donald Glover, as the tenacious but immature junior detective Jason, really stole the show with this awkward sense of comedic timing that always makes me laugh.  I also really enjoyed Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) as the cynical former goth girl, Kelly. She has a great way of making anyone sound or look like an idiot with her sarcastic tone of humor. I would check this film out if at least to keep up with the DERRICK team’s work because I think it will only get better with these guys from here.

– It’s better than Bacon

Et après – France
Release Date: October 2009 (June 2010 DVD)
Rating: Not Rated – (My guess PG-13)
Starring: Romain Duris, John Malkovich and Evangeline Lilly
Director: Gilles Bourdos
Based on the Novel by Guillaume Musso

I picked up this little gem of a movie at my local rental spot the other day and was surprised that I hadn’t heard anything about it prior to spotting it on the shelf. One would think that with names like John Malcovich and Evangeline Lily the film would have gotten a bit more press but maybe I just missed the memo. The description made me think: romance-drama with a supernatural twist and that was pretty much exactly where I would peg it after watching the film which I really did enjoy. Even a brutal horror chick like myself can melt after watching a good, thought provoking, tear-jerker, sometimes.

The story starts out with a bit of a jolt. Two young children are playing by a pond when one falls through a rotten board nearly drowning sending the other off  to search for help. In his search he becomes injured also. This is probably the most shocking scene in the whole film, or at least for me it was because it was completely unexpected. From there it flashes forward many years to the present day with a work-aholic Frenchmen played by the captivating Romain Duris. Quickly you learn that he is estranged from his wife, played by the lovely Evangeline Lily, and young daughter due to a recent tragedy in their family that tore them apart. In comes a mysterious stranger, Doctor Kay played by Malkovich, who vaguely begins to divulge secrets about people called “The Messengers” who have the power to know or see when someone is going to die and bring them the message of their fate to help them prepare. He tells all this to Nathan (Duris) in preparation for devastating news that will change his entire life.

The film is absolutely beautiful to watch with breathtaking scenes of Nathan and his family on holiday by a river and desert sequences where his wife Claire shoots nature photography at night. The questions that it brings up are ones that I would imagine most people have at least thought about from time to time. What happens when we die and the grief left behind. I thought that maybe the outline of just exactly who the “Messengers” were could have been a bit more polished but other than that I really enjoy it and was moved by the ending.

– It’s better than Bacon

I know I am way, way behind the review buzz on this movie since it is over a year old but since I have had a nasty case of the summer-flu for the past week I have been catching up on my horror rentals. You may recognize Kelly Reilly from last years Sherlock Holmes bromance starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. Reilly plays the prim and proper fiance of the mild mannered Watson, Mary Morstan. Her name on the cover was one of the reasons that I decided to rent it, along with Michael Fassbender’s name who I loved on the show Hex (BBC) as the fallen angel Azazeal. I felt I should probably say that since slasher films aren’t typically the types of films that I would pick up on a whim.

That being said, the film isn’t your typical slasher thriller even though you would imagine it to be from the generic genre poster and description. I found the movie to be much more thought provoking than most blood-soaked suspense horror films of it’s kind. The general premise surrounds a sweetly unsuspecting couple who chose to vacation on Eden Lake. Little to their knowledge a gang of torture-happy teens has decided to setup their clubhouse on the lake where they drink, smoke and wield sharp objects. Reilly and Fassbender are really a sweet couple in this film with genuine chemistry which makes their fate all the more horrifying and mildly depressing.

Jack O’Connell plays the psycho gang leader named Brett. He was very reminiscent of other killers like John Ryder in The Hitcher with just pure mindless cruelty that has no explanation or purpose other than pure sadism. I guess in the end you kind of get an explanation as to why Brett is so royally effed up but in my mind he was going to be a psycho no matter what the excuse/reason. The unfortunate couple seem to make nothing but bad decisions no matter how much I kept hoping they would get some kind of revenge. I don’t want to spoil the ending, which was pretty good, so I will just stop there. I recommend this film to any survival-killer horror film fan who can handle plenty of torture and gore. Worth the rental I’d say.

– It’s better than Bacon

MAJOR SPOILERS

– I will post a NON spoiler review later, just FYI*

I am a die-hard Alien & Predator movie fan (to be honest Alien a bit more so but still) so the trailers for the new revamp of the 80′s Predator film made me jump for geeky joy. The cast was better than great, the budget was huge and the base material was already a sci-fi classic and fan favorite; so why, do you ask is my post headed as such? Why the blatant animosity? Well here are some pretty good suck-worthy reasons:

1. Danny Trejo dies first. – WTH? Seriously, you kill off Machete before Topher Grace? That guy wasn’t even cool enough to play Spiderman, he had to settle for Venom. Or for that matter before Adrien Brody, I mean I know he is the star (and an amazing actor) but the guy won an Oscar for The Pianist. Not Arnold Schwarzenegger material if you ask me. Danny Trejo is a natural born on screen bad ass and he get’s taken out before any of the other castaways on the island, oh I mean planet. (And yes, that was a intentional LOST reference)

2. Who Cast’s Topher Grace in a Predator Movie? – The guy’s last name is Grace for greyskull sake. You don’t get much more non-action hero than that. Sure, his character was supposed to be the passive nerdy doctor but even when he turned all psychopathic in the end it wasn’t believable. No matter how much they tried to distort his pretty face. And the dialogue written for him was classically nerd-in-a-horror-movie-predicable which just got annoying. Of course they were going to use him as Predator bait!

3. Where were the Predators? - About 40 minutes in you actually get a look at these new “Improved” Predators. This is after the suspiciously RPG video game look-a-like “dog” monsters show up reeking havoc. I was unimpressed with both the re-imagining of the Predator’s as well as the other creatures on the planet which only consisted of two, yep only two others. The dog-monsters and this one rogue alien creature that you see for a split second before it gets shot down by Laurence Fishburne. (Who by the way was significantly miscast as the mayor of crazy island planet  who managed to magically survive- he’s Laurence Fishburne people! The man is better than this!)

4. Dialogue?- The cheese factor was so painfully thick in this film that I honestly felt bad for the actors who had to spurt out these awful lines. I almost felt like at some point they were going to turn to the camera jokingly saying “gotcha” and turn the film into a satire. Like I said before, even Topher Grace’s lines were dated as the sarcastic “normal” guy thrown into a crazy situation.

5. The Ending – The big twist was that there were two species of “Predator” on the planet fighting for the lead of the hunt? That is the best you can do screenplay writers (who have written nothing else noteworthy)? Where were the awesome views of the Predator cities they talked about when the film was being made or any look into the Predator origin? And it just made me angry how obvious it was that Brody would “save the day”, I mean we have all seen the trailers and the guy is sporting a killer six-pack at some point, so you knew he didn’t go kaboom in that ship. But even Brody’s great sexy muddy fight scene in the end couldn’t save the mundane purpose for it. And if they honestly are leaving it open for another sequel to a sequel I don’t know what they’re thinking.

So there, I’ve put my Predator’s two cents in the critical cup. On the up side – It was better than AVP: Alien vs. Predator, but that isn’t saying much.

The story basically is a full throttle version of Alice in Wonderland – with leather and machine guns. This bad-ass creation comes from the mind of a little girl (Baby Doll) who is hospitalized in a mental institution in the 1950′s. Baby Doll (Browning) creates this alternate reality for herself in order to cope with the coming fate of a lobotomy along with a group of girls in a similar situation with her in the institution. I gotta admit, sounds pretty awesome and hopefully even better than Sin City which I was also I fan of. Can’t wait to see where this goes! (Image credit: new issue of Entertainment Weekly for Comic-Con)

July’s Comfort Movie: The Addams Family (1991)

I cannot tell you how many times I have watched this movie (and it’s equally awesome sequel) after having a day where I fought to keep my sanity. Something about the sadistically loving family and their devilishly excellent mansion just puts my sick mind at ease. I can quote the entire film, and yes I will admit it. The cast couldn’t have been more perfect for a big screen adaptation of the 1960′s TV show, which to me surpassed my love for the show by far.

The dementedly romantic Gomez and Morticia played by the pale beautiful Anjelica Huston and beloved late Raul Julia really made the film incredible. I honestly don’t think any other Addams Family films should be made without Julia since he is the only Gomez that could ever fill the role on the big screen. This is also one of my favorite roles for both Christian Ricci and the hilarious Christopher Lloyd. Wednesday is probably every strange or goth girl’s idol at that age, or at least she was mine. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

“And our credo, “Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc” ó “We gladly feast on those who would subdue us”. Not just pretty words.” -Morticia

“We danced the Mamushka while Nero fiddled, we danced the Mamushka at Waterloo. We danced the Mamushka for Jack the Ripper, and now, Fester Addams, this Mamushka is for you.” – Gomez

“Is this made from real lemons?” – Girl Scout
“Yes.” – Wednesday
“I only like all-natural foods and beverages, organically grown, with no preservatives. Are you sure they’re real lemons?” – Girl Scout
“Yes.” – Pugsley
“Well, I’ll tell you what. I’ll buy a cup if you buy a box of my delicious Girl Scout cookies. Do we have a deal?” -Girl Scout
“Are they made from real Girl Scouts?” – Wednesday

“Don’t torture yourself, Gomez. That’s my job.” – Morticia

“I would die for her. I would kill for her. Either way, what bliss.” – Gomez

“I’m a homicidal maniac, they look just like everyone else.” – Wednesday

“It was just a party. It’s over. It means nothing. The Siamese twins, the hunchback, Cousin It, they’re not *you*.” – Fester

“Two, ten, eleven. Eyes, fingers, toes! “- Gomez

What is your favorite comfort movie? Feedback always welcome And be sure to check out this fan site for all things Addams Family. Great resource.

I went on an all out docu-menta-thon to find the best geeky documentaries out there and these were my top results. King of Kong is probably my personal favorite but the others on this list are definitely worth checking out.

(2007) The King of Kong:

This is definitely my favorite geeky documentary with serious drama and suspense that is often laugh out loud ridiculous. The ultimate gaming underdog Steve Wiebe goes up against the ultimate ego-crazed villain Billy Mitchell in the quest to reach the all-time highest ever Donkey Kong arcade score. I found myself yelling at the screen at times where Wiebe was treated badly by the snobs of the arcade gaming world but I am glad I stuck it out for the ending. I have read that possibly the drama in the film is hyped up for effect by the director but I try to ignore that so that I can enjoy the pure nerdy rivalry which is priceless. Definitely worth the rent!

(2007) Monster Camp:

I have done (or am doing) my fair share of MMP Online-Gaming where I’ve been a mage or hunter but I can’t begin to imagine acting out those characters in real life. I was unaware of this whole subculture until seeing this movie and found it fascinating in the train-wreck disaster sort of way. It was interesting, painfully funny and a really in depth look at a world that few “normals” get to see. To each their own and whatever makes you happy I always say.

(2006) This Film is not yet Rated:

If you love movies as much as I do then you would really benefit from watching this deep dark study of the American movie ratings system and the devious mystery that surrounds it and it’s anonymous raters. I had no idea how painstakingly difficult it is to get a movie made (especially an independent) if it has any of what those particular raters may consider risque content on any given day. It really should be a crime that a few random nobodies get to decide whether a film gets released in theaters or get major distribution (which means more money and more chance to see it). Very eye-opening.

(2007) Confessions of a Superhero:

I found this documentary to be creative but in the end far too sad for what I had expected it to be. Most people have heard of or even have seen the look-a-like costume superheros/actors that stand outside the Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard and this documentary takes an extremely close look their “jobs” and the personal lives of four individuals. Wonder-woman, the Incredible Hulk, Batman and Superman impersonators all share their souls and lives in this tell all that left me wishing I hadn’t watched it and in need of a hug.

(2002) The Alien Saga:

There are only a few movies out there that I could watch over and over and Alien/Aliens are both films that I adore and will always get sucked into if they are on TV. I even have the collectors edition multi-disk boxed set. Again, I let my nerd flag fly. This documentary is pretty much an all access full scope look at the making and inspirations for the aliens films. Their general design and original artwork are really amazingly creepy created by H.R.Giger. With interviews from the original female bad-ass Sigourney Weaver and master director Ridley Scott. For some reason the quality of the film is a little lacking but the content is worth the rental for sure.

Any-who, I am really excited to see where this goes and will keep you updated as well as updates on the Little R ed Riding Hood film that is also supposedly in the works. (image credit amazing digital artist Yuehui Tang)

Release Date: DVD April 2010
Rating: R for language and disturbing imagery
Starring: Ciarán Hinds, Iben Hjejle and Aidan Quinn
Writer/Director: Conor McPherson
Based on short story by Billy Roche

I am a sucker for a good ghost story. Any thing that chills the spine and makes the tiny blond hairs on the back of my neck stand up is pure movie gold in my eyes. I first saw the trailer for The Eclipse on Hulu a while back and thought it looked subtly eerie which can be a perfect recipe for a ghost story. The mixture of the Irish countryside with its grayish landscapes and rocky coast tossed in with sad piano melodies made the film emotionally endearing while at the same time delivering disturbing shocks and jolts to keep you unsettled.

Basically the story is about three people who’s lives intersect during one weekend at a writers conference in a small Irish town. Hinds plays a widower who lives with two children he is left to raise after his wife dies from cancer. He picks up a writer named Lena, played by Hjejle, who he is admittedly a fan of. Lena writes supernatural stories about ghostly encounters and when she learns that Michael has been having strange if not horrifying experiences involving ghosts himself she develops a connection with him that gets them both through a difficult situation. Lena is being semi-stalked by another famous writer named Nicholas Holden, played by Quinn, who is as arrogant as he is persistent in his desire to rekindle some fling he had with her previously.

The story is very slow moving for the most part with sporadic jolts of the supernatural to maintain the ghostly theme, but only just barely. I felt the film was more of a drama about connections people have and the ways those are made and lost rather than a film about the afterlife and souls reaching from beyond for any purpose. My biggest problem with the film, and probably my only issue with it was the fact that it ended abruptly without any real resolution or revelation. I found myself say, “Are you kidding?” when the credits rolled because I really did expect more to the story. I guess to be frank that is what you get when you turn a short story into a full length movie without embellishing the plot enough. I did enjoy the film, premature ending or not, with its moody music and heartfelt characters but still the thrill enthusiast in me would have liked to see a bit more of the super in this supposed supernatural tale.

– Meh, could have been better

Release Date: May 28, 2010
Rating: PG-13 for Violence & Action (Disney Film)
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley
Directed by: Mike Newell
Based on the video game Prince of Persia from UBISOFT

Most video game movies to put it bluntly, just plain suck and I have seen my fair share of them. The last one that I saw with any real substance or quality was the original Resident Evil (the first one before any of the half-assed sequels) which honestly wasn’t bad. But for every good video game movie there are ten that make you want to go home and burn the game. I don’t think I need to remind anyone of the joke that was DOOM. I never actually played any of the Prince of Persia games since I know there are more than just the one out now, but I have heard and read nothing but good things so my hopes for the movie were moderately high. Not to mention the fact that I am continuously impressed with Jake Gyllenhaal’s versatility and solid talent as an actor.

The story is full of action (obviously) and surprisingly a good deal of heart which comes for the family bond between the King of Persia and his three sons, the youngest being Dastan played by Gyllenhaal. A traitorous plot is set in place to destroy Dastan’s family and his father’s kingdom forcing him to step up and become the hero who eventually changes the future. I think that explains the plot well enough to not give anything away, after all most of the storyline is pretty much spilled in the trailers and to anyone who played the game but still I wouldn’t want to ruin it.

On the plus side this film did something that more action adventure films should uphold to, it didn’t take itself too seriously. The whole point of action sequences with cool shots of the hero beating down the bad guys is to let the audience have fun so if that part of it isn’t embellished then what is the point? The story was great, hence the fact that there is both a series of games and a film based on it, and the acting excellent. I read that there had been some speculation and even all-out outrage that Gyllenhaal had been cast to play Dastan having neither a British accent or any of the ethnic heritage but regardless of those things I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing the part any better. He really did a great job and his accent is perfectly seamless which isn’t easy for a lot of American actors to pull off. Gemma Arterton, who plays his audaciously spunky royal love interest, is perfectly lovable and one of the funnier parts of the film always making Dastan’s life a little bit harder.

In the end it was pretty obvious what was going to happen but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable for me. Predictability can be sometimes disappointing but since I had enjoyed the rest of the film so much I was willing to overlook it.

(Slight Tiny Spoiler about the ending) I personally think happy ending are highly underrated in today’s heart-numb society so when a film pulls one, even out of thin air I have to give kudos at least a little bit. (end spoiler bit)

: It’s better than Bacon

Release Date: June 4, 2010
Rating: R – Disturbing sexuality, violence, language and gore
Starring: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley and Delphine Chanéac as Dren
Director: Vincenzo Natali
Writers: Vincenzo Natali & Antoinette Terry Bryant
Executive Producer: Guillermo del Toro

I have been thrilled the see this film since I first heard about it last year on UCHM.com and have been following it’s progress until now. Pretty much anything with the name Guillermo del Toro attached to it is a must see on my list since he is a horror/fantasy genius (and probably my favorite director/producer making movies today). The movie stills that I had seen over the past couple of months were pretty awesome too with creature effects unlike anything I have seen for the creature Dren. I was not at all disappointed by the films visual realizations and even if the story wasn’t entirely perfect.

The similar tale of Dr. Frankensteins monster raging against its maker has been quite overplayed in modern culture so in order to play up those age old themes and still maintain originality pretty much everything had to be changed except the whole monster vs. maker part. The realm of human cloning is incredibly fascinating and incredibly illegal so it remains a mystery which is really something that Vincenzo Natali was a genius to tap in on. Clive (Brody) and Elsa (Polley) are two genetic scientists who after mixing the DNA of several species of animals to create a new animal for medical research, set their sights on a more human project. Their creation, which starts out as just a soon to be terminated experiment, turns into a being that they slowly nurture and care for as if it were a child. The creature names itself Dren (played by the otherworldly Delphine Chanéac) and grows rapidly into a strangely beautiful chimera like humanoid.

The story quickly goes from being sweet with Dren being oddly childlike with cute mannerisms to becoming much darker as Dren matures into what I would guess is puberty or just outright adulthood. She goes through those teen years faster than you can say rebellion and responds to the parental mistakes of her makers in a very negative way. In the defense of Dren’s eventual breakdown, she didn’t exactly have model supervision or living conditions. I felt bad for her in many ways which I think was part of the directors intention. Just as in the story of Frankensteins monster, the creation eventually turns on it’s creator(s) but in this tale the twists and turns are infinitely more devious and disturbing than Mary Shelley ever imagined.

~SPOILERS~

My complaints are really minor in comparison to all the things I liked about the film such as the amazing special & creature effects, acting, direction (obviously) and originality. Overall it is a great film but I couldn’t call myself an honest reviewer if I didn’t say what bothered me about it. Yes, the story is incredible but it had some holes in it that I found upsetting like the fact that Elsa and Clive create this amazing new species but hardly do anything to study or document it’s progress or biology. Sure, she is adorable but there were so many things that I wanted to know about her that could have explained more. Also, I was incredibly confused as to why the ending had Dren change sexes instead of give birth to another creature. I guess that would have taken more time but it would have made for a more interesting twist than the male version of Dren being so entirely different and insanely violent. Perhaps with Elsa getting pregnant they were leaving an opening for a sequel but I would really hope not since sequels to movies like this never do very well.

~END SPOILER~

I really do recommend the film to any die-hard science fiction and/or horror fan who isn’t afraid of films that push the envelope of the extreme in moral themes and special effects.The beauty and raw nature of Dren is mesmerizing to say the least and the story makes for a film that will surly keep your attention.

: It’s better than Bacon

Release Date: May 21, 2010
Rating: PG – Crude elements and mild action
Starring the voices of: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas and Walt Dohrn
Directed by Mike Mitchell
Dreamworks Animation
Official Website: Shrek.com

I am a total big kid at heart so when I saw the hilarious trailers for the “Final” Shrek installment (especially the parts with the much more voluptuous Puss in Boots) I couldn’t wait to see it. I am a loyal fan of the previous Shrek films even if they seem to have gotten only slightly less funny the more of them Dreamworks makes. Shrek really invented the idea of a movie meant for kids that their parent’s can actually enjoy watching too. The jokes and references are funny for all age groups and that concept has caught on with lots of other films like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, How to Train your Dragon and even Ice Age which actually came out a year after Shrek to big success. The film basically created a new genre in the Family realm of film that is incredibly popular now so you have to give credit where it is due. That being said I still have to give the film a fair review, so here goes.

In the humor department Shrek 4 didn’t disappoint and I was again impressed with writers Josh Klausner and Darren Lemke’s ability to make new fresh jokes out of extremely familiar fairy tales. (slight tiny spoiler) Just because you have heard the story of the gingerbread man a thousand times doesn’t mean when it isn’t funny when he put’s on a Gladiator kilt and fights animal crackers. (end tiny spoiler)

This installment was perhaps a bit sweeter, if maybe bordering on sappy, than the previous ones since it focuses more on Shrek’s happy tamed married life rather than the life of a feared loathsome ogre. But you have to look at it as a kids movie so the sappiness is to be expected if not appreciated. Some of the reviews I have read criticized the film for it’s boring soft side but I didn’t mind it at all. Actually the level of mushy moments in this Shrek film were minuscule in comparison to the first fifteen minutes of any Disney animated classic I can think of. Just saying. Puss in Boots, as it was probably obvious from the trailers, stole the show I thought and I think I like him better as a tubby-puddy cat even if he can’t reach his back for a good kitty bath. – My only criticism, not worth the 3D price. I have seen some pretty cool 3D movies this year and last but this one was less than worth the high ticket increase. Just see it in 2D and it will be awesome all the same.

Invader Raters Say:  : It’s better than Bacon

Release Date: 5/14/2010
Rating: PG-13 for violence and some brief sexuality
Starring: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Max von Sydow, Mark Strong, Oscar Isaac and Danny Huston
Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: Brian Helgeland
Official Website: Here

I had read some crummy reviews of this film which had been really disappointing since I am a huge fan of Ridley Scott, Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett but as I usually do I ignored it all and went to the theater to check it out myself. Most people know Russell Crowe as the hero from Gladiator which was also directed by Ridley Scott, so his place as an amazing leading man is definitely set for good. Yet again I am glad that I ignored the reviews of snobby critics that have lost touch with the interests of the masses. In short, I thought it was great and here’s why:

Robin Hood is a very common and familiar story to most people – he robs from the rich to give to the poor, duh, but luckily that doesn’t drag this re-imagining down into monotony. This story has been put to film more times than I care to reference here but yet still manages to capture interests and apparently box office success. And with a matchless director and actor combo like this to work with there is no reason why this film shouldn’t leave all previous Robin Hood drama’s (i.e. Kevin Costner) in the medieval dust.

I thought the best part about the whole film was that it had something for both men and women which makes it a great date movie. It has plenty of dramatic action sequences with a couple of awesome shots from the arrow head of a bow plus there are quite a few funny parts too which lighten the mood and always make a movie like this even more enjoyable. And then on the chick side Robin Hood had a hint of romance to it, between Blanchett who plays the heroine Marion and Crowe as Robin, which was just enough to not induce nausea or eye-rolling.

The cinematography in the film is absolutely amazing with gorgeous shots of England and Wales forest countryside and coastline. The realistic feel of Nottingham as a 13th century village impressed me the most especially with Friar Tuck’s church/mead hall and the fun had there in. I am sure that it goes without saying the acting in this film was great given the cast and direction. Max von Sydow plays the brave endearing Sir Walter Loxley and Matthew Macfadyen makes a almost completely unrecognizable devious Sheriff of Nottingham. My only complaint about the film was the length, it was 2 and a half hours and probably could have been a bit shorter but if you don’t mind longer movies it’s worth the ticket for sure.

Invader Raters: : It’s better than Bacon