More Trailers (Beowulf International and a new Resident Evil: Extinction)

Two more killer trailers popping up over at MoviesOnline.

The Beowulf International trailer is rated R (and NWS) for a second of animated nudity.

The new trailer from Resident Evil: Extinction finally provides a glimpse at the plot and makes me vote it my second can't wait movie of the fall.

“The Orchid” Orientation Film - Lost Comic Con Goodness

Magic Lamp brings us a look at the Dharma Orientation Film that was shown at Comic Con. What the heck is going on here? Looks like time travel and subliminal messages.

"God Loves you as He Loved Jacob"? One of the many reasons I love Lost - Crazy, seemingly random stuff that means everything or nothing to the overall story.

Red Band Trailer and Seriously Awesome Clip from 30 Days of Night

I just had my mind blown by the new Red Band (more gruesome) trailer and clip from 30 Days of Night that Horror's Not Dead has up on their site!

Horror's Not Dead believes that people aren't giving the movie the props it deserves so I have to tell you - I am more excited about this movie than any other this fall!

Check out the clip and let us know what you think.

No Surfing (White Out, Cloverfield, Max Brooks, and Werewolf)

I'm sure there's going to be tons of stuffed coming out of Comic Con all over the net. The two things I've seen that have me excited are the poster for the movie adaptation of Greg Rucka's excellent trade paperback, Whiteout.
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And, the poster for the J.J.Abrams produced monster movie, tentatively titled Cloverfield.

Other surfing finds are a great interview with Zombie writer, Max Brooks over at Skullring and the news that the new horror channel, ChillerTV has my old favorite USA show, Werewolf.

That show was amazing and had the coolest looking werewolves I have ever seen counting movies!

Old School Nintendo Mash-up

Hemmy.net has this cool old school Nintendo mash-up and I had to grab it. Of course, I couldn't wait till Tuesday Tube so here it is.

It is a little long, but so was Kung Fu and I always got a few laughs out of that.

Beowulf Trailer

The trailer for Robert Zemeckis' Beowulf hit the web and it makes me for get how much I didn't like Polar Express and how much I love Fire and Ice.

Rowling says she will publish Harry Potter encyclopedia

J.K. Rowling has decided not to leave us in the lurch with the small "19 Years Later" epilogue, but will publish a Harry Potter Encyclopedia using many of her notes from the series and story-lines that had to be weeded out of the original series.

She also claims that she will provide

details about the characters who survive Deathly Hallows, characters who continue to live on in Rowling’s mind in a clearly defined magical world.

Hogwarts, for example, has a new headmaster (“McGonagall was really getting on a bit”), and Rowling said she can see Harry going back to give the “odd talk” on Defense Against the Dark Arts. That class, by the way, is now led by a permanent professor, since Voldemort’s death broke the jinx that didn’t allow a teacher to remain in the position for more than a year.

Sounds good, but I am ready to see what Rowling will do next that isn't in the Potter-verse. With every young adult novel out there being touted as "The Next Potter," Rowling should go left field and give us something that no one is expecting.

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EDIT: Here is a another article where Rowling discusses Harry and company's future.

Tuesday Tube - Harry Potter and the "The Mysterious Ticking Noise" (Potter Puppet Pals)

In honor of me finishing the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yesterday, here is a fun puppet show and song.

Trick ‘r Treat Trailer

Ohhhhh, this trailer for Trick ‘r Treat looks scary!


Ignore the horrible Death Wish remake trailer after it. What is the deal with all these vigilante movies that are coming out?

Guest Blogger - Paul's 31 Action Films You Should See This Summer -- Part 2

Here is the second installment of my friend Paul's 31 Action Films You Should See This Summer! In this one he explores Asian film and forced me to add many of the movies to my Netflix.

First, I'm not including it in the list, but you should see Letters From Iwo Jima as soon as possible. Clint Eastwood continues to prove he is one of, if not the, best director in the world with this amazing and touching masterpiece about the struggle of the Japanese soldiers who fought on Iwo Jima.

Okay, moving along...today's theme is influential Asian films --

Film VII

Seven Samurai (Shichinin no samurai) - 1959

Directed by Akira Kurosawa, starring Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, Seiji Miyaguchi.

Why You Should See It - Considered by many to be the birth of the modern action movie, as well as one of the greatest films ever, Seven Samurai should be required viewing for any fan of cinema. Kurosawa uses elements such as slow motion, flawed heroes, reluctant heroes, and even anti-heroes in this film to show his audiences that true samurai were real people who, despite following their codes, were fallible and had the ability to feel sorrow. Of course, later action films would lift these themes. Later films would also lift the concept of a group of heroes banding together to protect the weak, which Kurosawa admitted to lifting from the films of John Ford. At 3 1/2 hours, it is a long movie, and the majority of action occurs in the incredible last 45 minutes, but the wait is worth it. Plus, you can enjoy the acting of two of my favorite actors, Shimura and Mifune.

Best Action Sequence -- The final battle between the samurai and villagers against a roving band of marauders.

One-liner -- "I'm Heinachi Hayashida, a fencer of the Wood Cut School."

Film VIII




















Yojimbo (1961) -- Directed by Akira Kurosawa, staring Toshiro Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai.

Why You Should See It -- If you've seen A Fistful of Dollars, you've already seen it...kinda. Sergio Leone's Western is almost an uncredited direct, shot for shot remake of Yojimbo, which didn't please Kurosawa very much. And, while Clint Eastwood made "The Man With No Name" his own, creating one of the most iconic and influential action heroes ever, the foundation of the character lies with Mifune's portrayal of Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the titular yojimbo (bodyguard). Mifune portrays the hero as the ultimate, cranky cynic. Sanjuro comes to a small Japanese village and pits two rival gangs against each other for his own personal gain. Sanjuro is a scheming, manipulative, and brilliant master of death, but you root for him, just the same. Especially when he's up against a lunatic like Nakadai's Unosuke.

Best Action Sequence -- The final duel between Sanjuro and Unosuke.

One-liner -- "I'm not dying yet. I have to kill quite a few men first."

Film IX




















Sword of Doom (Dai-bosatsu tôge) (1966) -- Directed by Kihachi Okamoto, starring Tatsuya Nakadai and Toshiro Mifune.

Why You Should See It - Because Nakadai and Mifune reunite! That, and if you've ever wanted to see a remorseless, sociopathic samurai, then this film is for you. Nakadai plays said sociopath, Ryunosuke Tsukue, and kills on a whim, leaves his wife and family, and continuously struggles to find his equal in swordsmanship. Mifune plays that equal, Toranosuke Shimada, who plays the honorable samurai who wants to help Ryunosuke see the light. Does he succeed?

Best Action Sequence -- The final scene, where Ryunosuke faces a countless horde of samurai who are trying to kill him.

One-liner -- "Study the sword to study the soul, you fool... an evil mind makes an evil sword."

PS - The background from my blog comes from this film.

Film X




















Kill! (Kiru) (1968) -- Directed by Kihachi Okamoto, starring Tatsuya Nakadai and Etsushi Takahashi

Why You Should See It -- You ever wonder what would happen if somone combined a jidaigeki (samurai period piece, and the phrase where George Lucas came up with the term Jedi) and a spaghetti western (which was heavily influenced by Kurosawa)? Well, this here is your answer. The lead characters, one an ex-samurai and one an ex-farmer, struggle with what it means to be a samurai, and the film, through several conventions of the spaghetti western, explores and parodies the popular concepts of the samurai way of life. The two characters become swept up in a struggle between seven samurai (sound familiar?) who have holed up in hiding after killing a chancellor in order to bring about a reform and those loyal to the fallen chancellor.

Best Action Sequence -- The death of the chancellor and the siege on the seven samurai's hideout.

One-liner -- "A sword isn't a sickle."

Film XI

Game of Death (1978) - Directed by Robert Clouse and Bruce Lee, starring Bruce Lee, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Dan Inosanto.

Why You Should See It -- Because you'd be witnessing one of the most bizarre films ever, a bizarre film that ends with a heaping helping of ass-kicking. Game of Death began as Bruce Lee's masterpiece, a film that Lee envisioned as a statement on his beliefs on martial arts and the superiority of Jeet Kun Do. Lee gathered several of his students (including Inosanto and Abdul-Jabbar), as well as masters of other martial arts, and filmed the series of fights that would close the movie. Then Lee stopped filming on Game of Death to shoot Enter the Dragon. Unfortunately, Lee died before he could finish Game of Death. Several years later, the studio hired Clouse to create a new storyline with stand-ins for Lee, as well as cobbling together footage from Lee's previous films, in order to finish the film. The result is a laughably bad film that is an affront to Bruce Lee's film...but if you fast forward to the end, you can see, in my opinion, the greatest martial arts duels of Bruce Lee's career. Lee faces off with his main pupil, Inosanto, in an incredible nunchuck battle, then Lee faces a master of Aikido, and, finally, Lee fights Abdul-Jabbar in a fight of pure spectacle. If you don't want to sit through the crap, check out the ..ary Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey.

Best Action Sequence -- The Bruce Lee fights at the end of the film.

One-liner -- "You lose Carl Miller!"

PS -- You'll totally see where the idea of The Bride's yellow jumpsuit came from if you see this film.

Film XII




















Once Upon A Time In China (Wong Fei Hong) (1991) -- Directed by Tsui Hark, starring Jet Li, Biao Yen, and Rosamund Kwan.

Why You Should See It -- If you thought The Matrix was the be all and end all of martial arts/wire fu films, I'm ecstatic to burst your bubble. Once Upon A Time In China is the real deal. Jet Li stars as the legendary Wong Fei Hong, martial artist and doctor, who protected the lower classes against the Chinese government and malevolent foreign prospectors. Li has the martial arts chops, of course (he was a national kung fu champion in his teens), and the choreography of Woo-ping Yuen, who would also choreograph The Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill, and Jet Li's Fearless combine to create one of the greatest kung fu epics ever.

Best Action Sequence -- The final battle. You'll never look at ladders the same way again.

One-Liner -- " No matter how good our kung-fu is, it will never defeat guns."

All Six Star Wars Movies Simultaneously

This has been online for a few years, but I came across it again on linkbunnies and thought I would pop it up here for anyone who has too much time on their hands.

Comics - Newsarama is delivering the goodies! ( Carey, Whedon, and new TokyoPop)

My daily look at Newsarama delivered some links to new previews today.

Mike Carey and Jim Fern's horrific fairy tale, Crossing Midnight.

Joss Whedon and Michael Ryan’s Runaways #25

They also had a link to Myspace's new TokyoPop site where there are digitally animated shows based on four of the publisher’s titles: I Luv Halloween, A Midnight Opera, Bizenghast, and Riding Shotgun.

I have only gotten to watch I Luv Halloween Episode one, but I'll be back for more.

D War looks Fracking Awesome!

MoviesOnline has a nice collection of posters and the trailer from Korea's newest killer monster movie.

Based on the Korean legend, unknown creatures will return and devastate the planet. Reporter Ethan Kendrick is called in to investigate the matter, and he arrives at the conclusion that a girl stricken with a mysterious illness named Sarah is suppose to help him.

The Imoogi makes its way to Los Angeles, wreaking havoc and destruction. With the entire city under arms, will Ethan and Sarah make it in time to save the people of Los Angeles?

The trailer looks so killer!


Watch more Videos from this Film

One Rat Short (Short CGI Film)

The animation of Charlex Films' One Rat Short is amazing and the story is heartbreaking.



I love the part where the rat falls through the fan and the cheeto breaks into dust. Who knew something so mundane could look so cool.

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Tuesday Tube - Legend Trailers and Scenes

Since I sold my old VHS copy of Legend at my Super Awesome Sale Friday, I have been wanting to watch the movie over and over.

Creature from the Black Lagoon remake news

Skullring.org reported over the weekend that a remake of my favorite Universal Monster movie, Creature from the Black Lagoon is in the works.

I was a little excited, but then they posted a link to a review of the script that left me and them underwhelmed. Of course, I could never hope that a remake of this movie would ever catch the excitement and strangeness of the first one, but I was at least hoping for another Mummy.

The plot sounds like one of those T&A horror movies that you can get on Starz on Demand (not that I would know about those).

Ellis gives us a preview of Crooked Little Vein

Warren Ellis has posted a pdf of his upcoming debut novel Crooked Little Vein over at his site.

The first chapter grabs you by the face and pulls you into the slime that surrounds Ellis' down and out detective, Michael McGill. I'm hooked. Check out the first chapter and pre-order your copy HERE.

Frill Yeah! They're bringing back Farscape!

According to Sci Fi Wire, they will be bringing back Farscape as a web based show.

SCI FI has ordered 10 webisodes of Farscape, to be produced by Brian Henson and Robert Halmi Jr. and produced by The Jim Henson Co., in association with RHI Entertainment.

The series will expand the Farscape universe, but the network had no announcements on casting or premiere dates.

This is awesome news! I am a die hard fan that just watched the whole series back to back a few months ago. It left me wanting more and now I can have it.

Guest Blogger - Paul's 31 Action Films You Should See This Summer -- Part 1

I have decided that after being traumatized by the suck of Transformers I will share some of what I consider great action films and why you should see them. Many you've probably seen, or at least heard of, but I think I might have a few surprises for you.

Action films often spread through several different genres of film, so don't be surprised if I list some sci-fi, horror, or animated films. I define an action film via the filmmaker's purpose to use violence and spectacle to give the audience some sort of entertaining, emotion reaction. As such, I'm not going to list any war films, primarily because the violence in these films are used for more dramatic purposes and are rarely meant for entertainment.

These are in no particular order --

Film I


Die Hard (1988) - Directed by John McTiernan, starring Bruce Willis, Allan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, and Reginald VelJohnson.

Why You Should See It -- Because it's the most influential American action film of the last 20 years. It made Bruce Willis into a badass and started the "Die Hard on a ____" series of films. What makes Die Hard stand out from all of its imitators are the characters. The audience cares for John McClane because it's obvious that he just a regular joe who happens to be a cop (and a damn good cop to boot).

John McClane suffers throughout this film, either emotionally with the separation from his wife or physically by fighting the terrorists. C'mon, who doesn't cringe when McClane has to run across the broken glass in his bare feet? But, the other characters in the film are also great. McClane's wife is smart, strong, and a fully formed female character in a genre that isn't known for them. The villains are gloriously formed and funny as hell. And who can forget Ellis?

Another aspect of Die Hard I really enjoy is McClane's struggle to adjust to the West Coast, no limits 80's lifestyle. McClane feels lost in the excesses and wishes for simpler, quieter times. It's actually a theme that one finds in several action films, where the masculine characters have trouble dealing with changing cultural values and opinions of societies -- and, apparently, the new Die Hard film explores this idea as well.

Best Splosion -- The rooftop explosion, where McClane has to bungee jump with a fire hose to escape from being burnt extra crispy.

One Liner -- "Yippie Kie Yay, motherf@$%r!"

Film II



The Wild Bunch (1969)-- Directed by Sam Peckinpah, starring William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, and Robert Ryan.

Why You Should See It -- Because it's one of the first Westerns to portray violence in realistic, gory detail. The violence in this film goes beyond the glorification normally found in most action movies and actually makes the viewers uneasy while viewing such destruction.

Plus, this is another film that deals with the theme of a group of men facing the changing times. Set during the Mexican Civil War, the group of bank robbers and desperadoes are a band of brothers who are falling apart because the Wild West ain't so Wild anymore. The brotherhood of outlaws is broken, because government officials are forcing a former member to hunt down the gang. And both groups soon find that the outlaw ways they stand for are nothing compared to the grand scale corruption and violence of the "law".

Best Splosion -- The opening and closing gun fights are legendary and bloody.

One Liner -- "If they move, kill 'em."

Film III



The Searchers (1956) -- Directed by John Ford, Starring John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, and Natalie Wood.

Why You Should See It -- For perhaps John Ford's best film (and that's saying something) and John Wayne's best acting. I've used the previous two films to talk about how the past and the future come together for the heroes. It happens here, in a slightly different way. John Wayne's character, Ethan, is a man who lives in and is haunted by the past, particularly past tragic run in with Comanche Indians. Ethan is a complex character -- a man in love with his brother's wife, a racist, and a man hellbent on revenge and on a rescue mission all at the same time. The themes of this movie make it one of the most complex Westerns, and the fact that Ford and Wayne embrace these complexities makes for an incredible film.

Best Splosion -- This isn't a splosion film, although there are some fine action pieces. However, one of the most chilling scenes is when Ethan shoots out the eyes of a dead Comanche.

One Liner -- "So we'll find 'em in the end, I promise you. We'll find 'em. Just as sure as the turnin' of the earth."

Film IV



Unforgiven (1992) -- Directed by and Starring Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, and Richard Harris.

Why You Should See It -- Because Eastwood masterfully deconstructs the mythology and legend worship of the Wild West to show that hired killers and wild gunmen aren't heroes. And neither are the law men most of the time. Eastwood also continues the gritty, realistic violence found in The Wild Bunch and the character complexities and past haunted aura found in The Searchers.

Best Splosion -- Again, not much on the splosion scale for this one, but there's plenty of violence that both entices and horrifies the audience at the same time. The best example is the final confrontation in the whore house.

One Liner -- "All right, I'm coming out. Any man I see out there, I'm gonna shoot him. Any sumbitch takes a shot at me, I'm not only gonna kill him, but I'm gonna kill his wife, all his friends, and burn his damn house down. "

Film V



The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) -- Directed by and Starring Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, and John Vernon.

Why You Should See It -- One of the first films directed by Clint Eastwood, he begins using some of the same themes that would evolve into through the years and appear in Unforgiven. Eastwood plays Josey Wales, a Confederate soldier who lives to hunt down the Union soldiers who killed his family with no provocation.

However, the Civil War has ended, and all of Josey's gang turns themselves in. Josey won't do it though, and that's why he survives the slaughter of the gang. Persued by his former commander, along with the man who ordered Josey's family and gang killed, Josey makes a run for Mexico, picking up travellers along the way. Josey, like serveral of the other heroes I've mentioned here, is trapped in the past, but must learn to adapt to survive. This theme is used again in the Cherokee Indian Chief, Lone Watie (played by Chief Dan George), who has survived government oppresion and the Trail of Tears. Like Josey, Lone Watie must forge new alliances and try to move on from the past.

Best Splosion -- Josey mows down some conniving Union soldiers with a Gatlin Gun.

One Liner -- "I didn't surrender, but they took my horse and made him surrender. They have him pulling a wagon up in Kansas I bet."

Film VI



The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly ( Il Buono, il brutto, il cattivo) (1967) -- Directed by Sergio Leone, Starring Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, and Lee Van Cleef).

Why You Should See It -- Because it actually has splosions. That and Leone makes the most epic Western ever, giving nods to past Westerns while breaking all the conventional rules that had stifled the genre for so long in Hollywood. Many people think of Leone as the man who brought heavy violence to the Western, which is true to a point, but it must be remembered that Leone also almost fetishized the buildup to the violence gunfights found in his Westerns. Leone was all about exploring and deconstructing the rituals found in the violence of the Western genre, and, as he did so, Leone resurrected and profoundly changed these films.

Best Splosion -- Well, Eastwood and Wallach's characters, Bondie and Tuco, come upon a Civil War battle with lots of splosions. But, the height of action is the three way duel between Blondie, Tuco, and Angel Eyes.

One Liner -- "You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."