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MIDNIGHT-MADNESS

‘The Lords of Salem’ Trailer Is Finally Here!!!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on October 03, 2012 @ 6:20pm
Category: Movies / Trailers

After premiering at the Midnight Madness portion of TIFF, Anchor Bay Films emerged as the new home for Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem. Under the agreement, Anchor Bay will handle all U.S. distribution rights on the film. The first trailer premiered this afternoon. Check it out below and tell us what you think!

Written and directed by Rob Zombie, The Lords of Salem stars Sheri Moon Zombie (House of 1,000 Corpses, Halloween) as well as Bruce Davison (X-Men), Jeff Daniel Phillips (Halloween 2), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), Patricia Quinn (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Dee Wallace (E.T.) and Judy Geeson (To Sir, With Love).

“Rock star-turned-horror maven Rob Zombie conjures up a nerve-wracking chiller involving Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ, who receives a wooden box containing a vinyl record, “a gift from the Lords.” She assumes it’s from a band trying to promote themselves. Heidi and others listen but unbeknownst to them, the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?”

Check out my review with Mike’s alternate opinion here. READ MORE

Exclusive

[TIFF '12 Interview] ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Stars Sheri Moon Zombie & Jeff Daniel Phillips

Movies
Posted by Mike Pereira on September 18, 2012 @ 6:47pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Whether it’s cast or crew, Writer/Director Rob Zombie loves to stick to a core group. Like Quentin Tarantino, he enjoys casting some long forgotten talent from the genre titles he grew up on and admired. Zombie cleverly goes against our expectations and previous experiences with a certain actor and uses him or her in a refreshingly unexpected way. His wife and muse, Sheri Moon Zombie is the one constant in every picture he has made. Her involvement in his work has always caused a stir among genre fans. This doesn’t seem to faze Zombie a bit since Sheri is lead in his latest, The Lords of Salem.

She plays local DJ Heidi Hawthorne. Along with her co-hosts Herman Whitey Salvador (Jeff Daniel Phillips) and Herman Jackson (Ken Foree), they play a mysterious vinyl on air by a band called The Lords which will soon put the town and its inhabitants on a collision course with its disturbing past.

At TIFF ’12, I had the opportunity to sit down and discuss the film with actors Sheri and Jeff. READ MORE

[TIFF '12 Review] ‘The ABCs of Death’ Brings Mixed Results, Still A Must See!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 18, 2012 @ 11:04am
Category: Movies / News

One of the hardest films I’ve ever had to review was The ABCs of Death, the 26-part anthology that premiered this past Friday at the Midnight Madness portion of the Toronto International Film Festival. The most difficult aspect of the review is the final score, which I wholly don’t believe is representational of what it is. The fact of the matter is, even though it delivers mixed results, it’s an absolute must see, especially with a group of devilish friends. The ABCs of Death carries some of the best horror you’ll see this year.

“The concept behind ABCs is brilliant: 26 directors were each given $5,000 and had to deliver a short film about death. The result is an eclectic variety of horror that range from sex-fueled murder to rape revenge.

“I’d suggest you ignore the below rating (it’s undeniably misleading) and focus on creating some sort of party atmosphere to watch ABCs of Death. The only thing that can kick-start some energy into this anthology is you, and a group of screaming and laughing friends. There’s plenty here worth seeing.”

Click here to read the review in its entirety. READ MORE

Exclusive

[TIFF '12 Interview] ‘No One Lives’ Director Ryuhei Kitamura

Movies
Posted by Mike Pereira on September 17, 2012 @ 7:41pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

When the WWE Films logo appears before a film, I keep my expectations in check. While I’ll admit that the Kane vehicle, See No Evil is in my guilty pleasure list, the majority I’ve seen are straight-to-video fare at its laziest. Like most DTV, they’re an attempt to cash in on whatever the fad may be at the moment and hope that fans looking for a quick fix won’t mind. From the offset, No One Lives (review) comes across as just that. The attempt at “clever” dialogue is consistently laughable but once the film is suddenly steered in a different direction at the end of the first act, my attention was grabbed. For the remainder of its duration, No One Lives is a creatively violent, trashy ride in the way the Friday the 13th movies are. If you watch it for what it is, fun will be had.

The skillful directing of Ryuhei Kitamura (Midnight Meat Train, Versus) is the main reason why I ignored the film’s obvious issues. I had the pleasure of chatting with him at TIFF ’12, where the film was getting its premiere. I asked him what drew him to the script. “I started reading it. First I felt; oh okay, No One Lives, everybody dies. Girl running in the woods, a couple of gangsters, okay another torture porn kind of movie which I love to watch but didn’t want to do myself. Then there’s a twist and turn in the script and I simply felt: wow this is a non-stop ride and it’s a fun popcorn project which was very different from the movie I did, Midnight Meat Train. That was much more twisted and a philosophical. So this was to me a fun, straightforward genre movie almost like the movies from the 80’s.” READ MORE

[TIFF '12] Anchor Bay Acquires Rob Zombie’s ‘The Lords of Salem’

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 16, 2012 @ 3:54pm
Category: Movies / News

After much speculation and a heated bidding war, Anchor Bay Films emerged as the new home for Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem. Under the agreement, Anchor Bay will handle all U.S. distribution rights on the film. Written and directed by Rob Zombie, The Lords of Salem stars Sheri Moon Zombie (Halloween) as well as Bruce Davison (X-Men), Jeff Daniel Phillips (Halloween 2), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), Patricia Quinn (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Dee Wallace (E.T.) and Judy Geeson (To Sir, With Love). The film premiered last week at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and received rave reviews from mainstream and genre critics alike.

“I have always been a fan of the care and respect Anchor Bay has put into their genre titles,” said Zombie. “”

The Los Angeles Times dubbed The Lords of Salem “his darkest most unnerving yet,” IndieWire declared it “Rob Zombie’s best film” and Dread Central said “fans couldn’t stop talking about the film” after its premiere in Toronto.

Rock star-turned-horror maven Rob Zombie conjures up a nerve-wracking chiller involving Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ, who receives a wooden box containing a vinyl record, “a gift from the Lords.” She assumes it’s from a band trying to promote themselves. Heidi and others listen but unbeknownst to them, the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?

[TIFF '12 Review] Style Is Substance In Rob Zombie’s ‘The Lords Of Salem’

Movies
Posted by Mike Pereira on September 15, 2012 @ 6:46am
Category: Movies / Reviews

Before starting this review, I’m going to come out and say it; I’m a Rob Zombie fan. Whether it be his albums, films or comic book ventures; you name it, I got it. Ever since I saw White Zombie open up for Anthrax back in 1993, I was immediately hooked. The incorporation of all things horror into his art appealed to the kid in me. This wasn’t a novel approach by any stretch. Alice Cooper had perfected this ages ago. Zombie and his world of ghouls and monsters entered my life in my late teens where this sort of stuff really makes an impression on you. Growing up, Cooper’s peak had passed me by before I could ever fully embrace it like I do now. It’s clearly evident that Alice had that same effect on Zombie. I can’t think of a more fitting artist to carry the torch.

Since he took on film in 2003 with his debut House of 1000 Corpses, Rob Zombie has become the most polarizing figure in horror today. His filmography (minus The Devil’s Rejects) has been endlessly argued about back and forth. The most heated discussions I’ve ever had about film have almost always included Zombie’s contributions to the cinema. I think a lot of this stems from the undeniable boldness of his vision. Regardless of what one may think about his work, a Rob Zombie film is exactly that. He may had to compromise to some extent with his notorious Halloween films but there’s no confusing that aesthetic with anyone else’s. With his latest, The Lords of Salem, Zombie was given the creative control to do whatever he pleased. From the opening frame to the very last, it’s apparent that Zombie has got away with murder. There’s no way in hell any studio would let any filmmaker run this wild and make what’s essentially a 70’s-style European art-house horror flick. Dispose of any and all expectations. Nothing can quite prepare you for what’s in store. READ MORE

[TFF '12 Review] Mike Pereria Calls Barry Levinson’s Found Footage Thriller, ‘The Bay’ An “Admirable Miss”

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 14, 2012 @ 6:13pm
Category: Movies / News

Before it arrives in theaters November 2 from Roadside Attractions, Bloody Disgusting’s Mike Pereira caught the world premiere of Barry Levinson’s The Bay at the Midnight Madness portion of the Toronto International Film Festival. The pic is a Found Footage thriller where a biological disaster is unleashed from the waters of the Chesapeake Bay causing a mass infection.

“One has to applaud Levinson for stepping out of his comfort zone… Unfortunately what brings the movie down is his novice approach at horror tactics such as jump scares and tension-building. While it may work on the average folk who have never seen a horror film in their life, it won’t fool a hardcore fan by a long shot.

“The Bay is an admirable but ultimately dull thriller.”

Click here for the entire review and watch for more leading up to its theatrical release.

[TIFF '12] Cinedigm Entertainment Group Acquires ‘Come Out and Play’ For Theatrical, Home Video

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 14, 2012 @ 10:14am
Category: Movies / News

Having premiered at the Midnight Madness portion of TIFF is Makinov’s Come Out and Play, a Mexican remake of the 1970s flick Who Can Kill A Child? that I thought was pretty good (although it could have used a bit more originality).

Cinedigm Entertainment Group acquired North American rights to Makinov’s flick starring Vinessa Shaw, Ebon Moss and Daniel Gimenez Cacho. Cinedigm, which made the announcement Friday, plans a theatrical release early next year followed by VOD, digital and DVD.

In the remake, “Beth and Francis vacation before the birth of their child. Francis insists on venturing to a more serene island, Beth hesitantly agrees. They set out to a beautiful island, but soon discover it’s mysteriously abandoned, and the only people on the island are children. Beth and Francis are left to uncover the mystery of the disappearances, and a day in paradise quickly turns into a struggle for survival.” READ MORE

[BD Review] Barry Levinson’s Found Footage Thriller, ‘The Bay’ Is An Admirable Miss

Movies
Posted by Mike Pereira on September 14, 2012 @ 6:32am
Category: Movies / Reviews

At the moment, the found-footage sub-genre is all the rage. No surprise there, considering audiences are still running in droves to see the Paranormal Activity films and most recently, The Devil Inside (much to our dismay). I have no issue with any novelty if it’s used effectively and creatively. The Paranormal Activity franchise, the REC series and V/H/S are great examples of when it works. Unlikely candidate, Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson (Rain Man) is the latest to jump on the bandwagon with the eco-thriller, The Bay.

The film revolves around a small seaside town that becomes terrorized by a nasty mutant breed of parasites. What makes the film stand apart from the crowd is its mock documentary-style approach. The story is told via multiple video sources including Skype, surveillance video, news footage, smart phones and police cams. Audio sources such as 911 calls and recorded phone conversations are also utilized. The sheer density of the film’s construction is my favourite aspect of The Bay. It’s been cleverly thought out and conceived. The biggest challenge facing filmmakers venturing in the found footage realm is how to convincingly justify why the characters are still holding onto their cameras. For the most part, The Bay is pretty convincing in this department. I never found myself distracted by a glaringly obvious logic gap.

Despite being presented in realistic manner, deep at its core, The Bay owes a great deal to 1950’s era sci-fi/horror pictures such as Them! There’s definitely an old-fashioned B-movie quality to the creatures. Issues begin to arise whenever the film tries its hand at scares. This is where Levinson’s inexperience in genre filmmaking is glaringly obvious. Every attempt at a scare is highlighted by a music cue and sound effect being amped up to eleven. The score is annoyingly present at almost every turn. It’s overbearing and cheaply manipulative especially during the “suspenseful” moments. These techniques ring false at every time. Mostly though, I never found myself invested in The Bay all that much. Dryness is one of the issues that can arise when presenting the material in such a documentary-like fashion and it plagues this movie all throughout. Characters aren’t particularly interesting and the story never really goes in any fresh or surprising direction.

One has to applaud Levinson for stepping out of his comfort zone. The Bay never comes across as a half-baked effort. His use of technology to tell the story, as well as themes dealing with our deteriorating environment will likely strike a chord with many. There seems to be a genuine attempt to breathe new life in the gimmicky world of found footage cinema. Unfortunately what brings the movie down is his novice approach at horror tactics such as jump scares and tension-building. While it may work on the average folk who have never seen a horror film in their life, it won’t fool a hardcore fan by a long shot. The Bay is an admirable but ultimately dull thriller.

P.S. Considering its uncinematic aesthetic, I think this film may actually play more effectively on the small screen. Might be an experiment worth revisiting.

[BD Review] ‘Hellbenders 3D’ Highly Ambitious, Fun Horror

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 13, 2012 @ 10:32am
Category: Movies / Reviews

Burrowers director JT Petty returns to Midnight Madness with Hellbenders, a truly entertaining horror comedy that may have been a bit too ambitious. While filled with laughs, and some incredible creature effects, ultimately it’s a bit fragmented from what feels like budgetary constraints.

The first act of Hellbenders is incredibly strong as Petty introduces the viewer to the motley crew of modern exorcists. In short, this collection of men and women are supposed to sin as much as possible in order to deliver demons back to hell. The idea is that if they get possessed, they can commit suicide and drag the demons down to Hell with them. Hence, the audience is blasted with profanity as they watch an array of disturbing acts and consistent verbal abuse. Watching a bunch of ordained priests act like jerks in absolutely hilarious, but what makes this work is that the audience knows they’re “good people” at heart. Likability is extremely important it making Hellbenders an entertaining flick. Clancy Brown reunites with Petty and delivers quite a standout performance as the drunken leader. Unfortunately, Dan Fogler – who I absolutely love – was underused, and barely even had a reason to be in the film.

Once acclimated to the group, a few of them are sent off to handle a new case, one that ends in disaster. This is the pinnacle of Hellbenders as it taps into to the vein of The Evil Dead and Ghostbusters with its sound design, humor, scares, and FX work. It’s a haunting moment that sets the bar so high that the rest of the film struggles to reach the same level.

From here on out much of the second act is muddled with exposition and a subplot where the new Pope has shut down their division. The final moments, while enjoyable, felt the choking sensation of budgetary constraints. The audience is teased that the gates of Hell are to be opened, but by the time the gang arrives, all of the chaos has already erupted; it’s a bit frustrating, as the viewer deserves to see the madness occur.

Hellbenders is highly ambitious filmmaking that works just enough to make it worth a view. There are quite a few gut busting laughs, creative scares, and even more gore for the horror junkie. Unfortunately, it just runs out of steam by the finale.

[BD Review] ‘The ABCs of Death’ A Short Film Festival With Mixed Results

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 13, 2012 @ 10:25am
Category: Movies / Reviews

Having been to dozens of film festival shorts programs I know just how excruciating they can be. This was my only reservation heading into Magnet’s The ABCs of Death, which premiered at the Midnight Madness portion of the Toronto International Film Festival. When the 2+hour “event” concluded, that’s when my brain really started to hurt. How the hell do I review this? Do I review it based on the overall experience, the ratio of good to bad shorts, or do I review each short individually? Ultimately, I feel that since it’s presented as a film experience, it should be reviewed as one.

The concept behind ABCs is brilliant: 26 directors were each given $5,000 (according to “Q is for Quack”) and had to deliver a short film about death. The result is an eclectic variety of horror that range from sex-fueled murder to rape revenge. It may sound delectable, but it’s not. It’s hard to know exactly where the problem festers, but I’d like to speculate that it was the intense creative freedom given to the directors. The overall problem is a lack of cohesion, meaning, there’s nothing to connect all of the shorts.* I wonder what kind of small guidelines may have been implemented that would have strung all 26 shorts together a little bit? I don’t blame the producers at Drafthouse (as the idea is brilliant), but nobody could have speculated what the final result of the experiment would feel like… It was tedious.

Part of the problem is that, like any other shorts program, a lot of the shorts weren’t very good. Furthermore, nobody could have guessed that most of the directors would take a dark and/or artistic path. The few comedic moments presented such a wonderful breath of fresh air in a 2-hour project jam-packed with intense depression. It’s even more frustrating that the producers were able to land such high caliber directors who mostly took the perspective of a film student – meaning, instead of really showing what they could do with $5k, they did only what they could with $5k (the bare minimum). That’s not much to work with, and the challenge is great, but the competition was fierce. Wouldn’t you want to show up the other directors? And while a few of the shorts went big, they still managed to bore; albeit, it’s HARD to tell a compelling story, without shocks, in under 5 minutes.

Even through the film’s best shorts – directed by Marcel Sarmiento, Timo Tjahjanto, Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett, Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani, Jason Eisner and Ben Wheatley – the project just felt overtly long and fragmented. The problem reviewing such a film is that, while some of the shorts warranted a perfect score, others deserved much less. How to you fairly grade the entirety of a project that’s a quarter brilliant, a quarter OK, and half incredibly weak? I’d suggest you ignore the below rating (it’s undeniably misleading) and focus on creating some sort of party atmosphere to watch ABCs of Death. The only thing that can kick-start some energy into this anthology is you, and a group of screaming and laughing friends. There’s plenty here worth seeing.

*Editor’s Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I produced V/H/S, another anthology released by Magnet. My opinions may be construed as biased.

[TIFF '12] Festival Trailer For Tropical Island Horror ‘Come Out and Play’!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 12, 2012 @ 10:17pm
Category: Movies / Trailers

Premiering tomorrow night at the Midnight Madness portion of the film festival is Makinov’s Come Out and Play, a Mexican remake of the 1970s flick Who Can Kill A Child? that I thought was pretty good (although it could have used a bit more originality).

Gearing up for the festival run, we were supplied with the first trailer for the film starring Vinessa Shaw, Ebon Moss and Daniel Gimenez Cacho.

[BD Review] ‘The Lords of Salem’ A Slow Burn Letdown With Striking Imagery

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 11, 2012 @ 10:52am
Category: Movies / Reviews

The most impressive thing about Rob Zombie is that he’s always been able to operate outside of the studio mentality on a low budget. No matter what the film, he makes what he wants to make (sans the Halloween remake). After using Halloween 2 as a way out of his Dimension deal, he’s stripped it down to the bare minimum with his 1970′s inspired The Lords of Salem (his incredibly low budget indie horror that premiered to a sold out crowd at TIFF’s Midnight Madness). Budget appeared to be little bother but, once again, Zombie pens his own screenplay. And that’s littered with problems. The Lords of Salem is definitely cool to watch, and actually pretty entertaining (at times), but let’s be honest here (Rob Zombie fans sat there with a look of shock and disappointment on their faces, displaying the most fake smile you’ve ever seen), it’s not good.

I know Zombie loves his wife and enjoys putting her on screen, but Sheri Moon Zombie cannot carry a film. Again, this shows that Zombie just does whatever he wants, which is totally cool and all, but it does hurt his product. The Lords of Salem could have just been called the Sheri Moon Zombie show. Nearly every shot is of her walking, her in bed, her playing with her dog, and her kind of-sort of naked. The problem is that it doesn’t really propel the story anywhere and makes the film progress at a snail’s pace. But the biggest issue is that, with all of the striking imagery, Rob doesn’t have Sheri react to any of it; nearly everything that happens is either a vision or off in the corner. Yes, a lot of it is extremely cool, but then some of it is shockingly bizarre (like the tiny Devil-God who looked like a cross between Station from Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey and God in “South Park”).

Some of the best stuff is the flashbacks of the Salem 6 performing rituals and getting burned at the stake. The constant expectation was that these witches would be resurrected and create chaos among the women of Salem, and that would have been dope. Instead, the audience gets slapped in the back of the head (with what feels like a log) with an overly artistic, bizarre and unfulfilling performance by the “Lords of Salem.” This must have been due to one of the following: budgetary constraints, Zombie has surround himself with “yes” men, or he just didn’t give a fuck. I suspect it’s the latter, and for Lords, he didn’t even care about his viewers (I think by now he understands that his fans will like anything he does…they are the supreme “yes” men.)

It would be easy to give Lords a pass. It has genuinely creepy imagery, cool scares, super crazy sound design, and even more mind blowing set designs. But there will be no pass, mainly because of the awkwardly unfulfilling ending and the fact that much of the “cool” doesn’t interact with the characters or plot. Rob Zombie sympathizers are going to eat this up, and will spend their night analyzing the finale as if it were some revelation of brilliance. It’s not. It’s just bad. The Lords of Salem could only be recommended as background visuals while you’re jamming to old school White Zombie.

[BD Review] ‘No One Lives’ Sets Horror Back Nearly 10 Years

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 09, 2012 @ 8:00pm
Category: Movies / Reviews

It felt like horror was set back 10 years When Courtney Solomon produced Captivity for After Dark Films. Now, WWE Studios is back in the production game with No One Lives, which feels very much out of the same ill-advised world where suits with tons of money and zero heart get behind genre films (because they think we’re an easy sell). While incredibly gory, No One Lives is soulless garbage whose problems begin and end with an appalling script.

Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura – of Midnight Meat Train and Versus fame – the plot follows a group of petty thieves that cross paths with Luke Evans as an ex-military agent (who has become a serial killer) and his prisoner (Adelaide Clemens).

Penned by David Cohen (presumably in 2005, right after Hostel hit theaters), the screenplay is jam-packed with cheesy dialogue and one-liners that couldn’t even be delivered by Tom Cruise. While most of the dialogue is laughable, the real issue comes with the character development. Everyone in No One Lives is a horrible piece of crap; as a viewer you’ll have to get behind either a group of crummy thieves (who murder people for no reason and talk to each other like dog shit), or a serial killer who kidnaps and tortures women (apparently). Everyone could die and it wouldn’t even matter to the viewer; and because everyone sucks, there’s no emotion behind any of their imminent deaths.

The good news is that there’s an insane amount of gore, and the gags are pretty great, but unfortunately there’s no fun behind it. No One Lives is generic “shock” cinema that was a result of Hostel, which is why it feels like it sets horror back 10 years.

It can’t be expressed enough just how terrible this film is. It’s camp without the laughs, a complete downer that’ll leave the audience feeling empty. There’s nothing more frustrating than watching films like this get made by people who understand nothing about the genre; they should stick to wrestling, at least that’s one form of entertainment they know how to produce.

[TIFF '12] ‘The Bay’ Infection Spreads Into New Imagery

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 04, 2012 @ 9:40am
Category: Movies / Images

Two new deathly images of Roadside Attractions release of Barry Levinson’s eco-horror The Bay have been disocvered by reader “Avery”. The pic, announced among 9 other films, will World Premiere in the September Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section next week. It is said to be a brutal and harrowing film about a deadly parasite that chronicles the descent of a small Maryland town into absolute terror. The found footage horror was originally to be released via Lionsgate.

Starring Will Rogers, Steven Kunken, Kether Donohue, Frank Deal, Christopher Denham and Kristin Connelly, “On the 4th of July in 2011, an unprecedented biological disaster is unleashed from the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. An isopod parasite, carrying untreatable, mutated diseases, jumps from fish to human host and replaces them with itself. Seven years later, the true horror and scope of the event, captured mainly on home videos by the town’s now long-dead victims, is revealed to the public for the first time…” READ MORE

[BD Review] ‘Dredd’ Jam-Packed With Blissful, Off-The-Wall Violence!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on August 30, 2012 @ 6:56pm
Category: Movies / Reviews

The idea of a new “Judge Dredd” adaptation is so tainted for me by the 1995 Sylvester Stallone version that I treated Lionsgate’s Dredd as a bastard project from day one. “There’s no way this will be good,” I convinced myself. After a rash of positive reviews out of the San Diego Comic-Con this past July, and Lionsgate’s release of the ultra-violent clip, they had my full attention.

Dredd, directed by Pete Travis, and written by 28 Days Later‘s Alex Garland, is shockingly similar to the 2011 The Raid. In the latest adaptation of the comic book, Judge Dredd (Karl Urban), Accompanied by a mutant rookie (Olivia Thirlby), respond to a call where the local drug lord, Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), has set up her operations. She resides on the top floor and, in an attempt to keep this secret, locks the two Judges in the complex. The two must work their way the building to not only survive, but to kill the drug lord and stop the mass production of the new drug, SLO-MO.

By the end of the first act I was on the edge if my seat rocked by the insane action, violence and filmmaking style. My internal dialogue screamed, “why remake RoboCop? This IS RoboCop!” Dredd taps into late 80′s/early 90′s action films such as RoboCop, while also tapping into such films as Terminator, Predator, Predator 2 and even The Crow. Those of my generation will be drooling in glee BEFORE the two Judges even enter the complex.

Once in the complex, we’re introduced to Ma-Ma in a stunning cinematic vision that shows us what it’s like to be on SLO-MO. The cinematography and slow motion filmmaking was mesmerizing, yet ironically representational of the rest of the film. While the idea of having a strong (and incredibly violent) female villain was of absolute brilliance, it wasn’t enough to elevate what becomes an hour of exposition and shootouts.

Travis makes a noble attempt to mix up the gunfire with a variety of weaponry, but, ultimately, it becomes a tad monotonous. This is where The Raid succeeds, as that film works its way from gunfire straight down to barebones fistfights – that is what keep it interesting and varied enough so that the audience doesn’t become desensitized. Dredd, through two of the most climactic moments, fails to deliver that final blow (ironically, one in the vein of RoboCop, which in my opinion is the best ending of all time). As I’ve said many times before, if you’re going to emulate something, at least try and top it…

With that said, Dredd is a cinematic experience you don’t want to miss out on. The sound mix is something to behold – having made my heart slip multiple beats – and the 3-D is nothing short of stunning (especially during the drug induced SLO-MO sequences). The icing on the cake is the blissful, off-the-wall violence that only Lionsgate has the balls to deliver (think Punisher).

Dredd is a supercharged comic adaptation that’s faithful to the source material and made specifically for the fans. There’s nothing to indicate an attempt to appeal to mass audiences, which means Dredd was made for YOU, which is a rare treat in the cinematic haze of remakes, franchise films and generic thrillers. Even with a lackluster finale, soak this magnificent work of art in and enjoy the hour and a half gift from the movie gods.

Roadside Attractions Has Found ‘The Bay’ Footage, Will Share This November

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on August 27, 2012 @ 3:29pm
Category: Movies / News

Roadside Attractions has announced a November 2 release for Barry Levinson’s eco-horror The Bay, which will World Premiere in the September Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section. The film, which was announced among 9 other films, is said to be a brutal and harrowing film about a deadly parasite that chronicles the descent of a small Maryland town into absolute terror. The found footage horror was originally to be released via Lionsgate.

[TIFF '12] Hang Out With New Imagery From ‘No One Lives’!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on August 27, 2012 @ 1:19pm
Category: Movies / Images

Having its world premiere September 8 as part of the Midnight Madness portion of the Toronto International Film Festival is WWE and Pathe’s No One Lives, the latest genre offering from Midnight Madness director Ryuhei Kitamura.

Starring Luke Evans, Lee Tergesen, Adelaide Clemens, Laura Ramsey, Lindsey Shaw, America Olivo, Beau Knapp, Derek Magyar and Brodus Clay, Bloody Disgusting was supplied with the first bathc of imagery, many which carry a heft of blood and guts!

In the film, “A ruthless criminal gang takes a young couple hostage and goes to ground in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. When the captive girl is killed, the tables are unexpectedly turned. The gang finds itself outsmarted by an urbane and seasoned killer determined to ensure that no one lives.” READ MORE

[TIFF '12] Worship Sheri Moon On Second ‘The Lords of Salem’ Poster!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on August 14, 2012 @ 10:58am
Category: Movies / News

After being announced as part of this September’s epic Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness line-up, Bloody has been provided with the second official poster for Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem, which will have its world premiere alongside 9 other fantastic sounding genre flicks. The one-sheet depicts Zombie’s wife, Sheri Moon, and the tagline: “We’ve been waiting… We’ve always been waiting.”

In the film, “Heidi, a radio station DJ, receives a wooden box containing a record. Heidi listens and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?”

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th. READ MORE

[TIFF '12] Full ‘Come Out and Play’ Gallery Sets Fest Afire

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on August 01, 2012 @ 5:45pm
Category: Movies / Images

The Toronto International Film Festival has shared a handful of images from Makinov’s Come Out and Play, his remake to the classic Who Can Kill A Child? that will World Premiere at part of the Midnight Madness section.

Vinessa Shaw, Ebon Moss and Daniel Gimenez Cacho star, “Beth and Francis vacation before the birth of their child. Francis insists on venturing to a more serene island, Beth hesitantly agrees. They set out to a beautiful island, but soon discover it’s mysteriously abandoned, and the only people on the island are children. Beth and Francis are left to uncover the mystery of the disappearances, and a day in paradise quickly turns into a struggle for survival.”

Images inside, more on 9 other titles. READ MORE

[TIFF '12] The Infection Spreads To ‘The Bay’

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on August 01, 2012 @ 5:34pm
Category: Movies / Images

Announced among 9 other films, below we have your first look at Barry Levinson’s eco-horror The Bay, which will World Premiere in the September Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section. The film is said to be a brutal and harrowing film about a deadly parasite that chronicles the descent of a small Maryland town into absolute terror. It’s found footage.

Lionsgate will distribute next year. READ MORE

[TIFF '12] Priest Gets Mummified On Colorful ‘The Lords of Salem’ Poster Premiere!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on August 01, 2012 @ 9:51am
Category: Movies / News

After being announced as part of this September’s epic Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness line-up, Bloody has been provided with the official poster for Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem, which will have its world premiere alongside 9 other fantastic sounding genre flicks. The one-sheet is bizarrely colorful for a horror film featuring a mummified priest and the tag: “We’ve been waiting… We’ve always been waiting.”

In the film, Heidi, a radio station DJ, receives a wooden box containing a record. Heidi listens and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th. READ MORE

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[TIFF '12 Exclusive] Amazing New Poster For ‘John Dies At The End’ Brings On The Flame Thrower!

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on July 31, 2012 @ 12:30pm
Category: Movies / Images

This year’s Midnight Madness selections at TIFF provide us with another look at Phantasm and Bubba Ho-Tep director Don Coscarelli‘s John Dies At The End. In addition to some high-res stills (some new, some old) – we have a brand new exclusive poster for the film. It’s the third one to be released using gear/weapons featured in the movie. First there was the “Skull Mask”, then “The Bible Belter” and now we have “The Flame Thrower!”

In John Dies at the End, it’s all about the Soy Sauce, a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. Users drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly, a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John (Rob Mayes) and David (Chase Williamson), a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs. Can these two stop the oncoming horror in time to save humanity? No. No, they can’t. Adapted from David Wong’s audacious trans-genre horror novel, John Dies at the End is written and directed by Don Coscarelli (Bubba Ho-Tep) and also stars Clancy Brown and Paul Giamatti.

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th. Head inside to check out the poster (and some pics)! READ MORE

[TIFF '12] ‘Seven Psychopaths’ Looks Like A Blast!

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on July 31, 2012 @ 12:01pm
Category: Movies / Images

I’m not entirely sure that Seven Psychopaths is a horror film, but it looks awesome. And if it winds up being as bloody (or bloodier) than In Bruges, well it still won’t be horror – but maybe your gore levels will be satiated. I mention In Bruges because helmer Martin McDonagh also tackled that film.

Written and Directed by Academy Award® winner Martin McDonagh, the comedy Seven Psychopaths follows a struggling screenwriter (Colin Farrell) who inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends (Christopher Walken and Sam Rockwell) kidnap a gangster’s (Woody Harrelson) beloved Shih Tzu. Co-starring Abbie Cornish, Tom Waits, Olga Kurylenko and Zeljko Ivanek.

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th. Head inside for the pics! READ MORE

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