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Showing posts from January, 2011

Henry Cavill is Superman. Henry who!?!

The Internet has been surprisingly quiet today about the news that British actor Henry Cavill, 27, has been cast in Zack Snyder's take on Superman. But get this, Cavill was actually in the running for the role of Clark Kent/Superman in 2005's Superman Returns before Brandon Routh got the part. And where is Routh now? Nowhere. That's where. Meanwhile, Cavill went on to appear in The Tudors and the movie Hellraiser: Hellworld. Take that, Routh . In a statement, Snyder, who directed Watchmen, 300 and the upcoming Sucker Punch, said “In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time, and I am honoured to be a part of his return to the big screen.” He added that Cavill is “the perfect choice to don the cape and S shield.” Who am I to argue? I have nothing invested in Superman as a character. Shawn's the huge Superman nut, so it will be interesting to hear what he thinks. I'm more curious about who they cast as Lois

Jason and Shawn review: The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest and Frozen

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest Jason: Wow this is a lot of movie! This is a fitting finale to a fine trilogy that ups the ante in terms of suspense and even action. There's some great edge-of-your-seat moments and nice character touches. Best of all events from the last two movies really pay off here. Everyone gets what's coming to them and there's even a surprise or two. Fans of the series will love it. Those who are new to the material will be completely lost. I'm giving it a Good, and will be buying the trilogy now that it's complete. Shawn: This being the third installment it was by far the best one. I still found all the characters shallow, weak, and didn’t have ANY attachment to them whatsoever. Except for the supervillian. They could have played that up a lot more. It ties every other boring entry up nicely without much confusion. It is a well made series, but still sucked in my opinion. I am, however, willing to give this one a high

Next on the chopping block: The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest and Frozen

Shawn will break out the whiskey and shot glasses tonight as he celebrates the final review Film Reviews From the Basement will do in the Millennium Trilogy as the executioner's axe falls on The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest. The first two films, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire, are his most hated of all time, which doesn't bode well for Hornets' Nest. He gave each an Ugly. What will he give the last film in the series? Stick with us! Note: Jason will review the movie too. He gave the previous two a Good. Then the Basement Dwellers set their collective sites on Adam Green's Frozen. Jason and Shawn dug the writer/director's slasher film Hatchet, but this movie's about three people trapped on a ski lift. Is Frozen the next Buried? Tune in tonight and find out. And stay tuned in for a lengthy discussion on remakes, complete with audio clips of course, the latest movie news and music by Subplot A, The Sleeveless Teas

International teaser for Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 is here

Just a quick update on this Thursday eve as the international teaser for Robert Hall's Laid to Rest follow up Chromeskull arrives on the net. We've talked about the slasher sequel here and are excited to get a peek at the gory goings on in this trailer. Laid to Rest had some of the best kills ever staged in a horror film and, judging from the images presented below, Hall intends to up his game. The film stars Thomas Dekker, Brian Austin Green, Christopher Nelson, and Danielle Harris. No word yet on when this bad boy hits theatres.

Christian Bale close to being King's Gunslinger

It was first reported that Javier Bardem and Viggo Mortensen were director Ron Howard's top choices for the role of Roland in the big-screen adaptation of Stephen King's Dark Tower series. But word broke across the web today that Batman himself, Christian Bale, has become the front runner. The guys over at JoBlo report it was Bale's Golden Globe win for The Fighter that pushed him to the top. The announcement is a shock given I don't remember Bale even being in the running. Of the three, he's my top choice. Bale's a great actor and can play moody really well. He also looks kinda like Clint Eastwood, who King obviously modeled Roland on. The Dark Tower hits theatres in May 2013.

And the Oscar goes to . . .

No one yet. But the nominations for the 83rd Academy Awards were announced in Hollywood earlier today and it's a list made up of movies you won't find us talking about here in The Basement, save for in passing. Not to say that they aren't any good, but award material isn't exactly our schtick with the exception of last year's Best Picture winner The Hurt Locker. The film owes its success to us as we reviewed it before most moviegoers had heard of it. Now that we're done being humble, we'll move on to the list of nominees. The King's Speech and The Social Network lead with 12 nominations each. I've seen neither. My favourite movie of last year, True Grit, is next with 10. Those who care to tune in should mark Feb. 27 on their calendar. The above picture is of show hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway. BEST PICTURE 127 HOURS BLACK SWAN THE FIGHTER INCEPTION THE KING'S SPEECH THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT THE SOCIAL NETWORK TOY STORY 3 TR

Saw creators get Insidious

The only Saw movie worth watching, in my opinion, is the first one. And I've dug what writer Leigh Whannell and director James Wan have done since. So I'm actually looking forward to their latest collaboration Insidious. As with Saw, this was made on the cheap -- about $1 million -- and independent of any studio. The fact it's produced by Paranormal Activity director Oren Peli also bodes well. The plot: when proud parents take possession of an old house to build a nest for their family, an accident results in one of their sons falling into a coma. The tragedy doesn’t stop there when they are beset by vengeful spirits from another realm. Insidious stars Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne and is due to hit theatres April 1. Here's the preview.

Jason and Shawn review: Buried and Catfish

Buried Jason: I love movies that leave me feeling like I've been punched in the gut and this movie did that to me. The final 10 minutes are unbearably suspenseful and the ending, although some may see it coming, still packs a wallop. This is the kind of movie Alfred Hitchcock would have made if he were still with us. It's cinematic, emotional and even shocking despite its cramped quarters and features a great performance by Ryan Reynolds. This is a one-man show and he owns it. A Good review from me. Shawn: You know, a man in a box for the whole movie? I wondered if this was something that I would even be able to endure. And I've never really been a fan of Ryan Reynolds, as I believe he should stick with humorous roles as that is what he personifies. Is this a thriller? No, not really. Unless you are highly claustrophobic and also have a fear of snakes. But I was surprised at how well this movie worked and kept me interested. At the end, I was surprised again.

Next on the chopping block: Buried and Catfish

Where to begin in our descriptions of tonight's films? One is a documentary for our times that has been accused of not being a documentary at all. The other is a one-man show about a man buried in a coffin beneath the sands of Iraq. To say much more would be giving too much away. Buried stars future Green Lantern Ryan Reynolds, an actor better known for his comedic timing than his dramatic chops. But he's all there really is to Buried and the film hinges on his ability to carry a dramatic role. Does he pull it off:? Stick with us! Then there's Catfish, a high-tech "thriller" of a documentary about online relationships and dating in the Facebook age. Some believe what happens in Catfish is too good to be true. Being a journalist, I make my bread and butter off of such stories and have come to believe that truth really is stranger than fiction.  In the end, all we in The Basement really care about is does the film work? Tune in tonight and find out. And don

There is no God. Lethal Weapon remake in the works.

That's it. Stop the world. We want off! But first, let's lob giant grenades of apocalyptic death on the creative void that is Hollywood as the remake train keeps rolling in favour of taking the time to come up with new and interesting ideas to turn into money making products. Arguably the best of the buddy-cop genre, 1987's Lethal Weapon starred Mad Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in a fun, violent and trashy tale of cops versus drug dealers. It featured great performances by the leads and had a wit and style that set the stage for a whole generation of action films. There's no way to improve upon the film, so why bother remaking it other than it's 25 years old and ripe for a cash in? Guess I just answered my own question. I'm getting to old for this shit. Also up for a remake are such greats as The Wild Bunch, The Dirty Dozen and Westworld, which could benefit from some new special effects. Why not ask George Lucas to CGI the shit out of the original instea

Micro Review: Machete

I'm late to the punch here on this one as Shawn and Anthony Michael Bosa have already watched this bad boy. But better late than never right!?! Machete is bad ass. It's a throwback to the 1970's blacksploitation era, only with a Mexican. Think of this as a more serious take on Black Dynamite. There's truckloads of action and gore and some great bit roles for the awesome likes of Don Johnson, Robert De Niro, Jeff Fahey, and Steven Seagal. Michelle Rodriguez and Jessica Alba supply the hotness. Too bad the whole silly project collapses under its own weight in the final reel. I'm glad I saw it and I did enjoy it, but I will likely not watch it again. That rates Machete a Bad for me.

Nolan picks his Catwoman

News broke across the Interweb today that writer/director Christopher Nolan has picked his Catwoman for The Dark Knight Rises, and she is Anne Hathaway. The Oscar-nominated actress is the first to play the role since Michelle Pfeiffer made latex and a bullwhip so hot in Batman Returns. Knowing Nolan, he'll give the character a gritty, down-to-earth vibe fitting the rest of his Bat Universe. A press release from Warner Bros. also states that Tom Hardy, who was announced as a cast member late last year, will play Bane, the chemically created brute who first appeared in the comics in 1993. It will be interesting to see how these two characters are used in the movie. But I have complete faith in what Nolan will do given how well he's not only handled his first two Batman films, but pretty much every other movie he's ever made. The Dark Knight Rises beats the Mayan apocalypse to theatres in July 2012.

The world's first killer tire movie rolls into theatres

Yup, you read that right. A killer tire movie.Called Rubber. We shit you not. The tire's name is Robert by the way. Again, we shit you not. The film, by way of French music producer Quentin Dupieux, screened at last year's Cannes Film Festival and generated some good buzz before being picked up Magnet Releasing. According to the official website , Rubber is about "Robert, an inanimate tire that has been abandoned in the desert, and suddenly and inexplicably comes to life. As Robert roams the bleak landscape, he discovers that he possesses terrifying telepathic powers that give him the ability to destroy anything he wishes without having to move. At first content to prey on small desert creatures and various discarded objects, his attention soon turns to humans, especially a beautiful and mysterious woman who crosses his path. Leaving a swath of destruction across the desert landscape, Robert becomes a chaotic force to be reckoned with, and truly a movie vill

Malevolent bereavement

The 2004 low-budget slasher movie Malevolence was one of those hidden gems we enjoy here in The Basement, in case you haven't noticed. Now it's time for the prequel and we've got the trailer for yah below. The first film, written and directed by Steve Mena, dealt with a trio of bank robbers who take a mom and daughter hostage and hide out at an abandoned farm house. The only problem is a soulless killers happens to live nearby. Malevolence actually took some time to set up a back story for the killer, which is where Bereavement comes in. The film is a horrific account of the kidnapping of six-year-old Martin Bristol, the first film's villain, and his slow and steady descent into the killer he eventually became. Mena is back on board for this one, and it features the great Michael Biehn as Bristol's dad. Prequels rarely work, but I will give Bereavement a watch strictly on the strength of the first film. Bereavement hits theatres in a limited release next mon

Jason and Shawn review: Piranha 3D and Abominable

Piranha 3D Jason: This is very much a B-movie. Granted, it's a $24-million B-movie, but it still wears its heart on its sleeve. There's so much T&A it's almost like watching softcore porn, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. And some of the carnage and gore effects are amazing, especially a prolonged sequence at about the hour mark. The film does lack the fun and energy that often comes with a lower budget effort, but it's still a good ride for people who like this kind of thing. And I'm one of them. A Good rating for sure. Shawn: The only real 3D effect I can see here is the 3D penis the piranha chewed on. I'm glad I didn't pay three-extra dollars to see it. And I hated the movie to begin with, with its bad CGI and poor kills spread thin during the first hour. Then came the TSN turning point and WOW. People get destroyed by these fish and it's awesome. Lots of gore and yes, lots of boobies. I'll watch it again, which means this is a Goo

Next on the chopping block: Piranha 3D and Abominable

Tonight is a special night in The Basement: we're reviewing a creature-double feature where the emphasis is on beasts, boobs and blood . . . not necessarily in that order. First up we're braving the waters of the Roger Corman horror/satire remake Piranha. The new version was made in 3D and comes courtesy of director Alexandre Aja, best know for his horror classic High Tension and the redo of The Hills Have Eyes. Aja's films are uber bloody. Throw in a beach setting and the potential for exploitation holds no bounds. Does Piranha 3D deliver on the booty and blood? Stick with us. Then stick around for a little-seen horror film where the villain is the legendary Bigfoot, a beast known to lurk in these here parts. The movie, made almost a decade ago by fledgling filmmaker Ryan Schifrin, generated good buzz from the film-geek set before premiering on the SyFy network in the U.S. about five years ago. Is it a dud or genre gem. We'll present our biased reviews later in t

Behold, your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man

Whether we care or not, another Spider-Man movie is coming. Not from Sam Raimi (thank Christ) but a rebooted version care of director Marc Webb and starring Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. I could give two shits about a new Spider-Man movie. Don't get me wrong, I love the character and, for a time, liked Raimi's take. But those films haven't aged well and, when Sony announced a retooling, the only question I asked was "why bother?" The movie's release is still 18 months away, but Sony has sneaked us a peak at Garfield in the famous red and blue costume. The image itself is moody, and close inspection shows mechanical web shooters on Parker's wrists like in the original comic -- which I dig, but as a whole I just don't care. But there are those who do, which is why The Basement has posted the image below. And deep down I hope to be pleasantly surprised when Webb's film hits theatres next year.

Killer scarecrows get new life After Dark

There's something about a killer scarecrow that's just cool. And, for whatever reason, few movies are made about them. After Dark Films, the producers of the annual Eight Movies To Die For festival, have started making original material including Husk, which hits select theatres Jan. 28. We'll give you three guess as to what it's about and the first two don't count. Written and directed by Brett Simmons, the film follows a group of friends left stranded on the side of the road when their SUV breaks down. A light in a distant farmhouse window attracts their attention .  .  . but to get to it they have to cross a cornfield. We'll give you three guesses as to what's in that field and the first two don't count. The films in Eight Movies To Die For are generally hit and miss. The same will likely be true of After Dark's original offerings. The trailer below looks interesting, but we'll reserve our final decision for when Shawn and I screen Husk

Latest Battle: Los Angeles trailer ups the awesome

A trailer's job is to sell a movie to a mass audience and, more often than not, they do too good a job. Shawn, Anthony Michael Bosa and I have lost track of the number of times we've been sucker punched by movie marketing, which means you'd think we'd have learned our lesson by now. But every trailer that appears for the upcoming sci-fi action movie Battle: Los Angeles makes the film look better and better. The latest, embedded below thanks to Yahoo Movies , is the coolest by far. Not only does it offer more action and effects, but it plays up the story's focus, which is on the military response to the threat. All of us in The Basement were let down by the fact that Skyline focused on boring rich kids. At the very least, director Jonathan Liebesman's effort has got the character angle right. If you're going to make an alien invasion flick, give us the action! To say we're jazzed for this film is an understatement. But we'll have to wait until M

Disturbia scribe on for Paranormal Activity 3

The boys over at Arrow In the Head and Bloody Disgusting report that Christopher B. Landon (Disturbia) and Michael R. Perry are on board to write the third installment in the Paranormal Activity series. Perry is credited with the script for PA2, which Shawn and I have yet to see as catching the new releases right away isn't our gig. But we're big fans of the original and I enjoyed Disturbia. As for the plot of PA3? No damn idea. Paramount Pictures is keeping story details under lock and key pending the film's release Oct. 21. I don't know if I care about a third movie. Paranormal Activity never struck me as a franchise but, if they make money, then Hollywood is going to beat the idea to death. Oren Peli, who directed the original, is back as a producer.

Jason and Shawn review: Cropsey and Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus

Cropsey Jason: This is a great piece of journalism, a whodunit that already has a culprit . . . or alleged culprit as the case may be. I like how Barbera Brancaccio and Joshua Zeman did their best to offer all sides of the case, showing the circumstantial evidence that led to Andre Rand's conviction but also revealing enough proof to understand why he was convicted and remains incarcerated. The crimes, with so many missing and presumed murdered children, are frightening. Seeing the impact the case still has on the community and the families is like a punch in the gut. This is a real horror story, and it's a compelling one. A Good review from me. Shawn: Seeing the creepy, abandoned mental hospital with its tunnels and disarray was frightening, especially when you consider we've got one of those in our own back yard. It sent a chill down my spine and made me wonder "what if that happened here?" Watching the news footage that showed the treatment of the children

Micro Review: The Last Exorcism

So much of this mockumentary is so well made and brilliantly acted that one can't help but be disappointed when it takes such a giant misstep during the final 10 minutes. It's not that the ending is bad, it just takes away from all that was good during the first hour and 15 minutes. Up until then we're served a riveting and downright creepy tale of a charlatan preacher trying to rid a girl of what appears to be demons of a more personal nature than supernatural. Patrick Fabian is riveting as Cotton, our "exorcist," and Ashley Bell is awesome as the "possessed" child. Too bad the filmmakers couldn't come up with an ending the both of them deserved. A Bad review on this one.

Next on the chopping block: Cropsey and Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus

Ladies and gentlemen, after a three-week absence, The Basement is reopen! And what better way to celebrate than by watching the much anticipated sequel to a Basement favourite: Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus? Shawn, Anthony Michael Bosa and I make no bones about our love for The Asylum's cheesy low-budget monster mashup. So, when the studio announced a sequel was in the works, we got real excited. When that sequel was named Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus, we fell out of our chairs. Does it matter that crocosaurus isn't even a word? No! It's all about watching monsters smash stuff and try to eat each other. Tonight we'll let our awesome and sexy listeners know what we thought about this potentially awesome film. And Anthony Michael Bosa has demanded that he be in The Basement Studio at The X just for the occaision. And yes, that's Urkel himself, Jaleel White, in the above picture. Our second film of the evening is the polar opposite to Mega Shark Versus Croco

Dimension brings horror Home

Dimension Films have acquired Kristoffer Aaron Morgan's H.P. Lovecraft-inspired horror flick The Home, or so say the folks at SlashFilm . Penned by Morgan and Eric Vespe, who the SlashFolks say is better known to film geeks as Quint from Ain’t It Cool News, the story follows a young man is nearly killed during a horrible accident that leaves him physically and emotionally scarred. To recuperate, he heads to a secluded nursing home where the elderly residents appear to be suffering from delusions. When he witnesses a violent attack, our hero soon realizes the screams behind the walls are caused by more than hallucinations, and the residents are being preyed upon by twisted, monstrous nightmares that lurk within the home itself. Sounds like it has some promise. But the last time Shawn and I reviewed a flick described as Lovecraftian it turned out to be Altitude, and regular listeners know how that turned out . Stick with us, as we will keep you informed on The Hom

Clooney a real-life monster

Word has it that Fox 2000 has closed a deal to turn the bestselling crime book The Monster of Florence into a vehicle for star George Clooney, one of the few working actors who is reliable when it comes to starring in good movies nowadays. Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander will write the script. Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen of the Jinks/Cohen Company will produce with Smokehouse's Grant Heslov, and McQuarrie. Clooney will play Douglas Preston, who wrote the nonfiction bestseller The Monster of Florence with Italian crime reporter Mario Spezi. Preston is a thriller writer who met Spezi after moving to Italy. Together, they set out to solve a 30-year old serial murder case. The story goes seven couples were savagely murdered between 1974 and 1985 while they sat in cars parked just outside Florence. The trail was cold when Preston moved into a nearby farmhouse and began asking questions. Could be a decent thriller. Now all they need is a great director to hel

Monsters director pegged to helm Godzilla redo

Shawn and I have yet to watch Gareth Edwards' Monsters, but the aptly named, and much praised, low-budget sci-fi horror flick is up for a review in February. Therefor it's hard for us to get too excited by the news that the young director has been chosen to direct Legendary and Warner Bros. big budget version of everyone's favourite Tokyo-smashing creature. That said, the Interweb is abuzz at the news, and praise for Edwards' film has permeated the geek world since it was screened at SXSW last year.  The film is supposed to be beautifully shot and have amazing special effects despite a budget of $800,000 or so. Clips we've seen look amazing. And yours truly is a huge Godzilla nut, as any self-respecting movie nerd should be. If most of the online film community can now get excited for the project, then I suppose we in The Basement can too. We'll let you know for sure when we review Monsters in a month's time.

Inception, The Town star dies of cancer

It's with sad news that The Basement reports British actor Pete Postlethwaite died of cancer Sunday. He was 64. Postlethwaite appeared in more than 100 films during his 35-year career, most notably In the Name of the Father with Daniel Day Lewis, The Usual Suspects, and The Lost World. He had a big year in 2010, with prominent roles in Clash of the Titans, The Town and Inception. He is survived by his wife, a son an daughter and was hailed by Steven Spielberg as "The best actor in the world." Amen, Steve.

King's Gunslinger may be close to being cast

We reported in September that Ron Howard is moving ahead with an epic adaptation of Stephen King's fantasy yarn The Dark Tower, promising to turn the seven-novel series into three films with TV seasons bridging the movies. Love the idea or hate it (I hate it, but that's just me being me), the project is moving forward, and the New York Post reports Javier Bardem (the villain from No Country For Old Men) is the director's top choice to play hero Roland Deschain with Viggo Mortensen a close second. For the record, both men are excellent choices for King's Gunslinger. No matter what I think about the idea of turning King's great books into films, at least Howard and company want to assemble a top cast. And it's also good news that the cast will stick with the adaptation through all three movies and two TV seasons. Why don't I want to see the books adapted? Easy: I'm scared Hollywood is going to fuck them up. The novels are dark, violent and spectacul