Slashers from the 80s are more than a little guilty of being way too formulaic and not doing a very good job at getting the formula right. A lot of them do work, though, either because they manage to add in a little something different and exciting to the formula, or because it's just so much fun to ridicule people in 80s movies. The hair is usually enough to get a chuckle out of me. Slaughter High seems like it's kind of trying to be different here, but um... it's really not.

Marty is your typical science nerd with glasses who can't go one day in high school without somebody tormenting him. A group of the popular kids decide to play the ultimate prank on poor Marty, who ends up burned, disfigured, and crazy as a result. Years later, the popular kids return to the school, now abandoned, for a little reunion. What they don't know is that Marty is their host - and this will be a reunion they may not survive.

Right at the beginning, the filmmakers do things all wrong. The prank is played out far too long, for one thing. It does allow the audience to get to know both Marty and the rather large group of friends that torture him lets us see how horrible and cruel their crime was, but we needed to see more scenes of them in the present rather than in the past. We need to see how these people have changed since high school, if at all. That way we can at least have some kind of sympathy for these douchebags. Alas, it seems that when they all get together again, these guys are still rather unlikable and they also don't seem to give a crap about what they did to Marty. Shocking, I know.

So anyway. Carol, Frank, Joe, Stella, Nancy, Skip, Shirley, and later Susan (seriously... too many characters there) show up at the old alma mater for the reunion and soon realize that they are the only ones there. They enter the cobwebby and dirty old building and eventually find a room that's all decked out for the party - complete with all their old lockers, holding an item that they each thought they had lost years ago. Marty's locker is there too. Hmmmm, I wonder what that means. Nothing about this situation seems to bother them - like why no one else was invited to the "reunion," or why a reunion would be held in the high school if it was abandoned in the first place.

The kills aren't that bad and there are a few inventive ones. The first guy gets it when he drinks a beer with acid in it and his stomach explodes outward. Shirley, the Asian chick, gets blood on her from this and when she decides to take a bath (um, a bathtub in a school? Sure. Why not?) and the water suddenly turns to acid too which proceeds to melt her body. She actually tries to turn off the water while still in the tub instead of like, trying to get out, which would have been my first thought. There's also death by lawnmower blades, drowning in a pit of what I can only guess to be poo, and an electrocution while Stella and Frank are enjoying some coitus on a bed in another room (um, a bed in a school? Sure. Why not?). Basically, they all die and you don't care because you don't like any of them and they do all kinds of stupid stuff, so really, they deserve it.

The one cool bit in Slaughter High was the choice of joker/jester mask and hat for Marty the killer. It's actually really freaky looking, and reminds me a bit of a clown, which we all know is the scariest thing on earth. But that's about all that Slaughter High has going for it. The characters are too unlikable and annoying - even Marty, whom we're supposed to have a bit of sympathy for, is just a frustrated dork who goes completely insane. The performances are even worse, with some of the most uninspiring dialogue and delivery I've heard in a long time. The camera work is sloppy and there were several scenes that were almost completely pitch black. Most reviews seem to hope that the prank sequence in the shower was pitch black too. Why do men always have a freak out when they see another man's weenie in a movie? I mean, every time I see boobs, do I go, "Oh gross, another chick's tits! Ew, get it off the screen!" No. You know why? Because I'm more mature than that. And because the human body is beautiful.

Believe it or not, this was a British movie trying to pass itself off as American. And in some places it doesn't translate well at all. All the events of the film take place on the eve of April Fool's Day, and the murders don't start until midnight on the morning on the holiday. Two characters have a conversation about how they only have to survive until noon on April Fool's Day because the jokes stop at noon. Huh? Since when? In America, we'll prank your ass all day, we don't stop at noon. But that seems to be the rule in several countries throughout the world, including the UK.

Anyway, lame movie. I'll check it off my list of culty 80s slasher movies, but it's not my favorite. It could have better if they tried harder - or if some of these guys took an acting class or two - because the story has real potential, although the whole prank-gone-wrong revenge story has been done a couple times before. Nice try. Do better next time.

Movie Review: Slaughter High (1986). There are any Movie Review: Slaughter High (1986) in here.

Oh my freaking goodness, I think I just had a goshdarn heart attack.

And if you ever get a chance to see this amazing horror short called Familiar, then I'm pretty sure that you will too. This was literally some of the best twenty minutes of filmmaking that I have seen in a while and I only wish that I had filmed myself watching it. I've always believed that the best horror films are the ones that make you have those unconscious physical reactions to what you are seeing, and hoo doggy, I reacted so hard to this thing that my heart is still palpitating a bit.

At the beginning of this short, the main character reminds me of a much darker version of Kevin Spacey's character from American Beauty. John Dodd's inner monologue is full of loathing for his monotonous and boring life, with a wife he doesn't love anymore and a daughter he can't wait to get rid of so he can have more freedom. But it's only after one life-altering conversation with his wife that John's inner voice suddenly changes to a voice that is not his, but somebody(thing?) else in his head talking to him. And then the fun starts.

Robert Nolan's portrayal of John is spectacular. He is subdued and almost non-expressive most of the time, but you can tell that there is a lot more going on behind the mask. The best performance of the piece, however, is the voiceover. The writing for this is excellent as well and at first sounds very normal and at times quite funny ("Oh, you're always on time? So are my bowel movements"). As the story progresses, the voice becomes more forceful and commanding, telling John how he should really feel about his wife's pregnancy and talking him into doing some pretty horrific things - like slipping pills into his wife's food to give her an abortion. After awhile the voice starts to sound almost inhuman with its level of craziness, and while John is able to resist it sometimes, it still holds a strong influence over him because deep down he apparently agrees with what it is telling him.

Now what I wasn't expecting here was some severe body horror images that freaked me the fuck out. John discovers one morning these weird bulges that almost look like little egg sacs growing out of his side. Anybody with a fear of death or disease (like me) will most definitely find this part disgusting and horrifying - the fact that something unknown is inside your body and is making freakish physical changes to it that you can't control. In Familiar, this situation only escalates further into John having to perform some hideous self-mutilation - another topic that people with a low tolerance for pain will find almost hard to stand.

The bulges on John's side disappear (all while the voice is telling him to leave it alone) and move down to his upper leg so naturally, John decides it will be a good idea to try to cut whatever is in there out. Using a box cutter, which also freaks me out because that is a tool that I use every day at work, John starts cutting into his leg and... well, I won't completely spoil it here, but let's just say that I almost wanted to cover my eyes and not see what was in there. Can you believe that?! This little horror short turned me into a total horror pussy. It was fantastic.

The special effects are Hollywood-level and quite impressive. Beautiful blood and makeup on John's bulges. The direction and editing are brilliant, and the performances were spot on. I'd also like to make a note about how much I liked the casting of Astrida Auza as John's wife because, and I don't want to sound mean here or anything, she is not particularly hot but rather normal looking, like the people I see every day. She was obviously chosen for her talent, and does a fantastic job.

Director Richard Powell really turned out something awesome here. Apparently this short was actually a sequel to another short film he made called Worm, which is not as graphic but stars John Dodd's brother, Geoffrey, as a man who also has a voice in his head. Would really love to get a look at that one too if it's possible. This is a filmmaker with some real talent who will no doubt bring us more horrific stories to enjoy in the future.

Horror Short Review: Familiar (2011). There are any Horror Short Review: Familiar (2011) in here.

Project Terrible: Evil Weed (2009). There are any Project Terrible: Evil Weed (2009) in here.

It's that terrible time of the month yet again! No, not that time of the month... well... oh, you know what I mean! We're doing the Project Terrible thing again. I believe this pick comes to me from the man at Gaming Creatively, and I thank him for this pick actually. Life can get much worse than this. I still need to watch Evil Weed - I think you'll see what I mean.

Project Terrible: Black Heaven (2010). There are any Project Terrible: Black Heaven (2010) in here.

This weekend Toy Fair 2012 was held in New Year, revealing the toys that will be coming out over the next year. That includes the Lord of the Rings sets that Lego is prepping. The plan is two waves over the next year with first wave sometime in Fall 2012 and another wave in February 2013. Right now the revealed sets focus on the LOTR movies but there are plans for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey inspired sets. A video of the sets on display at Toy Fair are here. Images are here, here and here.

Wave 1 Set Details: Read more »

Lego Lord of the Rings at Toy Fair 2012. There are any Lego Lord of the Rings at Toy Fair 2012 in here.

The Baby (1973)
So while most everyone else in the world was watching the Super Bowl this past Sunday, I decided to watch this movie. It's an odd little cult classic about a social worker who becomes increasingly interested in a family with 21-year-old son, known only as "Baby," who acts, speaks, and is treated by his family like an infant. Surprisingly, the movie really isn't that bad. I was expecting something much more along the lines of sleazy exploitation film. While the overall concept of the film coupled with its horde of unlikable female family members is enough to give you the willies, the movie actually boasts some pretty good acting from the main women. The ending was supposed to some big shocker, but I actually found it rather sweet - morbid and creepy, yes, but sweet. It's not a movie you're gonna forget any time soon, that's a guarantee.

Oh, the After Dark Horrorfest. Sometimes I'm just not sure about you. I mean, are these supposed to scary movies, or even good movies, or what?! Wicked Little Things was not overly terrible but it sure as hell wasn't anything special either. It's a cliche ghost story about a mother and her two daughters who move into a new house in the Pennsylvania woods and find out that there are about dozen murderous kids roaming the forest - children who died in a mine accident 100 years ago. Blah. The movie is kind of boring with nothing really new or interesting to see. I will give it props for having the kids be so brutal. They use their pickaxes and shovels and hammers to beat the shit out of people and then they eat their insides like zombies. Some nice gore work here, especially in the scene where the kids attack the teenagers in their car. Otherwise, a forgettable movie.

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
Paranormal Activity 3 brings our happy little story of ghosts and demons back to the beginning of when the supernatural occurrences started for Katie and Kristi. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first two Paranormal Activity films, and though the formula is starting to wear a little thin after this third film, I thought it was okay. The girls playing the younger Katie and Kristi are adorable and really wonderful little actresses. There are several great and unexpected scares - the sheet, Katie bumping into Toby, all the kitchen stuff falling from the ceiling - that were effectively executed with the filmmaking style. The camera on the oscillating fan was a genius way to introduce these scares. One thing I also like about these movies is that no one has to come out explain what is going on with the story. They give you all the pieces to the puzzle in subtle ways, but the story is clear. So like I said, this movie was pretty good but I think any more might be overexposure. And yet, number 4 is on the way. We'll see.

Many of the previews made this infection outbreak movie look like it was going to be all shiny and exciting, but instead Contagion is a slow burn, realistic drama with some of America's current favorite actors. Director Steven Soderbergh uses his same multilinear storytelling technique (which I just figured out is called a "hyperlink narrative" but whatever) to tell the story of different people involved in the outbreak of a new disease - a man whose wife died of it but he is immune, an investigator for the CDC, and a blogger trying to expose possible government conspiracies concerning the epidemic. The movie is not really about how gross they can make the disease look on the poor victims, which I'm sad to say, I was kind of hoping to see. But I liked the approach taken here, even though I'm sick of the post-apocalyptic, mass hysteria and panic, and loss of law and order thing. However, the acting is wonderful by all involved, with each character making their story the most interesting one in each scene. It flows easily despite the hectic editing and multiple characters, and I thought it was beautifully shot. Two thumbs up!

Weekly Movie Roundup: 2-5-12 to 2-11-12. There are any Weekly Movie Roundup: 2-5-12 to 2-11-12 in here.

My memory of Poltergeist 3 was slightly better than that of part 2. The story was completely lost to me but I had vague recollections of scary mirror people, Carol Anne's pajamas, and Tom Skerritt. That right there should be reason enough to hate this movie, but did the world's biggest Poltergeist fan (me) actually hate this second sequel? Read on to find out...

Carol Anne Freeling has been sent to Chicago to live with her aunt Pat, Pat's husband Bruce, and his daughter Donna. Carol Anne attends a school for gifted children with emotional problems, cared after by a doctor who is convinced that she made up all the stuff about ghosts to explain away the events of the first two films. Meanwhile, the malevolent Henry Kane has once again found a way to get to Carol Anne through the mirrors of her apartment building.

Poltergeist 3 is generally believed to be... well, a huge turd. Its current rating on Rotten Tomatoes is only a meager 14%. Despite all that, I really like this movie! I know! I like it a lot more than Poltergeist 2, and I'm actually very surprised at the across-the-board hate for it. Poltergeist 3 is seriously a pretty good movie, and I'm not just trying to be nice here. There's actually not a lot about the movie that I don't like, which is new territory for me. Again, it's no Poltergeist but it's got some things of its own going for it that at least make the movie visually entertaining.

The only original people back this time are Carol Anne and the ever-dwindling character of Tangina. I like the dynamics amongst Carol Anne and her new family. Nancy Allen plays her Aunt Pat (her mother's sister) who got married only a year prior to Bruce Gardener (Tom Skerritt) and became the stepmother to his teenage daughter Donna (Lara Flynn Boyle). Pat is Carol Anne's real blood relative of this family and yet she is the one who is the most resentful of her and what they have to put with her "crazy ghost stories." Bruce is surprisingly the one who has bonded the most with her and it is his love and trust of her that helps save his family in the end.

So after the introduction of this movie's family unit and the ginormous high-rise building they all live in, we're introduced to Carol Anne's psychologist at school, Dr. Seaton. Frankly, this guy is a complete quack and an idiot and whatever school gave him his doctor degree should be ashamed. He has this convoluted idea that Carol Anne has the power of mass hypnosis and is able to make people see whatever she imagines. In one scene where he sees, through a mirror, a hand coming out of his desk and throw a coffee cup at the mirror and breaking it, he is so delusional about his theory that he tries to tell the people behind the mirror that Carol Anne made him see it and made the other woman break the mirror. Whuh? The dude playing the doctor is also the worst actor of the whole bunch. Every line he utters is unbelievably cheesy and fake sounding, it's a wonder his whole performance didn't end up on the cutting room floor.

One thing I like about Poltergeist 3 is that is quite fast-paced, as it all takes place over the course of one day and night. The elaborate effects are a big help in this department, and most of them are very convincing and well done. I loved all the bits with the stuff happening in the mirrors, which keeps you one your toes because you're always watching the reflections, waiting to see what they're going to do next. The one bit that I remembered the most clearly before I rewatched the film is when Donna and her beau Scott meet up in the hallway. They laugh, then they kiss, then Scott rips off Donna's cheek before they walk down the mirrored hallway, only appearing in the mirror. I still kinda like that.

The other effects are quite inventive and thankfully there is nothing as stupid as the braces attack in Poltergeist 2. I liked all the mirror and ice imagery - there's an okay scene where Bruce and Pat encounter frozen chickens and pigs and then possessed frozen cars in the parking garage - which kept the effects consistent and nothing seems too far out of left field, even for a Poltergeist movie. The gross-out scene comes when Donna's evil mirror-self claws her way out of dead Tangina's body, a scene that is kind of the opposite of my favorite scene from Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night 2 when dead Mary Lou punches her way out of alive Vicky's body. Anyway. Suffice to say that I like all the effects in Poltergeist 3 because they are inventive and crazy like a Poltergeist movie should be and they are well executed.

The weird thing about the whole movie, though, is that the villain is Kane again, trying to find Carol Anne so she can lead him into the light, but he's not really in the movie that much. You hear his voice calling for Carol Anne and he appears a lot in the mirrors but that's about it. His only real scene is at the end, when Donna confronts him to get her family back and Tangina leads him into the light instead. He's not as creepy as he was in the second film and he obviously wasn't that important either. Oh, and speaking of the ending, why did everybody suddenly forget about poor Scott? Bruce, Donna, and Carol Anne come back from The Other Side but they leave Scott, who is now going to have to live in the same limbo that pissed Kane off for so many years? Nice. Real nice, people.

So I'm going to have to be the dissenting opinion here and say that Poltergeist 3 is actually not a huge turd in my book. O'Rourke, Skerritt, Allen, and Boyle all give convincing performances in a movie where the high-dollar effects would usually overshadow everyone. These effects keep the plot moving and give us some cool things to look at along the way. Thumbs up, I say.

Red footie pajamas for the win!

Movie Review: Poltergeist 3 (1988). There are any Movie Review: Poltergeist 3 (1988) in here.

Poltergeist is my bestest horror movie bud. All-time favorite, you know. The memories of the sequels to this awesome haunted house movie were buried somewhere in my mind, mostly lost and forgotten. I finally relented and rewatched both Poltergeist 2 and 3, though I was sure that it would only muddle the beautiful feelings I have for the original. But... the second one wasn't so bad. Wasn't so great, either, but it has it's moments.

The Freeling family is back (well, minus one due to horrific real-life circumstances) and now living with Diane's mother because their house sort of disappeared into thin air. They are once again thrust into the realm of the supernatural when an reverend named Henry Kane starts following Carol Anne around. The psychic Tangina sends the family a Native American shaman, Taylor, to help them fight the assault from the relentless Kane.

Do I like Poltergeist 2? Eh, it's a toss-up. I like that it has the original cast members, and that it still has that touch of humor that made the first one so charming, and that it introduced one uber-creepy villain, but it's just not the same. The light shows and strange happenings seem like they were trying too hard to make this sequel more exciting visually instead of focusing on creating a compelling story that makes sense. The movie is entertaining enough, and it hurts to constantly feel like I have to compare it to the first Poltergeist, but seriously. Do you really expect me not to considering the fact that Poltergeist is like, my favorite horror movie EVER?

The best thing about Poltergeist 2 is the acting. JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, and even little Heather O'Rourke are just as likable and lovable as they were before. Zelda Rubenstein's Tangina is hardly around at all, which is a disappointment (and she was nominated for a Razzie for this role - ouch). Heather gets a chance to show some real acting chops here and she's practically perfect. Nelson is funny as always, especially in his hilariously charming moments with the wonderful Will Sampson, who plays Taylor. And Nelson is great in the scene where he's possessed by the tequila worm - delightfully uncomfortable.

The important thing that's missing from the whole movie, though, is the connection of the family. They are still a great and loving family, but there doesn't seem to be any real emotion there. Their desperation and breakdown about getting Carol Anne back was beautiful in the first movie, as well as their reluctant acceptance of the supernatural. Now their attitude is just "oh not this shit again" and it doesn't seem as serious.

But of course the big star of the movie is Henry Kane, played by Julian Beck. His skeletal frame, wispy white hair, and straight, yellow teeth combine to give Kane an insanely scary look - one that any child, or adult for that matter, would run away from on the street (even though Carol Anne didn't, but I think Kane used his demony hypnotic powers on her with the song and all). His voice and speech patterns are also unsettling, with that undefinable accent. His whole character is somewhat cliche in how exaggerated he is, but the actor is good enough to pull it off here.

I understand the need for strange supernatural experiences in a movie like this, but did they really have to include a scene where poor Robbie is attacked by his freaking BRACES? I didn't like that scene at all. Stephen vomiting up the worm monster was a little better. The effects are really awesome in that scene and I was no doubt very grossed out by the imagery. The thing morphing into an armless, skinless ball of jelly? Ewww. Then it slithers out of the room, grows all these tentacles and attacks Stephen. But sadly the big "fight" scene with this monster was boring and over too quickly.

Likewise the climax was also rather hurried and boring, despite the big light show when the whole freaking family went to "the other side." That was hokey as hell... but really, what did I expect them to make the other side look like? Like most of the rest of the movie, this ending seems to be there just to show off the visual effects. It's nice but less meaningful than the first film.

So yeah, I'm on the fence about Poltergeist 2. It's alright I guess, but it's no Poltergeist. The comparison between the two is almost not there and it's obvious which one is better. The sequel has some good elements and the acting is pretty good, but the story is what is most lacking and the connection between the characters.

Movie Review: Poltergeist 2: The Other Side (1986). There are any Movie Review: Poltergeist 2: The Other Side (1986) in here.

As you are aware, The Hobbit is really two films - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (out 12/14/2012) and the other is The Hobbit: There and Back Again (out 12/13/2013). A question that remains unknown is exactly will the break occur as the books themselves are not written with a break. Any theories are also is complicated by the fact that book was not split into separate books like the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Over at Movies.com, a TOR editor provides his own theories on where the break will occur. To me any consideration will have to factor in two things. One is it has to happen after a climactic or emotional moment and two is it has to easily lead to a climatic opening. My thinking is along the lines of the end of the Fellowship with the battle with the Orcs and the Fellowship fracturing but Two Towers opening with that awesome fight between Gandalf and Balrog. Below is summary of their very plausible theories with my opinion in italics.

1) Bilbo finding the One Ring
In the novel, Bilbo finding the ring after Gollum lost it seems like a good ending point. With the additional material being added to show Gandalf's battle against the Necromancer, it seems a natural ending point while allow more time to get to know the 13 Dwarves.
Read more »

Theories on Film Split Point for The Hobbit. There are any Theories on Film Split Point for The Hobbit in here.

New Line Cinema and Peter Jackson released a press release announcing that Sir Billy Connolly has joined the cast of The Hobbit. He will play Dain II Ironfoot, cousin of Thorin Oakenshield. The characters leads the Dwarf army that is part of the Battle of Five Armies that is likely the climatic final battle of the two films. The character later becomes King under the Mountain (King of Erebor) and helps defend northern Middle-Earth from Sauron. The final part of filming that goes from now to July is rumored to be heavily focused on filming the Five Armies battle. As a result I doubt Connolly will have much, if any, role in the first film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The press release is below. Read more »

Billy Connolly Joins The Hobbit Cast. There are any Billy Connolly Joins The Hobbit Cast in here.

I don't know why I don't watch more shorts, considering the fact that my attention span is somewhat short itself. I keep getting emails with links to them and often forget about them (I heartily apologize to anybody to has sent me stuff and not gotten a response from me... I'm a bad person... or just lazy). So I finally decided to  watch one of them. Yay for me!

In "The Code," a young couple is enjoying an evening date in the park when they are suddenly set upon by a group of zombies... then a masked killer with a weed-eater... then a vampire... then Bigfoot. Seems there has been some confusion among the various monsters about whose night it is to kill people.

If you've got about six minutes to spare, then you should give "The Code" a look. For a short, it was quite funny and entertaining with some great actors playing the head zombie ("Shaun" haha) and the vampire. All the talk about how they had switched nights for the killings and the Google Calendar stuff is hilarious. The makeup and effects are pretty good, although there really isn't anything that involved going on. I only wish Vanna Helsing would have put a little more "oomph" into her killing scenes! She looked a little sleepy and unenthusiastic. Anyway, jump on over to the link below on funnyordie.com and watch "The Code"!

Horror Short Review: The Code (2011). There are any Horror Short Review: The Code (2011) in here.

Boot Camp (2008)
I'm not sure what made me put this movie in my queue to begin with, but it was actually not all that bad. Mila Kunis plays an out-of-control teen who is sent away to one of those rehabilitation boot camps on one of the islands of Fiji. It was first billed on Netflix as a horror film, but in reality is more of a psychological drama, not only about these kids' problems but also about the effectiveness of this "tough love" program that has been set up by a doctor with a shady past. The severity of what happens to the kids is probably overly dramatized, but places like this have and do exist so it does feel very real. Plus, the island setting is very interesting and the movie is actually quite well shot, acted, and edited. Much, much better than I expected.

It's been a couple of days since I watched The Violent Kind and I still don't know what it is exactly that I saw. On the surface, this movie was at times a really good, gory horror film. The blood is beautiful, both the guys and the girls are hot (especially the Megan Fox-wannabe), and the first half of the story is somewhat interesting. But when we get to the climax, everything just all of the sudden stops making sense. What starts out at something about demonic possession or Satan worshippers mixed with zombie-type dead people suddenly turns into something that could be about aliens and/or alien abduction. Whuhhhh? And they don't explain any of it AT ALL. Gah! So annoying. Aside from that, I was still mildly impressed with this movie. The actors are very good, especially the infamous "rockabillies" and they play their parts well, which is more than we usually get with these types of movies. I just wish I knew what the hell was going on! I love the title, too.

Final Destination (2000)
After watching the disappointment that was Final Destination 5, I wanted to get reacquainted with the one that started it all because I hadn't seen it in a while. I still believe that Final Destination 2 is the best of the series (I freaking love that pile-up sequence, I'm tellin' you!) but this one is just as good. One thing I never really liked about it though was Kerr Smith's character Carter. He's so annoyingly angry at Alex (Devon Sawa) throughout the whole movie, and his unmotivated outbursts get irritating after a while. However, FD was a great jumping off point for a series of movies that was so much different than any horror film at the time. It's such a great concept. There's a freak-inducing plane crash, excellent death scenes, and Tony Todd. It's almost a perfect movie.

Weekly Movie Roundup: 1-29-12 to 2-4-12. There are any Weekly Movie Roundup: 1-29-12 to 2-4-12 in here.

To the left is a sneak pic of the upcoming Lord of the Rings Lego line based on the movies (not the books) that are scheduled to come out this Fall. The image shows some of the described sets including Gandalf Arrrives, Shelob Attacks, Uruk-Hai Army, Mines of Moria and Battle of Helm's Deep. To be honest, I am not particularily impressed. I am just interested in the mini-figs but sadly that chance to buy them seperately is unlikely to happen.

Image of Lego Lord of the Rings Sets. There are any Image of Lego Lord of the Rings Sets in here.

Before watching Trollhunter, I didn't know that it was one of those found footage movies that seem to be cropping up everywhere. So when I started the movie and realized this, I admit I was a little annoyed. I was watching this movie in close proximity to two other found footage movies and was a bit sick of the device for the moment. But I gave Trollhunter a shot, and holy crap, it practically blew me away.

Movie Review: Trollhunter (2010). There are any Movie Review: Trollhunter (2010) in here.

Sylvester McCoy, who plays Radagast the Brown, briefly spoke about the Hobbit in an interview with The Minister of Chance. He said he couldn't really talk much about it but did say that he was still had scenes to film. Since this last five months will in part focus on the Battle of Five Armies, makes you wonder if he plays a role in the battle. He spoke fondly about working on The Hobbit saying Peter Jackson is a "joy to work with". He also mentioned it was great working with Andy Serkis (Gollum) in his job as second unit director on the film. The 43 minute long interview is a Q&A with the legendary Doctor Who actor as he looks back on his long career. If interested in just the Hobbit portion click here (ends at 37:33) or to watch the entire interview click here. (via TOR)

Sylvestor McCoy Talks The Hobbit. There are any Sylvestor McCoy Talks The Hobbit in here.

And I'll be damned if Pollyana McIntosh (what a name, eh?) doesn't deliver with every fiber of her being in her portrayal of The Woman. She gave a standout performance in the same role in Offspring, especially in one of those last moments where she starts eating a guy's brains out of his head, so it's great that the filmmakers had the foresight to keep her character around and center another story around The Woman. One thing I wish Lucky and crew would have done was to include subtitles for The Woman's strange made-up language. I mean, mostly you get the gist of what she's saying from her expression and gestures but especially in the part where she asks Peg for help from her father, calling her "Mother" because she is somehow able to sense that Peg is pregnant, I think it would have helped to have the subtitles to show early on the connection formed between Peg and The Woman.

There is a smidge of Ketchum's famous gore throughout the movie but you have to make it to the ending for the really good stuff. Chris has finally gone too far when he kills Peg's teacher by feeding her to the dogs, and Peg finally sets The Woman free from the cellar to have her fun. Oh, it's glorious. Face-biting, body-throwing, body-hacking, heart-ripping, and heart-eating - all the bad guys in the movie finally get their comeuppance and it is bloody fantastic, if you'll pardon the pun. The gore effects are really well done here and as in Offspring, the filmmakers leave nothing to the imagination and show the audience these kills with all the blood and intestines and organs in their arsenal.

I think The Woman is looked at as a "love it or hate it" movie (or an "understand it or don't understand it" movie) and it may not be for everyone (especially this guy) but I'm one of the ones that loved it. It is probably the best adaptation of Ketchum's work so far, and though the handling of the material at some parts is not to my liking, the performances, editing, and effects more than make up for it.

P.S. Jack Ketchum rules!

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