DVD Review: Alien Vs. Predator

After the debacle of Freddy Vs. Jason, you'd think that the producers of AvP would have tried their damnedest to make a great movie featuring two of SciFi's greatest characters. Unfortunately, I don't think Hollywood really cares if people like the movie as long as they get crowds on opening weekend. What we have here is a film that could have been great but ends up being a disappointment. The new Predator outfits are lousy looking. They look huge and immobile, not like the catlike movements they had in the original. The Aliens are still cool looking though. The plot is totally stupid. Supposedly, the Predator's came here centuries ago and taught early humans technology and in return, we worshiped them. Then the Predators were using humans as hosts for their favorite hunt, the Aliens. After the Aliens over take the Predators, a failsafe destroys everything and it all goes into remission. Only after some human explorers happen to re-awaken the temple, the two baddies enter into war again. Totally stupid! There's even a Ripley wanna-be who couldn't hold Ripley's socks. Hopefully Hollywood never again tempts us with two great franchises going against each other because so far they're 0-2. I give it ** out of *****.

Official Poster for The Fog

Here's the official poster for the upcoming remake of The Fog. I happen to still like the original's poster better.

Horror/Sci-Fi DVD Releases for 6/14

Acacia
Cold and Dark
Danger: Diabolik
Dead Meat
The Dead Zone: The Complete Third Season
Freaked
Highlander: The Raven - The Complete Series
Jaws
The Lightship
Man-Thing
Sasquatch Horror Triple Feature
Shock of the Century
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series - Season 1
Zombie Value Pack

DVD Review: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

This movie, based on the fictional Lemony Snicket's bestselling line of books, is at the same time wonderful and crappy. My point being, that if you've read any of the books, you're sure to be left feeling cheated. I loved the way the film was shot, the effects were great, even the acting was good. However, I hated the way the movie began with a short version of the opening of Book 1, then took bit parts from that book, bit parts from the second, bit parts from the third and then ended the movie with an altered ending from the first book. I didn't like that at all. I know the books are short, but to try to condense three of them is retarted. They should have just did the first book, the entire book and then the sequels. But the movie was enjoyable to watch due to the effects, locations and Jim Carrey. I'm not his biggest fan, but he was good here. I'm gonna give this movie a middle of the road rating at **1/2 out of *****. Should have been and could have been better if they stuck to just the first book.

Comic Review: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Last but not least, and not to be outdone by his more recent counterparts is the grandaddy of horror icons...Leatherface. Starring in his own comic, he pulls out all the punches. When a group of escaped criminals happen to stop at grandma's gas station, things turn ugly, real ugly. This comic is like a race against time from start to finish. Big ole LF shows us once again he's simply the best when it comes to tree cutting implements and nobody can make the blood flow like him and his kin. An enjoyable read and not for the faint of heart. I give the first issue of the series **** out of *****. All three of the New Line Horror comics recieved a **** rating, so here's hoping they keep up the quality!

Comic Review: A Nightmare on Elm Street

Our old pal Mr. Krueger is back and as colorful as ever. In this the first comic in the series, a group of teens try to uncover the truth about the terrible plot the town elders are utilizing to keep Freddy at bay. The town is still using Hypnocil to keep the kids in a dreamless coma induced sleep, and the friends are bent on exposing the truth. Needless to say, Freddy makes a big return after getting his ass (or should I say, head) handed to him by big bad Jason Voorhees. The kills are quick and gruesome and come delivered with that special Freddy style. It's good to see the sweater wearing killer back in action. I give the comic **** out of *****.

DVD Review: Incident at Loch Ness

I must confess, I have a thing for the Loch Ness Monster. I love to read about it, watch films and shows about it, hell, I even liked the cartoon Scooby Doo and the Loch Ness Monster! So I was very excited to watch this mockumentary about director Werner Herzog and his attempt to film a documentary based on the creature. After watching for a while, I had to remember and convince myself that this was in fact fake. The acting and dialogue are all so natural and the way everything unfolds is so damn realistic, it makes you almost forget. Some scenes with the character interaction are down right funny. The movie unfolds basically as a documentary about the filming of Herzog's documentary, Enigma of Loch Ness. The film plays through all the crew fights, mishaps and bad luck and ultimately pays homage to Jaws near the end. I recommend this film as a great escape from your everyday horror, thriller or any other genre movie. It was like a breath of fresh air. I give it ****1/2 out of *****.

DVD Review: The Grudge

Well ,this being the PG-13 version of the film, I was thinking it would be lame and not so scary. I was wrong. The filmakers did a great job of bringing the shivers and keeping this film within that ratings section. The little kids are downright spooky and totally make the movie. As far as Sarah Michelle Gellar, she was good, but anyone could have played that part, realistically. The audio was creepy and the scene with the security camera footage was goosebump inducing. The Production company, Ghost House, has done it right with their first picture and I am very excited about their future projects, the next of which is Boogeyman, which I intend to watch this weekend. The movie follows Gellar's character as she heads to a house to take care of an invalid woman and finds out there is something in the house that's just plain evil. The Japanese believe that if someone dies a horrible death, there is a curse laid upon the place. Gellar tries to find out the truth of what's happening and comes face to face with the evil! This film should definitely be watched at night with the lights off, guaranteed to chill. The Grudge gets a spooky **** out of *****.

Movie Review: Haute (High) Tension

I just finished watching both versions of this film, both the French unrated version and the English dubbed version. I wish I could understand French because they really did a rather lousy job of dubbing the voices for the English version. If you haven't seen any of the available clips online from this movie, don't start now because it totally ruins the movie. Unfortunately, all the good parts can be seen online and leave the film rather lifeless if you've already seen them. If you haven't seen any, then good for you, you should be rather taken back and hold on for the ride. Everything in this movie would have hit harder if I didn't already know it was coming. This trend must stop! They're doing it with Devil's Rejects too and I will not fall for it again. The whole point is to be scared and not know what's coming next! Having said that, the movie is good, it's well shot and the acting's very good. The soundtrack lends to the film's atmosphere. The film follows two girls who go studying at one's parent's house and that night, a terrible visitor comes a calling. Blood flows and the race is on. It's a classic cat and mouse film and there is a twist at the end, but not one that any self-respecting horror fan can't figure out within the first fifteen minutes. I can't state it enough--Don't watch the online clips!!! Take that advice and you'll have a bloody good time. I give Haute Tension *** out of *****.

Howl's Castle Moves Here

The trailer for the next animated feature from the people that brought you Spirited Away is available for viewing. It's called Howl's Moving Castle, it's being release by Disney this June and the animation is unbelievable. Check it out HERE and see for yourself.

Cry Wolf Trailer Here

The trailer for the upcoming teen slasher Cry Wolf is up for your viewing pleasure. It looks pretty good, here's hoping the movie can continue what the trailer promises. Check it out HERE.

One Scary Trailer!

Check out the trailer for this upcoming film called Chaos. It's a frightening, realistic terror and the trailer is horrifying in it's simplicity. Advance talk is that this movie is so brutally violent that many people who've seen it have actually gotten sick. Needless to say...Can't Wait! Check it out HERE if you dare.

Urban Legend: Bloodly Mary Trailer Here

The third film in the Urban Legend series is set to hit DVD on July 19th and you can view the trailer here. Brought to you by the good folks at Video Detective.

Horror/Sci-Fi DVD Releases for 6/07

Seed of Chucky
The Machinist
Dark Town
Hellraiser: Deader
Morons from Outer Space / Alien from L.A.
The Prophecy: Uprising
The Roswell Crash: Startling New Evidence
Stargate Atlantis: Rising
The Wickeds
Wonder Woman: Seasons 1-3
Wonder Woman: The Complete Third Season
The X Files Mythology Volume 1

Well, we get a return visit from some old friends this week with Chucky, Pinhead and Prophecy sequels. Batman gets skinny in The Machinist, a couple of hopefully decent B films and the staple TV releases round out a decent week of releases.

CD of The Month (June): Reckoning Night by Sonata Arctica

Finland is like a metal oasis right now. With bands like Nightwish, Edguy and Sonata Arctica releasing some of the most original rock in years. This latest disc from Sonata Arctica continues their string of excellent releases. The music is tight, melodic and overwhelming in complexity. The vocals soar and there are few singers out there that have Tony Kakko's range. There's only ten tracks on the album, but they are all great. Not much you can say bad about this group, except they didn't include their cover of Depeche Mode's "World Through My Eyes" on the disc. It can be found on the cd-single for "Don't Say A Word" and it's worth the cost of the cd by itself. Another oustanding album from an outstanding band. Reckoning Night aces it at ***** out of *****.

Book Review: Sandstorm by James Rollins

James Rollins knows how to write an action adventure story. His books are always filled with harrowing escapes, devious villians, heroic leads and that ever present nemesis...the locale. Rollins has a knack of putting his characters in some of the most hostile climates on the Earth. In Sandstorm, the action takes place on the scalding sands of Saudi Arabia. It's impressive to note how much research Rollins puts into his novels. His attention to detail is mindboggling. The action follows Scientist Safia al-Maaz and her group of co-horts as they try to stop a disaster of gigantic proportions in a race against time and a group of killers. There's much more to the plot, but it gets very detailed and intricate as the story goes along. Unfortunately, the story get harder and harder to believe as it goes along too. It was a little over the top toward the end, but then again, what action books or movies don't? All in all it was an entertaining read, not his best, but not the worst either. I give Sandstorm ***1/2 out of *****.

DVD Review: Decampitated

Troma...a name symbolic for low budget films and boy are they! However, when I sat down to check out Decampitated, what I got was a true laugh riot. Forgotten was the poor quality video transfer, because I was laughing too much to care. The unknown actors put forth their over-the-top best here and the soundtrack is pretty intriguing as well. The movie is a spoof of teenager slasher films and it's a rare spoof that's actually funny. The plot follows a bunch of friends that take a camping trip and one by one meet up with the killer in hilarious fashion. Do yourself a favor and check this one out. Troma did it right with this one, and despite the low budget, the direction is rather good. If you're in the mood for a good laugh, look no further and get Decampitated! I give it **** out of *****.

Movie Review: Hero

I've been wanting to see this film for quite some time now, and I finally sat down long enough to watch it on Starz! On Demand through my cable company. Jet Li was brilliant as the stone faced hero known simply as "Nameless". The fight scenes were absolutely amazing and beautiful, like a ballet with swords. There's more twists in this movie to keep you thinking through it. It's amazing to think that this was filmed like two years before it was released here in the States and the effects and choreography excel over alot of what is being produced even today. The scenery is breathtaking to behold and the sequence with the leaves is unreal. Even with having to read the subtitles, I was entertained. I give Hero **** out of *****.

DVD Review: Devon's Ghost: Legend of the Bloody Boy

If only this movie was a legend and not the crappy reality it truly was! I've had alot of people inquire about this movie on my site, so I thought I had better check it out. I wish I hadn't. The only thing about this movie that was entertaining was the fact that Devon could swing a bat like a mutha. There are guys in the pros that can't swing like this guy. Other than that the movie is pointless, plotless, funless, frightless and poopy. Acting is bad, especially when the only noted actor is a former Power Ranger (and that bastard goes into Power Ranger karate mode WAY too much in this film). If you're afraid of ghosts coming to get you, then the logic of this film is that ghosts can be stopped by only one way...KARATE! Devon kills everyone he sees, unless foiled by the ancient art. Do yourself a favor, skip this crappy movie and use the time for more useful things like learning KARATE! * out of *****.

Comic Review: Friday The 13th

Avatar Press is releasing a new line of comics based on some old familiar faces this summer. The first one, as you can see is none other than Jason...Mr. Voorhees if your nasty. The other two series follow the exploits of Freddy and Leatherface. All three comics pick up the action from when we last saw our heroes...I mean villains (ahem). Jason is still stalking Camp Crystal Lake and demolishing anyone who gets in his way. This comic plays out like a twenty minute Friday the 13th movie on speed. It's all in here, from the naked teens to visceral kills, no one gets nookie if the J-Man is around! The action is bloody and explosive and bloody. Did I mention this comic was bloody? Any fan worth their salt will want to pick these up. The artwork is great, and who knows, the set may be worth something someday. By the way, these are not for kids, so keep them away from them. Other than that, what are you waiting for, go grab it before it sells out! The comic gets **** out if *****.

Horror/Sci-Fi DVD Releases for 5/31

Boogeyman
Blood on the Sun / Time of Your Life
The Butchers
Chronicle of the Raven
Classic Monster Flicks
The Corpse Vanishes / The Invisible Ghost
Dark Shadows Collection 18
Devour
House on Haunted Hill / Bat
Snake People / Sabaka
Soft for Digging
Space Daze: Triple Feature
The Tomorrow People: Set 1

Boogeyman's on tap from Netflix, there's a bunch of double feature discs of previously released fare, some TV show releases and a few B-Movies. Not that bad a week if you ask me.

DVD Review: Malevolence

I heard alot of mixed things about this one. I was nervous at first because the acting and filming was a little poor in the beginning, but being that it took two years to film this, the acting and directing vastly improved as the movie rolled on. Malevolence pays homage to alot of older horror movies including Texas Chainsaw and most evidently Halloween. A group of bank robbers pull off their heist and plan to meet at an abandoned safe house. One thief winds up carjacking a mother and daughter and pulls them into the mix. What they don't know is the slaughterhouse down the road is home to a sadistic killer. What comes next is standard slasher chase fare, but it's entertaining enough. The music is typical 70's slash with it adding hugely to alot of the jumpy scenes. After all the crappy horror movies I've seen lately, Malevolence comes as a brief respite, good but not great. I'll give it ***1/2 out of *****.

DVD Review: Open Water

Ask anyone what their top ten most horrible ways to die would be and i guarantee a majority will say "eaten by a shark" somewhere near the top. Open Water is based on true events, and let me tell you, it's made me swear off deep sea diving forever. A busy couple finally gets to take a vacation and they opt to go to a tropical paradise. Everything is going great and then they sign up for a deep sea diving charter. The underwater shots are beautiful and everything is hunky dorey. Then good old human error makes a cameo and next thing you know, the charter leaves and the couple is still under water. They rise to the surface to see the boat way off in the distance, too far away to reach. What happens next is an account of true human terror, stranded in the middle of the ocean, no help in sight. The couple goes through some horrible experiences with jellyfish and other baddies, but we all know where the true threat comes from! And they show up...in spades! It's a totally depressing movie, but one that stays with you and makes you think. Like I said, those charters won't be seeing any of my money! Very impressive for a low budget indie, and the actors were indeed very brave. I give it *** out of *****.

Cd Review: Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes

The new album by The White Stripes starts out very promising with a rocker called "Blue Orchid", and then goes in about a thousand different directions after that. I don't know what they're trying to do with this album, there's no rythym or fluidity here. The lyrics are really good but some of the music you have to sit through is almost raking. The production is amateurish also as the album sounds like it was recorded in a living room somewhere on a four-track recorder. The vocals tend to drop out at times and I don't know if it's intentional or not, if it is, I don't know why. Other than "Blue Orchid", the only other song I liked was "Little Ghost", a song about a person who asks a ghost to help them find love and in turn falls in love with the ghost. Again, the lyrics are very good on the album, it's just a shame about the music. There's no "Seven Nations Army" type of hit on this album, maybe they didn't want another one, I don't know. I give 'em props for making the kind of album they wanted to, but I don't see how this one will gain them new fans. I give the album ** out of *****.

Blood Deep Trailer Here

I found a suspenseful little trailer for a movie called Blood Deep that I'd thought I'd pass along. Apparently, the film is still looking for a distributer so any buzz created for it will help it. The trailer looks like it could be a stylish and scary thriller. Check it out.

http://www.horror-movies.ca/horror_3684.html

Rocky's Next Opponent...Edgar Allen Poe?

That's right, I've learned that Sylvester Stallone has written a screenplay based on the legendary writer's life. It's in the works to get made right now and Robert Downey Jr. is the actor on deck to portray the poet. Sly wrote the script back in 2002 and has only had time to follow through with it recently. As of now it's simply being called Poe.

DVD Review: Camp Utopia

Oh boy, Camp Utopia, where do I begin? Well it sucks, for one. But I did sit through it. When the most recognizable actor is Stephen Pearcy, yeah from the eighties hair band Ratt, you know you're in trouble! The movie begins with about a twenty minute credit role with a bunch of hippies in 1969 being led by Pearcy just dancing around and looking stupid while showing off their sad boobs. Eventually Pearcy decides he's had enough of the sad boobs and kills everyone. It was actually humerous seeing him walk around with a mannequin head in his hand. Then the story jumps to present day and when a group of co-eds camp out at Camp Utopia, people start dying. Needless to say, you have it figured out after five minutes. The actors were mediocre at best, the direction was crappy and the film doesn't have one scare in it. On a humerous level the film worked, I mean if you like to get drunk and watch silly movies, then this may be your bag. It gets *1/2 out of *****.

CD Review: Magic Time by Van Morrison

Van Morrison's voice alone has the ability to take you back to happy times and good memories. I can remember my wife and I in our first little apartment without a pot to piss in and listening to Moondance while we were cleaning, cooking or laying around. This album is alot more versatile than Moondance but it does have a similar effect. The music ranges from mellow to big band and swing to blues and rock. I don't know how he does it but it all fits together like an uncut puzzle. This is truly a great album through and through and if he doesn't get a Grammy nomination, then that would be a real shame. Van's voice is pure gold and all these years later, he can still belt them out as easily and fluid as ever. I implore you to get this record...it's a marvelous night! Fantastic, I enthusiastically give it a perfect score--***** out of *****.

DVD Review: Spiderman 2

Well, it took ages for me to get to it but I finally sat down long enough to check out Spiderman 2. I have to say, having seen Hellboy before this didn't help matters. I liked the movie, but like I said, Hellboy took the superhero movie to a whole new level. I still find the Spiderman series a little too cartoony. The Green Goblin in the first one was terrible, and while Doc Ock was a big upgrade, it just didn't feel threatening. The fight scene on the train was impressive and I did like the Peter Parker hero/regular life dilemma, as well as Doc Ock's own struggles but it was James Franco as Harry Osborn that really stood out in this film. I sure hope he returns for the third. Having said all that, the movie was a little slow and drawn out at times, but it's still heads and shoulders above most other superhero films except Hellboy, of course, and the X-Men series. I tend to like my heroes a tad on the darker side. I'm hoping with the impending addition of Venom to the third, that we get to see a darker side to this series. All in all, not great, but it was good enough to relax and veg out to. It gets ***1/2 out of *****.

Movie Tidbits

Topher Grace (TV's That 70's Show) will be in the next Spiderman movie, as reported by Variety. He will be playing an as-yet-unnamed villian in the film.

Kelsey Grammer (TV's Frasier) is cast to play Beast in X-Men 3, and I don't know what to think about that. I mean he has a good voice for it but BEAST?

Sony Entertainment has cast Kevin James (TV's King of Queens) to star in their family adventure movie Monster Hunter. He'll play a child psychiatrist that is able to see the monsters hiding under the beds and in the closets that scare the little kiddies. He then disposes of them, until he comes across one that is a little tougher than the rest, hmmm, could it be ...Rosie O'Donnell?

DVD Review: Darkness

This is going to be half a review because I could only sit through half of this terrible movie. This is one of the slowest moving movies I've ever seen, and as far as the unrated version...I didn't see anything to warrant that...maybe unwatchable, but not unrated. Everything about this film sucks- the acting, the score, the script, the film it was shot on, etc.. It basically plays out like a poor man's Amityville Horror. Family moves into a house, the dad starts to curse and act strangely (I hope my kids don't see it or I'm in trouble!) and only Anna Paquin has the foresight to see something's wrong. The movie is supposed to take place in Spain and I didn't know Spain was the rain capital of the world, at least that's what you'd think watching this. They could have rehydrated the Mojave if they didn't waste it on this film! If you want darkness, sit in a closet and close the door--don't get it from here. Another first--it gets 0 out of *****.

New Trailers!!!

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/harry_potter/thegobletoffire/

The DaVinci Code
http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/da_vinci_code/

A Scanner Darkly
http://www.apple.com/trailers/warner_independent_pictures/a_scanner_darkly.html

Cars (A Pixar Film)
http://www.apple.com/trailers/disney/cars/

Close Your Eyes
http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/close_your_eyes.html

Today is the Day!

The day has finally arrived! The end is near! Millions across the world will venture into their local cineplex to be witness to the final installment of Star Wars today. Me, however, I will wait for two more weeks to prove my diligence and patience (the fact that I hate crowds helps!) to see this epic of mega proportions. From the advance word I hear, it's better than Episodes 1 and 2, not that that's saying anything but it's good to hear. May the Force be with you all and with you all the Force be with-Amen?

High Tension Delayed a Week

LGF's highly anticipated lesson in brutality High Tension is being delayed a week for reasons unknown. It will now see the screen on June 10. It was previously set to open on the 3rd with no competition but will now have to be up against Mr. and Mrs. Smith which just looks like a high priced Suburban Nightmare if you ask me. I know which one I can't wait to see.

Horror/Sci-Fi DVD Releases for 5/24

Batman The Animated Series: Volumes 1-3
MPD Psycho
Possessed
Redwall Volume 1: The Siege
The Sleepwalker Killing
Speed Racer Volume 3

Lousy week for horror fans. I guess it's time to catch up on some releases you haven't checked out yet.

CD of the Month (May): Pretty in Black by The Raveonettes

There's nothing like finding a band you never heard of before and discovering great music that you've been missing out on. That's what happened when I came across The Raveonettes. I've never heard of this band before and let me tell you, I'm glad I found them. They have a hand full of albums out but Pretty in Black is only their second full length album. Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo are the driving forces behind this mellow, 50's-esque sounding group. They share mic time and sound really good together. The album is full of twangy guitar and echo effects and plain old good music. The opening track "Heavens" is a soft, melancholy piece that is just beautiful. There is also a cover of "My Boyfriend's Back", but I feel it and "Love in a Trashcan" are the two weak spots on the album. "Sleepwalking" and "Red Tan" are perfection and the rest of the album is solid. If you also haven't heard of them, give them a try. You'll be swept back to the drive-in, steamy windows and all. Pretty in Black gets ****1/2 out of *****.

DVD Review: The Trip

This is a ripoff movie plain and simple. Mix part Joyride and part Duel and a whole lot of crap and stir well. Lo and behold...The Trip! Quick plot synopsis: a group of friends are driving somewhere (I already forgot where they were supposed to be going!) when the main girl's jerk boyfriend runs over some roadside crosses, a mysterious jalopy truck that can drive amazingly fast begins showing up out of nowhere to wreck havoc and take lives, albeit, very boringly. Oh yeah, and the bastard behind the wheel lays on the horn so much, it should get a dialogue credit. This movie sucked. It gets *1/2 out of *****.

Horror/SciFi DVD Releases for 5/17

White Noise
Team America: World Police
Son of The Mask
Black Cadillac
Camp Utopia
Cold Grip
Cybuster Volume 4: Micro Black Hole Cannon
Dinotopia: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone
Galaxy Hunter
Gamera: The Ultimate Collection
Ghost In The Shell Volume 6
Ghost Lake
Giant Robo-Gineri Special
Great Horror Classics Volumes 7&8
Infection
Return to the Bat Cave
The Seance
Shaolin vs. Evil Dead
The Stink of Flesh
Zombiez

Quite a bit to choose from next week. I'll be checking out Ghost Lake and White Noise.

Guess Who's Coming Back For More

That's right ladies and gentlemen, according to 20th Century Fox Co-Chairman Tom Rothman, there will be a sequel to last year's not-so-well-taken Alien vs. Predator. SciFiWire caught up with him at the Saturn Awards in Los Angeles and got the scoop. Rothman was receiving a Lifetime Achievement award.

Chronicles of Narnia Trailer Online!

Disney's highly awaited special effects bonanza The Chronicles of Narnia now has a trailer available to whet your appetite even more. Check it out at the link.
http://mp.aol.com/video.index.adp?pmmsid=1337954&_AOLFORM=w708.h344.p7.R1

Paris Hilton Flash!

Check out this funny House of Wax Flash animation piece featuring Paris Hilton, it's a roar.

http://raincloud.warnerbros.com/wbmovies/houseofwax/animation/animation_hi/animation_hi_MSTR.mov

Movie Review: Undead

This little motion picture made by two brothers in Australia is set to hit these shores this summer and is highly anticipated. I had the pleasure of seeing an advance of the film and it's a nifty little picture. It's a little confused at spots and the yelling cop was a little too much on the ears, but all in all, it's a worthwile watch. The sleepy little berg of Berkeley gets hit with a freak meteor shower and the residents turn into zombies. Later on in the film, aliens get involved and it wasn't until the movie was over that I realized what they were doing there. It's an entertaining effort and I was impressed by the effects and the way the film was shot. I give the film ***1/2 out of *****.

DVD Review: Starkweather

I had high hopes for this movie and boy, were they squashed! You can probably guess what the plot is, it's basically a portrayal of the Starkweather murders back in the 50's and from what I understand, the film stays pretty true to the facts. However, the director of this thing must have been high during the editing because the damn boom mic is in almost ten scenes! Seriously, every time there is an inside scene between two actors, the mic can be seen at the top of the screen, sometimes the entire mic makes an appearance. It should have recieved an acting credit! It's a shame too because the actors did a decent job (except everyone on the police squad) and it could have been alot better. It's almost like it was filmed by two different guys, some shots were beautifully crafted and shot and then others are just plain amateurish. The movie gets a measly ** out of *****.

Land of the Dead Poster Revealed!

Not long ago the trailer for Romero's summer zombiefest Land of the Dead and now the official movie poster has been unveiled! The more I see and hear about this movie, the more excited I get to see it!

Serenity Trailer Online!

The trailer for Joss Whedon's Firefly feature film titled Serenity is now online and I must say that it looks impressive. The visuals look insane! Click the link to see.

http://video.craveonline.com/video/index.php?showVideo=889

Horror/Sci-Fi DVD Releases for 5/10

Alone in the Dark
Appleseed
Devon's Ghost: The Legend of the Bloody Boy
Final Destination 1 & 2
Ghost Ship / Thirteen Ghosts
Los Vampiros En Coyoacan
My Favorite Martian: The Complete Second Season
Quantum Leap: The Complete Third Season
The Suckling

Not much again this week, a couple of dual movie sets of films already released, some TV shows see the DVD treatment, anime classic-to-be Appleseed, and a couple of B-Movies, oh yeah Uwe Boll's Alone in the Dark rounds out the list.

Rue Morgue Radio Goes Weekly!

My favorite internet radio show, Rue-Morgue Radio with host Tomb Dragomir is changing from a monthly show to a weekly one starting on May 6th! That's four times a month of gruesome tunes and sounds! The new format is also to include interviews with horrordom's stars and reviews of movies.

Trailers

7 Mummies
http://www.americanworldpictures.com/projects/qtime-player.htm?name=7%20Mummies&file=7mummies_trailer.mov

Abominable
http://www.abominablethemovie.com/qhigh.htm

Boo
http://www.kismetent.com/images/boo.mov

Cemetery Gates
http://www.kismetent.com/images/cgates.mov

Home Sick
http://www.sonicmonkeyfilms.com/home_sick_trailer.mov

The Nun
http://www.filmaxinternational.com/scripts/ficha/ficha_trailer.php?id_trailer=273

The Roost
http://www.theroostmovie.com/trailerlarge.html

More Reject Goods!

Another new trailer for Rob Zombie's The Devil's Rejects has hit the internet and you can view it at the link. I know I wanted to see this film before, but this new trailer ups the ante even more!

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/thedevilsrejects.html

DVD Review: Some Kind of Monster

A documentary on the world's biggest heavy metal band, Metallica, ultimately moves at a snails pace and sheds no new light on the band that any fan doesn't already know. It chronicles the recording of their latest effort St. Anger. There are some parts where the tension between bandmates really is uncomfortable, and you really can understand what prompted Jason's departure from James and Lars' egos. Those two dudes are two of the biggest crybabies I've ever seen. They were the world's biggest and most influential band over the last decade and after watching this you have to wonder why and how. Cliff Burton must be rolling in his grave. One thing I took from this movie is that Bob Rock is really the driving force behind this band. He comes up with most of the song ideas, riffs, titles and just about everything else. As great as Paradise Lost 1 and 2 were, this didn't cut it for me. Not as bad as the actual cd they were recording, but not that revealing or entertaining either. It gets a subpar **1/2 out of *****.

DVD Review: Madhouse

It's a shame really, that a movie has so much potential, so much capability, and it refuses to take advantage of it. Madhouse has everything you would want in a horror film--setting, atmosphere, disturbing images and haunting figures, but they just can't get it together to make it work well. I hate to say it but Joshua Leonard, the lead actor, looks like a bad Cris Elliot impersonator and it really changes the effect the film should have. The little boy on the cover is truly the creepiest thing in the movie. The plot centers around Leonard, who comes to a mental institution to intern and not long after, alot of wierd things start to happen, like people dying and people seeing ghosts and stuff. Still, it wasn't a terrible movie, it just could have been something really frightening had it been done a little differently. It still gets *** out of *****.

Movie of the Week: Blade Trinity

In my opinion, one of the most successful comic book adaptions ever. This is the role Wesley Snipes was born to play. He is Blade. This, the third installment, has alot of the same elements that made the first two so kick ass--pulse pounding music, non-stop action,funny dialogue and great stunts and effects. The plot here was kind of hokey, with Dracula being brought back by a group of vampires with some diabolical plans, and it's up to Blade and his new friends who call themselves "The Nightstalkers" to stop them. The acting is typical over the top action film acting, with the WWE's Triple H showing us that he's no Rock. Parker Posey plays a mean looking vampire. Put this disc in and turn up the surround sound and you'll have a good time I guarantee it. Not as good as the second in the series, but still great fun. It gets **** out of *****.

Movie News

Joel Silver is set to produce the film version of Wonder Woman, with Joss Whedon writing the screenplay.

Will Farrell is going to star in a big screen version of The Land of the Lost. Hmm, I wonder who will play Chaka? Rosie O'Donnell?

Batman Begins will be opening a few days earlier than expected, apparently to take advantage of the out of school kids. It will now open nationwide on Wednesday, June 15th.

Hilary Swank's upcoming thriller The Reaping now has a director attached to it. Stephen Hopkins (Lost in Space) is the man according to Joel "I'm Everywhere" Silver.

Denzel Washington is returning to the sci-fi genre with Deja-vu. The film centers aroung an FBI agent (Denzel) who has the ability to travel back in time and ends up falling in love with a woman destined to be...yep...murdered.

Shrek 3 has a scheduled May 18, 2007 release date. Just in case you need to free up your date book.

Jerry Seinfeld and Renee Zellweger lend their voices to Dreamworks' animated Bee Movie. It is set to come out on November 2, 2007. Damn, I think I'm busy that day!

Apparently, IESB is reporting that George Lucas is going to start working on a Star Wars live action television series. They even have Kevin Smith attached to write and direct at least three episodes.

Horror/SciFi DVD Releases for 5/3

Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera
Chupacabra Terror
Star Trek Enterprise: The Complete First Season
The Vampires Collection
Vampires: The Turning

DVD Review: The Backlot Murders

I have to admit that this movie entertained me. The acting was primarily terrible, but it really didn't matter here, it sort of added to the film's appeal. Charles Fleischer's character was absolutely hilarious, and he totally made the film that much better. The story follows a terrible hard rock band, who fire their out of control bass player. The lead singer is dating the daughter of a record executive and they are about to sign a big contract. While filming their first video on the backlot of some famous horror movies, people start to die. There's no real surprises here, but between the campy acting and Fleischer's witty dialogue, you can't turn the movie off. The film is more fun than scary and I give it ***1/2 out of *****.

Tidbits

Stephen Sommers just finished up the script for The Mummy 3 and is likely to start filming at the end of this year.

Robert Rodriguez is going to be directing back-to-back sequels to his adaptation of Sin City.

David Goyer is stating that the possibility is still there for a Blade 4 and it's spinoff Nightstalkers.

Romero's Land of the Dead Trailer

You've been patiently waiting and now it's time! The trailer for Land of the Dead is now online. Just click the link to check it out.

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/georgearomeroslandofthedead.html

Night Flyer 2 a Go Go!

In 1997 a small horror film based on a Stephen King story came out direct to video called The Night Flyer. The film has garnered alot of fans and some critical praise. Now, Richard Rubenstien, the producer of Dawn of the Dead, is set to produce a sequel that was co-written by King himself!

Hitchcock Revisited

Platinum Dunes, the company behind the Texas Chainsaw and Amityville remakes are in negotiations to make a new version of Hitchcock's The Birds. I have to admit, I have no idea what to think about that. Can someone please come up with something original?

The Devil's Supper

Just check out this latest promo pic from Rob Zombie's upcoming The Devil's Rejects. Looks familiar huh? Oh man, I bet the crybaby bible belters are lining up to complain as we speak!

DVD Review: Dead Birds

Now this is why I love B-Movies! This diamond in the rough has good acting, good setting, good music and good directing. It's about a group of bankrobbers in the 1800's, led by Henry Thomas(E.T.), who hide out in an old dilapidated colonial house in the middle of a cornfield. There's something in the house with them and it's not a maid! I like to talk about the atmosphere a film has and this one has atmosphere in spades! The use of sound effects, the lightning and rain storming outside, the music and the distrust of the robbers add up to an unbelievable amount to tension that just builds and builds. The movie unfolds itself as it plays along, it's not a fast paced movie, but a slow, arduous journey into terror. There's a sense of palpable dread hanging in every corner of the spooky old house and the fleeting images of the creatures are simply terrifying. It's a shame that a great spookfest like this can't get released in theaters but films like Alone in the Dark gets huge distribution. Says something about the Hollywood big wigs making the decisions doesn't it? Director Alex Turner gives us a real treat with Dead Birds and I anxiously await his next film. I was truly impressed with this movie and give it ****1/2 out of *****.

New Superman Photo

Here's the first photo of Brandon Routh as Superman in the upcoming Superman Returns. Looks pretty cool. I like how both the new Superman and Batman movies are taking a sort of old style look to their heroes.

Things That Make You Go Hmmm.

Hmmm, coincidence? Have they ever been seen at the same place at the same time? I think not! Seperated from birth or one in the same? Hmmmm.

Horror/SciFi DVD Releases for 4/26

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Blade: Trinity
Darkness
Actium Maximus: Wrath of the Alien Dinosaurs
Ancient Mysteries: Bigfoot
Ancient Mysteries: UFOs - First Encounter
The Black Gate
Devil's Harvest
Digital Prophet / Cybernator
Ghost in the Shell / Millennium Actress
Galaxy Angels Z Volume 2: Galaxy Size Combo
Hell's Gate 11:11
Horror Classics Collection
Horror Triple Feature
Larva
Land of the Lost: The Complete 3rd Season
The Manson Family
The Nameless
Panic Beats
Pure Blood
Smallville: The Pilot

Whew, if you can't find something to watch in that list, then I don't know what to say!

Charles Band Returns!

Charles Band, the mastermind behind the great Full Moon Studios of years gone by, has directed a new film called Decadent Evil. It has vampires, strippers, a monstrous puppet and even a little person as a vampire killer! Everything that made his Full Moon films so great. Click the link to check it out--caution, the trailer does have some minor nudity.

http://www.wizardentertainment.net/trailers/Decadent_Evil_Trailer/decadent_trailerweb.mov

Cursed Unrated and in the Red

If you waited to see the unrated version of Wes Craven's werewolf turd, then here's what to look for on the shelves on June 21. Their creative teams went all out to make this version's cover really special. They painted it red. And how much do they get paid? If a studio puts that little of a creative push on a film, what's that tell you?

To Stink or Not to Stink?

I came across a trailer for a cool looking movie last night and wanted to share it with you. The movie's called Reeker. A group of young people get stranded at a desert hotel type of location and they are being preyed upon by a rotting cadaverous creature. The trailer is actually pretty sharp and looks like it could make a really good picture. I hope so, just imagine the review titles if it stinks! Click the link to take a whiff.

http://www.fastmonkey.com/reektrailer.html

Book of the Week: Swan Song by Robert McCommon

Often compared to Stephen King's The Stand, this apoctalyptic tale from Robert McCammon is just a bit better in my opinion. Everyone has their own opinion about these two books, but I just found Swan Song to be more entertaining. It's a broad epic featuring a slew of characters, but each one is enjoyable to read about and the 960 pages are done before you know it. The big difference between the two books is King's is a world after a plague hits and McCammon's takes place after a nuclear holocaust. The setting is bleak and dark and really makes for a good read. This book has it all, everything you want in a great end-of-the-world/rebirth story. It gets ***** out of *****.

Movie of the Week: Tremors

This solid, fast paced film from 1990 re-issued the creature feature back into cineplexes all across America. The movie practically came out of nowhere and soon the buzz was out that this little movie was a decent and fun homage to the 50's giant bug films. Starring Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward, it's a combination action/horror/comedy and the two leads work really well off of each other. Michael Gross (TV's Family Ties) and Reba McEntire turn in great performances as the survivalist couple. The story's about a small desert town's desperate fight for survival against a group of gigantic, blood-thirsty tunneling worms. No CGI used here, strictly animatronics and it works for this one. Over the top acting, lots of action, clever writing and a great monster are the reasons why Tremors is the Movie of the Week and also why it gets **** out of *****.

Get Freaky, Dog Boy!

Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves teamed up for a little known movie after their Bill and Ted films titled Freaked. It has long held a spot in my heart as one of those little diamonds that rarely sees the light of day. But that day has come! Or at least it will on July 12, when Anchor Bay releases Freaked on DVD in all it's double disc glory!

Zodiac Cast News

David Fincher's upcoming take on the San Francisco Zodiac killer titled simply Zodiac, now has some actors definitely attached to it. Jake Gyllenhaal will portray Robert Graysmith, the author of the two books that the film is based on, and Robert Downey will play reporter Paul Avery. Mark Ruffalo is still in negotiations but he looks to be cast as the homicide detective in charge of the Zodiac case.

Clive Barker Movie News

Clive's been a busy man of late getting a few of his projects ready for the big screen. He'll be adapting The Midnight Meat Train from the ever popular Books of Blood, he's also going to be seeing a live version of Thief of Always being helmed by Kelly Asbury(Shrek 2). Also on the butcher's table is a horror movie called The Plague, which is being shot in Louisiana and of course his Abarat books are being adapted as well. It's been too long since a Barker story has been at the theater and soon the long wait will be over!

Final Destination 3 Rollercoaster Mayhem!

As we all know by now, the Final Destination films allways start out with a big time disaster and the third one in the series is continuing the trend with a slam-bang rollercoaster disaster in which alot of people get killed, mutlilated and/or dismembered. I didn't know how they were going to top the freeway pileup from the second--that's still worth watching and wondering how nobody got killed doing it!--but from all the advanced hype, this should top it in spades. I was excited before about FD3, now I'm amped about it, can't wait!

Horror/SciFi DVD Releases for 4/19

Birth
Malevolence
Riding the Bullet
Primer
Horror 101 / Horror 102 / Museum of the Dead
Miracles: The Complete Series
Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection Vol. 7
Spectres
Subhuman

Malevolence is out after a short theatrical run and Stephen King's Riding the Bullet hits DVD in an R-rated version of the cable tv movie. Miracles, a short lived Skeet Ulrich show dealing with the end of days and the catholic church is released with a handful of never aired episodes.

Trailers!!

Hide and Creep
http://www.crewless.com/hideandcreep/trailer/a_s3_sm.mov

Dead and Breakfast
http://www.dandbfilm.com/trailer_lg.html

Creep
http://www.cinemas-online.co.uk/content/run_trailer.php?tFn=creep_high.mov

Undead
http://www.lionsgatepublicity.com/epk/undead/trailers/undead_lg.mov

Mindhunters
http://www.apple.com/trailers/miramax/mindhunters.html

Return of the Living Dead 4 and 5
http://returnofthelivingdead4and5.com/movs/promo.html

Batman Vs. Superman!

Film Rot has snagged a pretty cool quote from none other than the new Batman, Christian Bale. The question posed was about how many more films will Bale don the Batsuit. The quote is as follows: "Two more actually, and then Brandon Routh, the new Superman, and I, are doing Batman vs. Superman as a movie". Now if that isn't some cool news, I don't know what is!

DVD Review: Ring of Darkness

Sometimes in life, there is a rare experience of watching a movie you expect to be bad and it turns out to be really good. Alas, this is not one of those moments. As a matter of fact, watching Ring of Darkness doesn't even qualify as a movie watching experience. It's the equivelent of stepping in a pile of dog crap. A really, really big pile. Ryan Starr wasn't good enough for American Idol, but she was a better singer than actor, as she takes lousy acting to the next level. Barely though, as her co-actors try their hardest to de-throne her. Even Adrienne Barbeau can't escape their crappiness, her Swamp Thing role could garnish an oscar compared to this role. The crap that is the plot of this thing is: the world's greatest boy band needs a new lead singer, only they're not just a boy band, they're zombies! At least I think that's what they were supposed to be. Ryan's boyfriend (against his rockin' rollin' attitude!) tries out for the troupe and discovers the ghastly truth. Do not and I repeat, DO NOT watch this crapola! If you do you will die! Ok, maybe not so harsh, but don't say I didn't warn you. This makes Goth look decent. If Ruben Studdard shows up in a horror movie, look out Seacrest, that's all I have to say! 1/2 out of 5 stars. Crap, Crap, Crap!!!

Shallow and Bloody

Check out this trailer for the upcoming Shallow Ground from Universal. One year after the unsolved murder of a local girl, a naked teenager covered in blood shows up on the sheriff's doorstep. Who the boy is and what he's doing there is anyone's guess but people start getting killed before you know it! Click the link for the trailer.

http://www.shallowgroundmovie.com/fulltrailer2.html

Book of the Week: The Traveling Vampire Show by Richard Laymon

The late, great Richard Laymon published some real humdingers in his time and this one is one of my favorites. The Traveling Vampire Show is one of those books that make you think back to when you were young and the world was full of wonders. In a small town, flyers begin appearing describing an adults only show featuring Valeria, the worlds only captive vampire. Well this is right up Dwight, Slim and Rusty's alley, being adventurous 16 year olds in 1963. They find a way to check out the show and all hell breaks loose. Full of action, sexual situations and violence (as if Laymon writes any other way!) this book is a quick, fun read. This is a show I recommend you check out. It gets **** out of *****.

Zombies, Zombies and more Zombies!

I know I didn't care for Tobe Hooper's last outing The Toolbox Murders, but if his next project titled Zombies is half as freaky as this poster for it, then it should be killer! More details to follow on this film when information is made available.

Movie of the Week: Dog Soldiers

Dog Soldiers is one of the best werewolf movies ever made in my opinion. There was alot of buzz on the internet about this movie when it was released, but it didn't garnish any big time reviews like all the crappy big budget films that we get swamped with. Plain and simple, it's a werewolf story, no lovey dovey romance hidden inside a horror movie, just werewolves killing people. My kind of movie! The plot follows a group of soldiers who are supposed to be on practice maneuvers, when one group of soldiers gets slaughtered. The second group winds up locked in an old house in the woods with a mysterious lady, and oh yeah, the place is surrounded...by werewolves. After some plot twists and turns, the action gets hairy as the werewolves get busy. The make-up FX are pretty good despite the low budget and the settings have atmosphere. The acting is good, albeit, the sound isn't the greatest on the disc so sometimes the dialogue gets muddied, the accents take a while to get used to as well, but after a few minutes you can understand it. Simply said, the best werewolf movie along with the Ginger Snaps trilogy. There's a sequel due for this film soon and I am anxiously awaiting it! ****1/2 out of *****.

Day Watch Trailer Online

The trailer for the Russian film Night Watch was just released earlier in the week and now the trailer for it's sequel has been released. The film is called Day Watch, and it has much of the same arresting visuals that the first one has. The films will be shown in their native Russian language with subtitles when they're released here in the States.

http://wooderson.aintitcool.com/daywatch.mpg

Land of the Dead out Earlier!

George A. Romero's upcoming Land of the Dead, originally scheduled to be released on or near October 18th, will in fact coming to your local cemeteryplex on June 24th. All I can say is--Bring it on!

Movie Quick Bits

Michael Bay and Stephen Spielberg are teaming up to bring The Transformers to the big screen. Let's wait and see if it will be "More than meets the eye!"

Ryan Reynolds, hot off the Amityville remake and Blade: Trinity, is being courted to play the lead in the upcoming big screen version of DC's The Flash. He also reportedly turned down a chance to reteam with Jessica Biel in the Blade spinoff, Nightstalkers.

Frank Langella is replacing Hugh Laurie (TV's House) as Perry White in the upcoming Superman Returns. Apparently, Laurie's House filming conflicted with the movie's filming schedule.

Famke Janssen will return to X-Men 3, along with Hugh Jackman. Halle Berry, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are expected to return, but nothing is definite as of now.

After making 75 million domestically and 114 million from foriegn moviegoers, it's no surprise that Garfield 2 is preparing to be made with Tim Hill to direct again.

MEG is a GO!

One of my favorite authors, Steve Alten, has been trying for years to get his debut novel Meg made into a motion picture and now it seems his perseverence has finally paid off. New Line has completed the option for the movie and it will have Jan De Bont (Twister, Speed) directing. What's really exciting is that Hellboy's Guillermo del Toro is on board to co-produce and everything he has a hand in turns out to be a good quality project. Meg is about a giant, long-thought extinct ancestor to the great white, and the terror it spreads as it finds a way to the surface after living in the Mariana Trench and the adventurer who makes the discovery. The book is outstanding, along with it's sequels: The Trench and Meg: Primal Waters (reviewed earlier on the site.) Currently, the studio is planning a July 4th, 2006 opening. Get ready to fear the ocean again.

New Trailers for Upcoming Films

Red Eye
http://www.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/red_eye/

The Island
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/the_island/international/

High Tension
http://www.apple.com/trailers/lions_gate/high_tension/

DVD Review: Goth

I can't believe I just sat through this entire movie. The acting was deplorable, unimaginable, unconstitutional, unreliable, incouragable, and bad. This stinker follows a young goth couple out clubbing, when low and behold, they meet a girl named Goth. By the looks of her, she should have been named Schnozola! Goth turns out to be one tough chick as she kicks anyone's ass she happens to come across. Her goal is to teach the couple what it really means to be goth (If you're wondering what goth is, don't watch this movie). Bad things happen to old women with big saggy boobs in this film, so veiwer (I hope not) beware! If you're constipated and the suppositories or ex-lax aren't getting it done, then I whole-heartedly recommend Goth. If you're regular, then skip it. It gets * out of *****.

DVD Review: Suburban Nightmare

Well, after watching this DVD from Shock-O-Rama Pictures I'd have to say that the goriest thing about this film is it's cover. It was a real surprise to me that this was a Shock-O-Rama picture because it actually had decent acting, writing and cinematography and it didn't have all the hokey effects and gore they are well known for. The film centers around a young married couple who just happen to be serial killers. As their relationship begins to unwind, they're killer tendencies start to pop up, at each other. It's a dialogue driven movie, as there is little action until near the end, but that's ok because even though you signed up for a gorefest, you find yourself wanting to know what's going to happen to these two. The main characters play their parts believably, and deliver some realistic actions and reactions. The film doesn't work as a horror film but does work on a character study level. I give it **1/2 out of *****, would have got ***, but I don't like being fooled by the box art.

Horror/SciFi DVD Releases for 4/12

Suspect Zero
The A-Team: Season Two
Blood Trail
Dead Life
Frog-g-g
Galaxy Rangers: Chained and Pheonix
Goosebumps: How I Got My Shrunken Head
The Hitchhiker Volume 2
Knight Rider: Season Two
Sasquatch Hunters
Shadow Star: Narutaru 1
Space Ghost Coast to Coast: Vols. 1-3
Street Tales of Terror
Teen Titans: Volume 2-Switched

Night Watch Trailer

You've got to check out this trailer from the first movie in an epic horror trilogy coming out of Russia. The film is called Night Watch and it looks insane!

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/night_watch/

Book of the Week: Countdown to Infinite Crisis

I know, I know, it's not a novel, but a comic book. I don't care, this comic has more plot twists and suspense than most novels and it's only 80 pages. 80 heart stopping pages! This is the start off point for a major series of events to happen in the DC universe. The story is going to expand outward over four seperate series of comics. If the series can continue what it started here, boy, it should be killer. I've never been effected by a comic before, but by the end of this one, you'll be left gasping for breath, shocked and saddened all at the same time. Without giving too much away, the story follows the Blue Beetle, the forgotten and underappreciated member of the JLA, as he stumbles across a plan of disastrous proportions that is about to fall upon the heroes. Infinite Crisis is to continue in the series' Day of Vengeance, The O.M.A.C. Project, The Rann/Thanagar War and Villians United. Even if you're not a fan of comics, I'd bet you would be sucked into this story. Get the comic while you can, and hey, it's only a buck! You can't find a better read for less. I give it ***** out of *****. I plan to see this thing through to the end and would like for you to join me.

Cody Banks goes Horror

Frankie Muniz (TV's Malcom in the Middle, Agent Cody Banks) is set to star in a horror film titled Stay Alive. The film centers around a group of teens playing an online horror video game and when their characters die in the game, yep you guessed it, they die in real life as well. Now I know why the current remake trend is so hot.

Tales From The Crypt DVD News

Warner Bros. announced details that they are planning to release season one of HBO's groundbreaking horror series Tales from the Crypt on July 12th of this year. The series began in 1989 and lasted until it's demise in 1996. Over the years, many noteworthy actors and directors contributed to the show. I remember taping every episode so I would have the library, but over the years lost track of all the tapes. Now with it coming out on DVD, it will be easier and less space consuming to revisit some of these great episodes.

CD of the Month(April): 13 Hallowe'ens by Calabrese

Look to the right of the page, see Drac and his buddies rockin' out? That's because they're digging this new disc from "The World's Greatest Horror Rock Band!". My wife got me this disc the other day and I've been listening to it ever since. 13 kick-ass tracks brought to us by the brothers Calabrese, and every song is great, GREAT, I TELL YOU! With so many horror rock acts basically trying to clone The Misfits, it's so refreshing to hear an original sound with ghoulish lyrics and viciously raw music. My wife ordered the disc from their website and it even came wrapped in cobwebs! Everything about this band screams quality. I was truly impressed with the disc quality and packaging. For the independent label Spookshow Records, they really craft a beautiful product, all for ten bucks! The artwork is awesome, the lyrics are printed in the cover and again, the music rocks! I put the band's sticker on my bumper so every one in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area will know that I'm one of Them now. As a matter of fact, after I'm done posting this, I'm running to the local cemetery, I'm going to find the tallest tombstone, then I'm gonna climb that sucker and scream from the top of my lungs..."CALABRESE!...IS THE WORLD'S GREATEST HORROR ROCK BAND!!! YEEAAHHH!!" Hey Dave, Bobby and Jim, you guys did something that has never been done before. You guys break the rating system, ****** out of *****. That's right, 6 out of 5 stars...It's just that ghoulishly great!! Everyone that considers themselves rock and roll fans, not just horror rock should buy this album, the best damn album of the year so far, forget Green Day and all the other posers, Calabrese is the real deal! Click the link to go to the groovy Calabrese website and order already and tell them Dave sent you.

http://www.calabreserock.com/

For Good or Bad, Another Remake

Michael Bay, otherwise known as "I can't find anything original to make, so I'll rehash old favorites" Bay, is apparently trying to get the go ahead to remake, oh I'm sorry, "reimagine" the classic film The Hitcher. Come on, as if anyone other than Rutger Hauer could play that role! New Gen horror queen Jessica Biel is reportedly interested in starring in it.

Bubba Ho-Tep 2!!

Ain't It Cool News is reporting that everyone's wish is coming true! Bubba Ho-Tep 2 is being seriously considered by a few major studios and everything is being hashed out at we speak. The title for the sequel is supposedly going to be Bubba Nosferatu. Bruce Campbell made a joke of the name in earlier interviews, but somewhere along the line it caught hold. I like the name and can't wait for it to be official.

Movie of the Week: Dead Alive

Talk about a classic if there ever was one! Peter Jackson's epic of blood and guts is as enjoyable today as it was when it was released in 1993. This movie paved the way for Shaun of the Dead and other black comedy/horror films ever since. No movie released or ever will be released that can match this film for pure blood spillage and I dare you to find another film where zombies are getting chewed up by a lawnmower...hmm, maybe the Toolbox Murderer could learn some new tricks if he watched this. The story follows Lionel, who catches the eye of a young lady and decides on a date at the local zoo. Lionel's conniving mother follows the duo to the zoo and ultimately gets bit by a ravenous rat monkey. She winds up getting a disease that turns her into the walking dead and despite Lionel's attempts to stop her, she spreads the disease. Before you know it, the place is crawling with the undead. The scene with the judo priest is absolutely hilarious, it should well be regarded as a classic scene of cinematic mastery. The box art is lousy but the movie is great. It gets ***** out of *****.

How Monsturd Was Made!

Here's a cool article that every budding independent filmmaker should read. It tells the story from start to finish how Rick Popko and Dan West made their original film, how they promoted it, got it viewed and eventually got a dealer for it. These guys are truly dedicated to their films. Check out the article, it's very informative.
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/caminfo_user_profile_indie_filmakers_rick_popko_dan_west.htm

Horror/SciFi DVD Releases for 4/5

Electra
The Amityville Horror Collection
Aztec 1948 UFO Crash
Camp Fear
Dead Doll
Deep Evil
The Greatest American Hero: Season Two
The Intruder
Mark Of The Witch / The Brides Wore Blood

Electra's the big release this week, but Netflix is sending me Camp Fear...Yahoo!!

DVD Review: Toolbox Murders

Ah yes, Tobe Hooper's triumphant return to horror, eh? Well...no. The director of one of the original scarefests, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, tries to update a movie he made many many moons ago and succeeds in making another run of the mill slasher pic. While I didn't hate the movie, I didn't love it either. I was expecting great things for this one because of all the advanced publicity and reviews. I was a tad disappointed to say the least. The beginning was very slow moving and not until the last 15 minutes did the movie get moving. Angela Bettis was worlds better in May, here, she kind of annoyed me. The story centers on a couple that move into a dilapidated apartment building that houses a secret, a deadly secret, mwa ha ha ha! Neighbors slowly, and I mean slowly, begin to die and eventually we find out what they did with Darkman's costume after that franchise dried up, they loaned it to the Toolbox Murderer! His method of killing is self explanatory and he uses a few good choices. It doesn't however, save this film. The extra's on the disc are few and not special. Sorry Tobe, you get only **1/2 out of *****.