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Showing posts from April, 2012

Jason and Shawn review Exorcismus

Exorcismus Jason: Easily dismissed as just-another-exorcism movie, this spooky film actually has a lot more going for it than meets the eye. For one, it's not set in North America, so its got an international feel. And there's a few surprise twists and turns along the way that help. Throw more than one shorts shitting moment and a number of great performances -- especially that of leading lady Sophie Vavasseur -- and you've got a pretty solid horror outing. It's worth a watch, at least once, but that's about it. Even with my praise, this rates a Bad. Hey, some movies are just like that. Shawn: It was a pretty slow build up, but had some great spine-tingling moments. Similar in feel to the original Exorcist, except not nearly as well done. Also, with The Exorcist, you had that fantastic score. Being raised with a Catholic background, these exorcist movies always intrigue me. I begged this movie to not let me down, but it didn't have any ground breakin

Will Amber Heard become Subject 6?

Love her or not, Amber Heard is becoming the new It Girl for horror. All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, Drive Angry, The Ward, Stepfather and Zombieland. That's an impressive resume for a Scream Queen. And it looks like the lovely lady is at it again. Word has it via Bloody Disgusting and Arrow in the Head that Heard has been offered the lead in writer/director James Seda's psychological horror film Subject 6. Described as a mix of The Matrix, Dark City and Cube, Seda's film finds the heroine part of a government experiment. Sealed in an isolation room and under constant surveillance, the psychology student at first believes she's a paid participant in a month-long behavioral study. However, she soon suspects she's actually a prisoner who must find a way to escape before losing her mind. No word yet on when the film goes into production. For the record, when it comes to Heard: I'm a fan. Shawn's not.

Latest Prometheus trailer will rock your universe

We've teased Ridley Scott's return to the Alien franchise a shit load already on the site, but when a new piece of news lands, we gotta push it. Because that's how we roll. Below is the new international trailer for the film, which hits North American theatres on June 8. I don't know what more we can say that hasn't already been said, other than we need to see this. It looks like five kinds of awesome, and this latest trailer just cements that. Prometheus stars Noomi Rapace, Idris Elba, Michael Fassbender and Charlize Theron in the story of a group of space explorers who set out to discover the origins of mankind. Now watch this bitch and enjoy!

An interview with actor/musician Courtney Gains

Say the name Courtney Gains to a horror fan and any one who is in the know will think of the original Children of the Corn, where he played Malachai, one of the ringleaders of the titular corn children. He marked out quite a career for himself during the 80s with roles in Back to the Future, Hardbodies and Can't Buy Me Love and has been consistently busy ever since, most recently turning up in Sweet Home Alabama, Faster and the TV series My Name Is Earl. But Gains is also an accomplished musician. And today marks the release of his album Ripple Street. So us Basement Dwellers thought it would be a cool idea to sit down with Courtney and talk a bit about his music and his movies. Without  further adieu, here's a transcript of that conversation. And stick with us, you'll be hearing much of Courtney's music when we return to the air in October. 1) How long have you been involved in the music industry and what got your started? Well, I picked up a guitar for my

Kane Hodder and Danielle Harris back for Hatchet 3

We reported just a week or two ago that Hatchet 3 will shoot for a 2013 release date. Now we've got confirmation via HorrorMovies.ca that Victor Crowley himself, Kane Hodder, and his favourite victim Marybeth, Danielle Harries, are also returning for another go-round. Here's more from the official press release. Dark Sky Films and Ariescope Pictures are pleased to announce that Kane Hodder and Danielle Harris have joined the cast of HATCHET 3, the next exciting chapter in the horror saga of swamp-dwelling killer Victor Crowley, which will be written and produced by Adam Green and directed by BJ McDonnell. Kane Hodder portrayed the evil Crowley in 2006’s original Hatchet and continued in the role in Hatchet II. In that 2010 hit, Danielle Harris took over the role of Marybeth, the young woman who, at the movie’s climax, managed to escape Crowley’s clutches (and, apparently, kill him). The new movie continues where Hatchet II left off, as a search and recovery t

Micro Review: Killer Elite

No one, but no one, kicks ass like Jason Statham. And Killer Elite offers the action star ample opportunity to kick ass. But it also has a multilayer plot and solid performances from co-stars Clive Owen, Robert De Niro and Dominc Purcell. Oh yes, and there is the hotness that is Yvonne Strahovski. This is a solid action picture let down only by over length and a finale that doesn't offer enough non-stop boom. Minor gripes aside, this is a kick-ass thriller with a great performance by Statham and some solid set pieces. I especially enjoyed seeing the man kick two people's asses while tied to a chair. The Stath is pure badass. A Good from me.

Grave Encounters 2 goes meta

Shawn and I loved the shit out of  The Vicious Brothers' Grave Encounters. Unfortunately, our audio thoughts were lost when The X's equipment ate that particular episode, so all you can do is read our praises right here . Bad X! The Vicious Brothers have penned a sequel, which follows a group of teens who break into the abandoned hospital from the first movie only to learn that Grave Encounters wasn't just a film . . . it was real! Like I said in the headline, meta! I like this idea very much. The only bad news is the brothers aren't directing the follow up. Some guy named named John Poloquin is. But, as long as the sequel lives up to the shorts shitting entertainment of the original, I'm down with it. A big part of any film's success is the script. We'll keep you posted on Grave Encounters 2 as it develops.

American Pie: Band Camp. Really Micro Review.

What the hell was I thinking. Did I honestly think this would have any of the charm, humor or chemistry of the original American Pies? No I did not.  It looked like it sucked hot sweaty donkey balls.  That is what I expected.  That is what I got. I'm surprised Eugene Levy signed up for it.  Same with the SHERMINATOR. Story:  (weak)  Matt Stifler, the younger brother of Steve Stifler, is eager to enter the family business of making porn films. With them, he is hoping to win the approval of his older brother.  But, after playing a prank on the school band, the school's guidance counselor , Chuck Sherman, decides that he may be able to help reshape young Stifler, by sending him to band camp. Wow, this was lame.  I knew it would be, but I was curious.  Being in the "B" movie bizzzz....I'm used to seeing an odd shit movie or two.  Man.  At least there was a boob or two in this. I hated this movie and it takes its' place along side the Dragon tittied t

The opening of Sacha Baron Cohen's The Dictator

I'm not 100 per cent sold on the comedy of Sacha Baron Cohen. I've enjoyed parts of his work but, as a whole, don't find him to be quite the comic genus many claim him to be. That said, I laughed my ass off through the opening one minute and 44 seconds of his upcoming comedy The Dictator. Pitched as the heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy will never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed, The Dictator sees Cohen once again disappear into a character, much as he did with Borat and Bruno.  I thought Borat ran out of steam after about 20 minutes and I admit to not seeing Bruno. But, if all of The Dictator can sustain the energy and humour of the below clip, this could be a real winner. We'll know more when The Dictator opens nationwide on May 16.

Boys will be girls in Girl Talk

Writer/director Michelle Fatale has been a Facebook friend for almost two years now but it's taken my slow ass that long to actually catch one of her films. Lucky for all you Basement Dwellers that film is Girl Talk. The 14-minute comedy went live today on Facebook , and we're proud to able to present it for you here on the site.  Co-written with Anthony Larice, Girl Talk is about Jim, who reluctantly accepts help in the garage after his wife (Fatale) introduces him to his new neighbor Taylor. The pair spend an awkward afternoon together in silence until Taylor finds a truth or dare game from the late 1980's for preteen girls. After some convincing, Jim agrees to sit down with Taylor, have a beer, and spin the wheel . Larice co-stars along with Michael Glacier and Melina Valencia. I highly recommend readers check the film out right now. It's a breezy, entertaining short with plenty of laughs, the sequence where Taylor is dared to laugh being my favourite

A second G.I. Joe: Retaliation trailer hits

Because the presence of The Bruce, The Rock, the hotness of Adrianne Palicki (above) and a whole bunch of wonderful toys weren't already enough to sell us on the G.I. Joe sequel, the fine folks at Paramount had to go and cut another ass-kicking trailer. The first preview was pretty damn sexy, but this one gives us more action, more of the Cobra us 80s dorks grew up loving, and a better sense of the set pieces. I was already excited to see G.I. Joe: Retaliation, now I'm giddy with anticipation. Joe fans need only wait a couple more months til this hits the big screen. Until June 29, we've got this badass trailer to enjoy!

Get your world rocked with Crestfallen

Jeremiah Kipp and Harry Manfredini should be household names for Basement Dwellers. OK, any horror fan worth his or her salt knows who Harry Manfredini is. As for Jeremiah Kipp, he's the winner of our Win Our Chat With A Scream Queen contest and an accomplished filmmaker in his own right, having made the horror film The Sadist with Tom Savini. Jeremiah's latest effort, the short Crestfallen, became available online today and we've got it for you below. It's a knockout too, with beautiful imagery care of Dominic Sivilli and a great score by Harry. The film, which stars Deneen Melody, is deep, something to be seen and digested a couple of times. And there's not a word of dialogue in the whole thing. I dig it, a lot! I'm going to shut up now and let you all give Crestfallen a watch. I look forward to seeing what Jeremiah does next!

Micro Review: Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol

Shawn and I take the piss out of Hollywood as often as we can, but when the studio system gets a blockbuster right, it really knocks it out of the park. Case in point, the latest installment in Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible series. Sure, it doesn't have the edge or gratuitous violence of an indie R-rated effort. But it is larger-than-life fun with one thrilling set piece after another. Plus there's some decent fights, a car chase through a sandstorm, and the sex appeal of Paula Patton. My favourite entry in the series is still the third one, but this delivers on all counts. The sequence at the Burj Khalif in Dubai is a standout. A Good from The Basement on this.

Micro Review: The Cabin in the Woods

A horror fan's wet dream, this loving hate letter to scary movies subverts the genre while catering to its every whim. We get the boobs, blood and backwoods terror of the traditional cabin-in-the-woods slasher picture while, at the same time, see the cliches turned on their collective heads. And there's a whole other twist that spins everything 180 degrees. Not especially scary, but very smart and funny . . .  and fun! Good cast, well made and sharply written. Thank you, Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard. In a world filled with sequels and reboots, you've made this jaded horror fan very, very happy. Take note, the less you know going in the better! A Good from me.

Santa kills again in Silent Night

Because nothing -- and I mean nothing -- is safe from the remake train, that notorious 80s slasher flick Silent Night, Deadly Night is getting a once over care of Anchor Bay. Bloody Disgusting let it drop that the film is a loose remake of the 1984 original about a boy whose parents are murdered by a guy in a Santa suit on Christmas Eve. Surprise, surprise: he grows up to commit his own holiday themed murders. I can honestly say I've never seen it, so no comment on the film's quality. Will have to rectify that. The redo stars scream queen and My Blood Valentine 3D star Jaime King and veteran character actor Malcom McDowell, who is no stranger to horror remakes after headlining Rob Zombie's Halloween. Also on board on Donal Logue, Jamie Kennedy, Brendan Fehr, Lisa Marie and Ellen Wong. King plays a small-town sheriff who battles the Santa Claus killer. Silent Night begins shooting next week in Winnipeg.

Take note L.A. peeps: Re-Animator The Musical is back

Any self-respecting horror fan has seen Stuart Gordon's classic Re-Animator. But how many are aware that the film is also an award-winning stage musical? Well, it is bitches! And the musical's original cast, including George Wendt of Cheers fame, is back in action. The musical recently swept The L.A.Weekly Theatre Awards, winning six of eight nominations, not the least of which is Musical of the Year. It also earned 2011 Ovation and L.A. Drama Critics awards. Re-Animator The Musical re-opens at L.A.'s Hayworth Theatre for a 10-week limited engagement starting May 3 prior to performances in New York and The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. For ticket information, or to reserve a seat, phone 323-960-4442 or go online . Stuart Gordon directed Re-Animator in 1985. It was his first feature film and he created a sensation, delivering as many laughs as he did screams. The movie is a cult classic and won a Critic's Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.  Last year, Gordon and his c

No body is safe in this Piranha 3DD poster

You can't fault the makers of the new Piranha franchise for exploiting the films' assets -- boobs, hot chicks and killer fish. Did we mention boobs? So it should come as no surprise that Dimension Films is playing to all three strengths with the poster for Piranha 3DD, which hits theatres and VOD on June 1. Feast your eyes on this! We thought you'd dig that. Chesty hot chick with killer fish. There your go. The Basement provided a preview for your eye holes a couple of weeks back, and the John Gulager-directed sequel does look like it will be a lot of fun, at least as much fun as the Alex Aja remake was. And it's got the presence of Katrina Bowden, Danielle Panabaker, David Hasselhoff, Gary Busey, and Christopher Lloyd. Ah, hell. Just watch the preview again and enjoy! Trailer for Piranha 3DD at Listal

Watch The Pact trailer, have not so sweet dreams

Been a busy night in The Basement recording our May Special and making plans for the upcoming season (big plans. Mickey Rooney big!). But a Monday wouldn't be a Monday without an update here on the site. And this update -- a creepy as fuck trailer for the upcoming haunted house flick The Pact -- guarantees I'll have another beer or three before hitting the hay. And we have our good friends at Arrow in the Head and JoBlo to thank for it. Nicholas McCarthy's film deals with a woman struggling to come to terms with her mother's death when an unsettling presence surfaces in her home. Given what we see in the nightmarish trailer below, unsettling doesn't even begin to describe the scary shit that goes on. Fortunately, we like scary shit here in The Basement. The film was recently picked up by IFC Midnight and hits VOD in May and gets a limited theatrical run in July. It will be seen in The Basement as soon as we can get our mitts on it. Until then, watch the previe

Hatchet 3 slays again later this month

We reported more than a year back that writer/director Adam Green was prepping a third film in the saga of Victor Crowley. Now we've received word via HorrorMovies.ca that Hatchet 3 is indeed a go. Kane Hodder, who played the swamp ghost Crowley in Hatchets 1 and 2, let loose during a recent Q&A at Shock-Stock in Ontario that the film would begin shooting in Louisiana at the end of April. He also told the convention crowd that Hatchet 3 will be even more violent than the first two. I'd buy that for a dollar! There's not much more to say at this point other than we'll keep you updated. Shawn and I dug the first two Hatchet films a lot, and the world can always use more Victor Crowley. And blood. And boobies. Stick with us! 

Stallone, Willis and Arnie unload in Expendables 2 pic

The Expendables gave action fans the rare chance to see Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger together on screen. For those of us who grew up on 80s action flicks, it was a big moment. Far bigger than finally seeing De Niro and Pacino in Heat. With The Expendables 2 that historic moment is taken even further. Not only do the trio act together, they kill the shit out of things together, as is depicted in the above image. And this is a good thing! The plot for The Expendables 2 is pure badass goodness: Mr Church (Willis) recruits The Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck. Things go wrong, one of the team is killed, and the mercenaries seek revenge. My ass will be in theatres Aug. 17! In case you missed it the first time, here's the teaser trailer for your eye holes!

The Ted trailer

From the creator of Family Guy, comes a Marky Mark (WAHLBERG) adventure, with his teddy bear!? That's right. Teddy Bear. The film is called: Ted.  It opens in theatres in July. If you like Family Guy humor, then you might like this.  Although this is Rated R.  Seth MacFarlane, unleashed.  I have to say that coming out of trailer watching retirement was worth it for this trailer.  If the movie sucks, at least the trailer was funny as fuck! Trailer for your EYEHOLES.  Rated R.

The theme from Ryan Shovey's Hunter

We've been covering the development of writer/director Ryan Shovey's inaugural feature film Hunter with some interest here on the site and on the show. Just last week we presented you with the poster for the upcoming slasher film. Now we've got another groovy offering from the production: the theme music! And let me tell you, it's everything a horror fan would want from a score: creepy, simple and memorable. Good job guys. As for what the film is about: a group of college kids try to figure out who is killing their friends while unraveling an unresolved string of murders from twenty years prior and connecting them to the recent killing. To learn more, just head on over to Ryan's official blog . Now a little something for your ear holes:

Get your mind rocked with the Looper teaser

We've seen the teaser for the teaser. Now we've got the real deal. And all I can say is fuck yeah! This looks badass. Cool concept, cool stars and some cool-as-hell action, all wrapped up in a pretty one-minute-and-46-second package. I am impressed. For the uninitiated, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an assassin on the hunt for his future self, the one and only Bruce Willis. Looper is written and directed by Rian Johnson, who is one of my favourite filmmakers at the moment. If this is half as good as his first film, Brick, it's gonna be awesome! Looper appears in theatres September 28. But you can watch the teaser right now!

The locals aren't friendly in this Cabin in the Woods clip

What could very well be the horror movie event of 2012 hits theatres this Friday . . . and I won't be around to see it :( Sad face is sad. But that doesn't mean I won't catch Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard's much anticipated loving hate letter to horror first chance I get. And Shawn and I are sure all you Basement Dwellers are equally as keen to catch this genre-bending picture. Until Friday, we'll all just have to satiate ourselves with the below clip from the film. The headline above says it all, so why waste any more time on my idle chatter. Get watching bitches! The Cabin in the Woods stars Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford.

Suit up in this Avengers TV spot

Call me lazy, but I enjoy posting shit from Joss Whedon's upcoming super-hero epic The Avengers. I see a clip, I want to post. I see a TV spot, I want to post. It's a no-brainer. Just like beer and hot wings. The TV spot below is loaded with action, the sexy Scarlett Johansson kicking ass, the awesomeness that is Robert Downey Jr. and a smiling Hulk. I suspect he's smiling because he's about to smash something. I'm cool with that. The film hits theatres May 4 -- that's less than a month's time! The wife and I are gonna need to secure a babysitter stat. Until then, The Basement will continue to post Avengers deets as we see fit. Sue us. You can't get blood from a stone anyway. In addition to Johansson and Downey Jr., The Avengers stars the Chrises Evans and Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo and some guy named Samuel L. Jackson.

A look at Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Rian Johnson's Looper

One of my all-time favourite "finds" is Rian Johnson's thriller Brick. It's a brilliant bit of indie filmmaking that takes all the elements of the 1930s detective story and integrates them into a high-school setting. Not for everyone, but it's a fuck of a good movie for those with an open mind. The writer/director's follow up, The Brothers Bloom, is decidedly lighter fair. No match for Brick, but it's still better than most mainstream releases. Now Johnson has re-teamed with his Brick star, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and put him up against Bruce Willis in a sci-fi/action setting. That's right, I said sci-fi/action setting. Am I excited? Yes, yes I am. Johnson and Gordon-Levitt talk up the film and show some quick clips in the below video. It's less than a minute long, but the first trailer lands later this week and Looper hits theatres in September. Am I excited? Yes, yes I am. And you should be too!

Familiar screenings, and a clip!

Short films have become kinda our thing here in The Basement, and few have rocked Shawn and I quite like Zach Green and Richard Powell's Familiar. Shawn and I reviewed Familiar a couple of months back. Now, at Zach's request, we've got a clip to share and word on how you can see this bad boy on the big screen! That's right, Familiar screens at Chicago Fear Fest on April 13 and 14, Texas Frightmare Weekend May 4, 5 and 6 and at the Dark Bridges Film Festival from May 3 to 6. I'm gonna shut up now and let you watch the clip. And I encourage anyone who can make the above dates to give Familiar a view. It's worth the trip!

Micro Review: Drive (2011)

Some have called Nicolas Winding Refn's action film pretentious, others have claimed it brilliant. I say it's a little bit of both. And it's 100 per cent badass. Ryan Gosling personifies cool as Driver, a mysterious loner who falls in love with the wife of a convict. How that relationship spirals into a blood-soaked crime film is a ton of fun. Drive alternates between noir romance and brutal violence, often flawlessly. And there's one fuck of a brilliant car chase to boot. Not to mention that genius elevator sequence. Refn's film isn't for everyone, but if you dig different this is the film for you. The cast plays to perfection, and moody has never looked so good. Plus who can argue with a film that stars hotties Christina Hendricks and Carey Mulligan? Late to the party for sure, but Drive rates a Good from me.

A peek at Oliver Stone's Savages

It's been a long ass time since I was excited about an Oliver Stone movie. And this trailer for his upcoming crime/action flick Savages has me so. I understand that's what trailers are supposed to do. Shawn and I have bitched endlessly about that on the show. But I dig the straight-up visual dynamics Stone is using here. Gone are the tricks of his 90s work like Natural Born Killers and U-Turn. This is old school sex and violence, and I like that shit a lot. Plus we've got solid cast in Benicio Del Toro, John Travolta, Salma Hayek, Blake Lively, Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson. And the plot, which features Kitsch and Johnson as pot growers facing off against big time drug dealers who kidnap their girlfriend, is appropriately simple. Plus shit blows up. Savages opens July 6, and I might have to add this to my short list of summer movies that are worth seeing. Watch the trailer and decide for yourselves.

Unlock your fate with The Puzzle

When my dad wasn't working, building stuff or being my dad, he was making puzzles. It was a guaranteed way for him to unwind. So it was with great interest that I sat down to watch Italian filmmaker Davide Melini's award-winning short The Puzzle. You see, the mother in the five-minute film likes to relax with puzzles just like my dad. Unfortunately, her good-for-nothing son keeps harassing her for money. Losing herself in her favourite passtime, the mother soon discovers that completing this puzzle might unlock a nightmare. The Puzzle has been an official selection at more European film festivals than you can shake a stick at, and was voted Third Best Italian Film at the Rome International Film Festival in 2008. Having watched it, I'm not surprised. It's a tight little film that hits you hard in the final few seconds. You can tell Melini cut his teeth as an assistant director for legendary Italian filmmaker Dario Argento. But enough chit chat on my part. See if yo

New Orleans slasher Hunter gets a teaser poster

We haven't update you on the progress of Ryan Shovey's independent horror film Hunter since the start of last season, but we've got a doozy of an update for you today! Behold, the teaser poster for the film: Slick, yes!?! We think so. Since we last spoke with Ryan he's been able to secure enough funding to shoot an opening sequence for Hunter and is currently scouting locations. Good on him! Everything he told Shawn and I about the movie has us jazzed to see what this guy can do. As for what the film is about: a group of college kids try to figure out who is killing their friends while unraveling an unresolved string of murders from twenty years prior and connecting them to the recent killings Instead of trying to explain the film further, let's let Ryan do it himself via the video below. And, once you're done watching, head on over to Freak Daddy Productions to learn more about the filmmaker and his work. We'll keep you updated on the project as

Ms. Vampy earns Brooke Lewis another award

Regular listeners know there's much love in The Basement for our No. 1 scream queen, Brooke Lewis. Already a multiple-award winner, including for her role in Slime City Massacre, the lovely lady's work has once again been recognized . . . and we couldn't be happier for her. Brooke's TV pilot and web series, Ms. Vampy's Tween Tawk, Teen Tawk & In Between Tawk, has won a Honolulu Film Awards Silver Lei Award For Comedy/Family/Talk Show! "This is the most special project I've created! I want to inspire girls of all ages. I'm still a teenage girl at heart who deals with her own issues and insecurities and, if I can make a difference in the lives of tweens and tweens today, then I have done my job. VAMPT IT OUT!," Brooke said. Brooke followed up her successful 2009 Ms. Vampy web series with this new inspirational series aimed at young girls, with discussions around body image, self-esteem, peer pressure, caring about what others think of you, b

The Total Recall trailer remembers you

Did that make sense? No. Too bad! We brought you the teaser for the trailer for the Total Recall reboot/remake/second telling earlier this week. Now it's time to deliver the real deal: a trailer that isn't afraid to be a trailer. For your eye holes. I dug the teaser for the trailer well enough. Shawn pointed out on our season finale that it looked too much like The Fifth Element. I agreed. Now, seeing a full two-plus minutes, Len Wiseman's film looks less Fifth Element (save for the flying cars) and more like the 1990's take sans Mars. But it still has Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel and some pretty kick ass looking action scenes. And Colin Farrell is well suited to the hero role. My wife and I have pledged to see this. It's been a long time since the world has been granted a decent sci-fi/action flick. Hopefully this delivers. We'll let you view the trailer and decide for yourselves. Total Recall opens August 3.