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Showing posts from August, 2012

George Bell reviews The Corridor

Evan Kelly had better keep making horror movies, because if his debut, The Corridor, is any indication, he has the ability to invest me in characters with a very simple premise. The Corridor is about a group of guys who gather at a remote cabin in the woods to rekindle old friendships. One of them, Tyler, has recently gone through a very traumatic family event where he injured a couple from the group, and the friends’ bonding weekend is supposed to get him back into the swing of things as well as rebuild everyone else’s trust around him. As you can probably guess, things don’t go quite as planned. While out in the woods, Tyler stumbles into some kind of translucent wall of energy that causes machinery to malfunction and even makes his nose bleed. Soon enough, he brings the rest of the gang to check it out, and what begins as an exciting discovery eventually degrades into a full-on nightmare. The energy wall soon encases the group inside it, and weird things start happening. For examp

Fred Williamson joins cast of Billy Trigger

Big news for movie fans as the upcoming action flick Billy Trigger adds former football player, sports commentator and veteran actor/blaxploitation star Fred Williamson to the cast. Williamson -- whose diverse credits include dozens of movies and TV series including M.A.S.H., Hell Up in Harlem, From Dusk Till Dawn and 2004's Starsky and Hutch -- joins Matthew Bennett, Pia Metni and John Fallon as Billy Trigger. Fallon, Berge Garabedian, and Christian Viel produce with Viel also on board as director. The plot, for those who aren't in the know, is as follows: Irish mobster Billy Trigger has been the O’ Brien family’s number one enforcer for three years now. And for good reasons; he is cold, calculated and relentless and has never tackled a job he couldn’t finish. His life is trouble-free and solitary as it mainly consists of: loose women, doing the work and cashing in. That’s until Pops, the head of the organization, hands him his next assignment.Trigger is task

Jason revisits John Carpenter's The Fog

What to do on a cool, moonlit night at a cabin on a lake with a roaring fire in the wood stove and waves crashing on the shore? Plug one of the best ghost stories ever put on film into the DVD player, that's what! A Northern California fishing town, built 100 years ago over an old leper colony, is the target for revenge by a killer fog containing zombie-like ghosts seeking revenge for their deaths.  It's interesting to note director/co-writer John Carpenter has gone on record as saying the original cut of this film, his follow up to the smash hit Halloween, didn't work. He had to feverishly go back and re-shoot and add scenes to heighten the scares and increase the threat to human life. Watching it for the bazillionth time, it's hard to place where those scenes are without listening to the audio commentary. The film works, and works well. It's scary and fun stuff with a decent cast, simple story and spooky atmosphere. Every frame justifies its exist

George Bell reviews The Snowtown Murders

The Snowtown Murders is one of those movies that sticks with me for a day or two after viewing it. I’m not sure if I would classify it as thriller or horror, but either way, it’s a horrendous true story about a rash of killings that took place in Australia between 1992 and 1999. Four people were convicted of murdering eleven victims, and the movie concerns itself with the beginning of the killing spree. If you’ve seen The Girl Next Door (no, not the Elisha Cuthbert one), that’s the kind of experience you’re in for. When the movie opens, Jamie, a 16-year-old boy, is molested by a neighbor. His mother, Elizabeth, finds out about it and, naturally, she calls the police. For whatever reason, they don’t do much about it, so soon enough, through a friend she finds someone to help deal with the problem. Unbeknownst to her, that someone turns out to be John Bunting, a serial killer and torturer. He repeatedly gets away with murder by forcing his victims to record messages talking about how t

Things get weird in this trailer for House of Last Things

I'm not quite sure what to make of the below trailer for the upcoming psychological thriller House of Last Things. Is it a ghost story? Is everything that's going on in the minds of the characters? I guess we'll just have to watch and find out. Michael Bartlett's mind-bending film is set in Portland, Oregon and deals with an unspoken tragedy and its effects on a house, its temporary caretakers and the owners -- a classical music critic and his wife on a recuperative trip to Italy. Lindsey Haun, Blake Berris and RJ Mitte star. Double Dutch International picked up the rights to House of Last Things today, but there's still no word on when the film will get released. Until then, give the trailer a watch and decide for yourself if it's worth seeking out.

An alternate opening for The Avengers

Alternate endings are a dime a dozen in the film business. But an alternate opening? Not so much. However, writer/director Joss Whedon did shoot a different beginning to his mega blockbuster, one that is darker in tone and hints at a subplot that was never fully explored. It takes place in the aftermath of the movie's final battle and explores S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill's troubled relationship with her boss, Nick Fury. It's an OK start, but I believe the one in the finished production works better and gets us right into the action. Still, as a student of film, I enjoy watching stuff like this. The clip is included on the upcoming Blu-Ray of The Avengers, which hits the streets Sept. 25. What say you, Basement Dwellers?

Joe Dante's The Hole to finally get a release

Remember Joe Dante? He's the cool dude who directed the classic Gremlins and the more recent . . . ish . . . Small Soldiers. Guess what? He's made another movie! Actually, Dante made it back in 2009 and, for whatever reason, The Hole has never seen the light of day. That is until now. Well almost now. OK, it opens next month! Big Air Studios and Bold Films will release the flick Sept. 28 up against Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Looper. Sucks to be The Hole. But, after sitting on a shelf for three years, no one involved with the project can complain. The Hole centres on a pair of brothers who stumble upon a mysterious hole in their basement that leads to the darkest corridors of their fears and nightmares. Haley Bennett, Teri Polo, Quinn Lord and Bruce Dern star. We've got the trailer below, and the film looks like it could be fun. We'll know soon enough!

New Orleans slasher Hunter closer to financing

At the start of last season we told you about a low-budget, indie horror flick looking to get off the ground called Hunter. Since then, writer/director Ryan Shovey and his crew have busted ass on the project, and it looks like the hard work has paid off. Shovey emailed us this weekend, saying he's completed a Hunter short film that he can use to generate interest and entice investors. And it sounds like money could be coming down the pike very soon. We've seen the short, and wish we could post it for you here. It's polished, full of old-school slasher scares, and promises audiences great things when the Hunter feature becomes a reality. Given that the short will be circulating at film festivals and crossing financiers' desks, we have to keep it our little secret. But, as soon as we can let Basement Dwellers see it, we will. In the meantime, follow Ryan on Twitter and check out his official site . Keep up the great work guys!

Jason and Shawn review Race with the Devil

Two couples vacationing together in an R.V. from Texas to Colorado are terrorized after they witness a murder during a Satanic ritual.  Jason: Wow. If any movie needs to be remade this is it. Not that there's anything wrong with Jack Sarrett's film. There's not. But there's so much potential here for a modernized version, if done right. But let's stick to what works. Easy. The final 20 minutes are awesome. Just awesome. Why? You've got an old-school car chase with real stunt drivers driving real cars and trucks. And they roll, crash, collide and burn. Love it! No shaky cam, so you can see it all happen. Bad. Ass. About that ending: I dug it, although it ruined my night. After everything these people go through -- the attacks, the snakes, the car chase -- just let them go guys. Really. You gotta burn them to death? Fuck you. Spoiler alert by the way. But I admire that movies with endings like these were made in the 70s. Hollywood need

First look at British found-footage horror tale Hollow

Just when you thought the world was done with found-footage horror flicks another one pops up and goes "Boo!" The latest entry in the beaten-over-the-head subgenre is Hollow, a very well-reviewed movie about four friends in Suffolk, England, who discover a frightening local legend and find themselves battling an ancient evil. That doesn't sound very charmingly British at all! I don't see what more can be done with the found-footage format, but the good buzz around Hollow has me somewhat interested. Hell, this is The Basement: if we watched 2-Headed Shark Attack we'll watch anything! Check out the preview below and decided if Hollow is worth the watch once it hits home Sept. 19.

John Fallon is back in action as Billy Trigger

We're psyched to inform Basement Dwellers that our man John "The Arrow" Fallon has another film in pre-production! Billy Trigger, which John wrote back in 2008, has received financing and will shoot in October. For fans of his first feature, Deaden, this is very good news indeed. Blisteringly good actually because Deaden is one of the best works of grindhouse/action cinema we've seen in years. John, Berge Garabedian, and Christian Viel produce with Viel also on board as director. John plays Billy Trigger. The action film is scouting locations and has locked Battlestar: Galactica's Matthew Bennett as one of the stars. But what's this bad boy all about? Read on: Irish mobster Billy Trigger has been the O’ Brien family’s number one enforcer for three years now. And for good reasons; he is cold, calculated and relentless and has never tackled a job he couldn’t finish. His life is trouble-free and solitary as it mainly consists of: loose women,

Race with the Devil: The Basement/Diner Crossover

And now the thrilling conclusion of the podcast cliffhanger that has rocked the pillars of the Interwebs! Well, we think it did anyway. And so does Jon Cross, he of the ever entertaining podcast from The After Movie Diner! Earlier this week Jason, Shawn and Jon (say that 20 times fast) reviewed one of two 1970s car-chase movies starring Peter Fonda: Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. You can hear that piece of pure goodness by clicking here . Now it's time to unleash upon the world the second half of our trip back to bell bottoms and big hair with a review of Race with the Devil! Two couples vacationing together in an R.V. from Texas to Colorado are terrorized after they witness a murder during a Satanic ritual. And who said holidays are relaxing? You'll be able to hear our thoughts, and the two-cents of Jon Cross, when our Basement Edition of the cliffhanger launches tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. PST. It's more fun than a kick in the balls, I promise you that! Until then, e

Featurette for The Possession explains what a Dibbuk is

We first reported on the upcoming horror flick The Possession waaaaaayyyy back at the start of Season Two of our show. Back then the Ole Bornedal directed film was called Dibbuk Box, which refers to the item in which the evil spirit of the story is held. Right or wrong, the folks over at Lionsgate decided no one would get what the deuce a Dibbuk Box is and changed the title to the far more generic, but easier to market, The Possession. The film opens next Friday. However, the Dibbuk is still a big part of the movie, so the marketing arm at Lionsgate put together this featurette to explain what the hell it is. And we've embedded it below to better inform Basement Dwellers. Remember, knowing is half the battle. The Possession follows a young girl who buys an antique box at a yard sale, unaware that inside the collectible lives a malicious ancient spirit. The girl's father teams with his ex-wife to find a way to end the curse upon their child.

Justice is served in this Dredd 3D TV spot

There's less than a month to go before Dredd 3D hits theatres and I gotta admit, I'm psyched for this one! Why, you ask? It's an R-rated Judge Dredd movie written by the man who penned 28 Days Later and Sunshine -- Alex Garland. And it stars Karl Urban, who deserves to be a movie star more than most movie stars. Sure, there have been complaints about the casting (Rob Schneider was in the Stallone version), size of the helmet (get a life) and that the plot resembles The Raid (this was written first). I say stop your bitching and get ready to enjoy what looks to be a violent B-movie blast. And early reviews promise the same. The TV spot below shows a lot of what we've seen before, only with added Dredd dialogue that just oozes cool. I'm ready for this movie and have marked Sept. 21 on my calendar. Bring it!

Sam Raimi says Evil Dead remake will be R-rated

But what Sam Raimi and his fellow producer on the project, Bruce Campbell, should say is they were kidding all along, this was all just an elaborate hoax, and there really is no Evil Dead remake. Shit. That's not true.  Oh well. But Raimi did tell the folks over at Collider that the recently wrapped redo is ". . . really Bloody. "It's so bloody it will make your head spin," he said, adding "Definitely R. Maybe worse." That's all well and good, but Shawn and I still have little to no interest in seeing this film, no matter how bloody it is. The new spin on Evil Dead features Mia, a young woman struggling with sobriety, who heads to a remote cabin with her brother and a group of friends, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads to danger and horror. The film opens April 12, 2013, for those who care.

Not one, but two clips from The Apparition feature Ashley Greene in peril

I'd be a lot more interested in the upcoming flick The Apparition if it wasn't just another PG-13 horror movie. It stars hottie Ashley Greene (above) and ghost stories can be uber scary. But it's PG-13 . . . so yawn. The two clips below do ensure I will seek it out at some point, likely after receiving a Christmas-present version. Both are effective -- and chilling -- little numbers. No more, no less. The rest of the movie could blow goats. The premise is also promising enough: a young couple (Greene and Sebastian Stan) are tormented by a supernatural presence unleashed during a college experiment. Moviegoers will decide if the movie is hit or miss when The Apparition opens on Friday. Now watch yourself some clips, bitches!

Horror hides in The Fields with this creepy trailer

We've been pumping The Month from Hell for all its worth in anticipation of our return to the air this October. And one of the first film's we're reviewing is The Fields care of Six Degrees of Hell scribe Harrison Smith. The Fields tells the story of a young boy and his family who are terrorized by an unseen presence in a nearby corn field. Smith maintains this a true story, which ups the creep factor all the way. Cloris Leachman and veteran hottie Tara Reid star in the film, which has been making its theatrical and VOD rounds for some time. It lands on DVD and Blu-Ray Aug. 27. We're going to give our thoughts on The Fields, along with a review of Bait 3D, on our Season Four opener. Until then, check out the trailer below.

Face the Jersey Devil in this trailer for The Barrens

It's been a long time since we've talked about Darren Lynn Bousman's latest horror flick The Barrens. But we decided it was high time given the film now has a release date and trailer. The awesome folks over at Anchor Bay have picked up the terror tale intent on a limited theatrical release Sept. 28 before sending it to DVD and Blu-Ray Oct. 9. All this happens just in time for Season Four of our show . . . so guess what we're reviewin'!?! The Barrens stars Stephen Moyer of True Blood fame as a man who takes his family on a camping trip into the New Jersey Pine Barrens and becomes convinced they are being stalked by the Jersey Devil. Cool! There's just not enough movies out there about the Jersey Devil. And it looks like Bousman is focusing on scares and psychological horror instead of the gore he displayed in the Saw films. Not that we have a problem with grue. Far from it. But it's just nice to see a filmmaker try something different. We forgive yo

If they can't save the Earth, they will make it laugh: The Avengers gag reel

Normally I'm not a fan of gag reels, especially ones that play over the end credits of movies, but I have to admit, there's some pretty funny shit in this one from The Avengers. It's probably the funniest I've ever seen. The gag reel, along with a slew of other goodies, will officially be unleashed when The Avengers is released on DVD/Blu-Ray Sept 25. But you might as well have a gander at it now. It's funny. Trust me. And Jeremy Renner is clearly not a Star Trek fan. Anyway, enjoy the video :)

A look at the U.S. poster for Solomon Kane

News headlines don't get any more on the nose than that. But really, that's what this story is all about. It's a story about a poster for the upcoming fantasy epic Solomon Kane. No more, no less. I say upcoming loosely as Shawn and I reviewed Solomon Kane back on our September Special in 2010 and film sites have been writing about the adaptation of Robert E. Howard's character since the flick was announced back in 2007. Directed by Michael J. Bassett and starring James Purefoy, Solomon Kane has screened internationally for years and played at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009, but never received a theatrical release Stateside. Word has it that Solomon Kane will hit VOD on Friday and receive a limited theatrical release on Sept. 28 via Radius, a new division of The Weinstein Company. And thank freaking Christ as this movie needs to be seen! It's great B-grade swashbuckling entertainment. But enough chatter. Here's the poster! And hey, le

Dirty Mary Crazy Larry: The Basement/Diner Crossover

The first half of our podcast-cliffhanger experiment is upon us! And below you'll find a link that allows you to hear Shawn and I as we travel to New York (not really) and sit down with the one and only Jon Cross of The After Movie Diner to talk 1970s car chase movies -- in particular the 1974 Peter Fonda/Susan George romp Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. What the hell is that you might ask? Well, Larry (Fonda) and Deke are a small time car racing duo who rob a grocery store, and plan to use the proceeds to buy an expensive race car in order to win more races and break in to the professional NASCAR circuit. Their escape with the loot does not go as smoothly as planned when Larry's one night stand, Mary (George), tags along for the ride. One step ahead of an obsessed Sheriff, they manage to evade several police cruisers, a high-performance police interceptor, and even a helicopter, in their 1969 Dodge Charger R/T. You can listen to this bad boy by heading on over to The A

Girl’s Eye View: The Expendables 2

Allow me to quickly introduce myself: My name is Kara, and I live over at www.karaschatter.com . I have no experience in the movie industry, other than watching and appreciating them. I thought I would offer up my movie reviewing skills, or lack thereof, to The Basement to give readers a female perspective on movies, new, old, good, and bad. First off: I will admit that I’m a late bloomer when it comes to appreciating old action flicks. Being a girl, I tend to steer more towards tear-jerking romantic comedies rather than blood and guts action flicks, but thanks to my husband, I caught up on the “classics.” And, man, am I glad I did before watching this movie. (I just watched Die Hard for the first time last Christmas – shame on me, I know) When the first Expendables movie came out, I was quite pleased by the ensemble cast. The second edition though? I was over the moon stoked to see it. It didn’t hurt that my “other husband” Jason Statham returned for the sequel, but I digr

Jason reviews Cold Prey

This is a movie I took in long before The Basement became a reality. I don't remember being overly impressed, yet Cold Prey has never really left my mind. That can only mean it's time for a re-watch. But how does the film stack up? Jannicke, Morten Tobias, Eirik, Mikael and Ingunn are on a snowboarding vacation in Jotunheimen. They are forced to take shelter in an abandoned hotel when Morten Tobias breaks his leg and their car is too far away for them to reach within nightfall. They quickly discover that the hotel was closed in the seventies due to the disappearance of the managers' son. Unknown to them, someone is still living in the hotel, and getting home, or even surviving the stay, isn't as easy as they believe Wow. That's quite the plot description for something that's supposed to be just a slasher movie. But this Norwegian effort isn't your typical North American horror movie. Sure all the trappings are here, but it's just . . . differ

Jason reviews The Expendables 2

Schwarzenegger: "I'll be back." Willis: "You've been back enough. I'll be back." Schwarzenegger: "Yippee-ki-yay." I've died and gone to movie-nerd heaven! Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat. If The Raid: Redemption is the best action movie ever made, then The Expendables 2 is an old-school action fan's wet dream. It's corny, cliched and full of violent gunfights and brutal brawls. And praise Jebus for it! I'm not going to bore you to tears with details on how well it's made and how surprisingly decent -- by action-film standards anyway -- the story is. Basement Dwellers should only care about how awesome the action is and how cool it is to see these guys on the big screen together. For one, the action is awesome. The opening

Catch a Bullet to the Head in the trailer for Stallone's latest

This has to be the biggest week for action fans. The Expendables 2 opens today, we got the preview for Arnold Schwarzenegger's The Last Stand yesterday, and right now we can unleash the trailer for Sylvester Stallone's next solo effort: Bullet to the Head. Bullet to the Head also marks the return of director Walter (48 Hours, The Warriors) Hill, who hasn't helmed a film in I don't know how long. Nice to have you back, Walter! As for the Bullet to the Head, it looks like a bunch of 80s action cliches blended into one carnage-filled movie. This is not a bad thing. We'll know more when it opens in February. But I do like what I see here, including the presence of babe Sarah Shahi and . . .  Christian Slater? Plus Sly and Jason Momoa have an axe fight. Cool. Enough babble. Watch and enjoy.

Interview with an icon: Corey Feldman

Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter, Goonies, Gremlins, The Lost Boys, Stand By Me, License to Drive, Dream A Little Dream. These are just a handful of the films Corey Feldman has starred in during his more than three decades in show business. Feldman's latest, Six Degrees of Hell, is scheduled for release in October. Regular visitors to The Basement know we're planning a month-long celebration of the film, which has already been touted as The Scariest Movie of 2012. And we're capping off The Month from Hell with an interview with the iconic actor! Our 20-minute chat with Corey will also be the main feature of our annual Halloween Spooktacular. The episode will be broadcast on 92.5FM CFBX Kamloops, RadioAmplifire.com and here in The Basement just in time for our favourite holiday. It's a great conversation and Corey is very excited about his latest movie. This is an interview no fan will want to miss! The Month from Hell will also feature interviews with d

The trailer for Schwarzenegger's The Last Stand

It's the trailer for Arnold Schwarzenegger's new movie. 'Nuff said. Now watch it! OK. Thoughts. Awesome! Looks like fun. Nice to see Arnold playing his age and kicking ass while doing it. Plus he's got a one liner or two thrown in for good measure. I'm there when this bad boy is released on Jan. 18, 2013. As for story, like that matters: a drug cartel leader busts out of a courthouse and speeds to the Mexico border, where the only thing in his path is a sheriff and his inexperienced staff.

Beast and Beauty: The Rock and Gina Carano in Fast Six

Dwayne Johnson, he formerly known as The Rock, tweeted a pic of himself and uber hot co-start Gina Carano from the set of Fast Six -- the latest film in The Fast and the Furious franchise. In his own words: 'Beast & the Beauty'.. Me & my FAST 6 partner in ass kickins (and fun) @ginacarano #BadAssChick The action sequel is now shooting, with director Justin Lin back at the helm and series regulars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker once again in the lead. Johnson and Carano play the cops on their tail, with the car-themed fun moved to London, England. In addition to Carano, who made a splash in the otherwise weak Haywire, Lin has added Luke Evans and The Raid's Joe Taslim to the cast. Universal has slated Fast Six -- if that is indeed the title -- for release on May 24, 2013.

A teaser for the chilling documentary My Amityville Horror

Given all the shit that's been thrown at the screen since The Amityville Horror allegedly happened in 1975 it's refreshing to see someone take a documentary approach to the subject matter. And filmmaker Eric Walter didn't just turn to anybody to feature in the film. He got Daniel Lutz, son of George and Kathleen Lutz, to recount his version of the infamous haunting that terrified his family 37 years ago. Walter promises the documentary will also reveal the horror behind growing up as part of a world famous haunting.  The Amityville Horror became a cultural phenomenon when Jay Anson published his book of the same name in 1977. The haunting, which is said to have terrorized the Lutz family for about a month, is the basis for 10 films that have released between 1979 and 2011. Most of them aren't very good, but Anson's book is decent. No word yet on a release date but, for the first time in years, I'm excited to see a new movie inspired by The Amit

Jason and Shawn review The Raid: Redemption

A SWAT team becomes trapped in a tenement run by a ruthless mobster and his army of killers and thugs. Need we say more? Jason: I love, love, LOVE this movie! Where have you been all my life!?! Think the final showdown in the hospital at the end of Hard Boiled and that is the entire movie. No bullshit Gareth Evans knows how to shoot an action scene. The gunfights are blazing and the martial arts the best I've ever seen. Period. There is a sequence of carnage where main dude Rama (Iko Uwais) stabs, kicks, punches and elbows his way through about 20 people. No shaky cam, no wire-wu, no faking it near as I can tell. It all happens on screen. It's brutally awesome. And there's about three or four more fights like that. Uwais is Tony Jaa, only better. Don't let Hollywood get a hold of him, they'll ruin his awesome. Evans's script is also willing to slow down and add some character beats. Not too many, just enough to give the viewer time to breathe. The

George Bell reviews Van Helsing

I've watched Van Helsing three times now, and while I keep finding things to like here and there, it just doesn't come together as a whole. I really, really wanted to like it more than I do. I'm a fan of Stephen Sommers, and I see what he was trying to do. He wanted to make one big homage to the classic Universal monsters (Frankenstein, Dracula, etc.). That's a noble sentiment, but when ambition outstretches the material, it's time to re-evaluate. Sadly, the changes that I think needed to happen never materialized, and we're left with this mess of a monster movie gone wrong. Van Helsing's biggest mistake is how much ground it tries to cover in terms of combining all these different elements from separate stories. The basic plot centers around Dracula using Dr. Frankenstein and his monster to figure out how to create and sustain life. Dracula and his three brides have tried - and failed - to make their offspring viable, but nature just wasn't hav

Arnold Schwarzenegger is The Last Stand poster

Iconic action star. Iconic image of said action star in a poster for his latest movie. I have nothing more to say than that. And now for a lengthy plot description: After leaving his LAPD narcotics post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with remorse and regret, Sheriff Ray Owens (Schwarzenegger) moved out of Los Angeles and settled into a life fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction. But that peaceful existence is shattered when Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega), the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the western hemisphere, makes a deadly yet spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy. With the help of a fierce band of lawless mercenaries led by the icy Burrell (Peter Stormare), Cortez begins racing towards the US-Mexico border at 250 mph in a specially-outfitted Corvette ZR1 with a hostage in tow. Cortez’ path: straight through Summerton Junction, where the whole of the U.S. law enforcement, including

Shawn and Battleship. Who sinks Who

You sunk my battleship!  This movie, is only "loosely" based on the actual game, Battleship.  And by loosely, I mean, someone was likely inspired by the design graphics on a battleship game box.  Which always tantalizes a person.  Then you break out the game. Same old game.  That's cool. Look folks, I'm a simple guy.  I like shit that blows up.  I like a good mind-erasing movie.  Throw in alien invasion and really good eye candy....sold. I'm not going to sit here and rip the script, actors, characters or stuff.  This movie wasn't designed with Academy Awards in mind. Even though Liam Neeson was in it.  It wasn't designed to be complex, in fact, where there were cliché moments, it was likely on purpose. Yes, the ending brings a lot of Hollywood cheese.  Whoopty doo.  I've seen far worse cheese, get called award winning. This movie was a long one too.  2 hrs 11 minutes or so.  It seemed to be able to carry me for the full running length.  There

First look at Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning

Waaayyyy back on the second episode of our podcast-only first season Shawn and I reviewed Universal Soldier: Regeneration, which saw Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren return to the franchise. The shit was decent, with one of the better action throwdowns in recent memory between the two stars. Now both are back, as is director John Hyams. This time it looks like Van Damme and Lundgren are the bad guys and Scott Adkins, who squared off against The Muscles from Brussels in Assassination Games, is the good guy. Not that any of this matters. Nor do I care that the trailer below is poorly put together with one of the worst voiceovers since the preview for Jaws The Revenge. The action that's hinted at looks awesome and the carnage plentiful. That's all I need from a fourth installment in the Universal Soldier franchise, thank you very much. Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning will be release Nov. 30, so another movie is added to slate of reviews for Season Four.

Shawn Joins The Men In Black

Shawn here.  Last night I finally took in Men In Black 3. Are YOU a fan of these movies?  If so, it makes a good watch.  Same chemistry, same actors, same director, same (ish) writers..etc. Same feel, no surprises. Felt familiar, yet offered something different.  There was a little more "people" violence for one, but still carried the chemistry of the previous two. There is a bit more story here as well, a bit more complex, but an evolution of the other two movies. I dug the other two.  Dug this one.  If you are a Men In Black "fanboy" or "fanperson" (for "political correctness"), then you likely have a gripe. Or two.  But the waaaaambulance is all tied up. I don't have a gripe.  It was an easy enough movie to get into and wash my brain of the days' stresses. No "re introduction" of the characters, just story. That said, the biggest satisfaction here was Josh Brolin .  He commanded a spectacular performance as the

A look at Stallone and Schwarzenegger in The Tomb

In celebration of God's gift to testosterone -- The Expendables 2 opens Friday bitches -- we proudly present this still from the macho-man mash-up The Tomb. The macho men in question are Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger and The Tomb is one of those unbreakoutable prisons that only exist in movies. The latter is not as interesting as the former, which is having these 80s action icons together in a movie outside of The Expendables franchise.  The Tomb has Stallone framed for a crime he didn't commit -- and as the architect behind the super security prison he himself is jailed in. He's got to get out of lockdown despite his own supposedly foolproof design. Once imprisoned, Stallone meets Emil Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger), a convict who wants to get out very badly. Cue badass music. Expect The Tomb to be released in 2013, along with several other Schwarzenegger projects we're looking forward to in The Basement.

The reboot train rolls along with this Red Dawn trailer

Because nothing . . . and I mean absolutely NOTHING . . . is sacred anymore, the world will have a Red Dawn remake by the U.S. Thanksgiving. Actually, this was made several years ago and sat on a shelf until Chris Hemsworth became a big star with Thor and The Avengers. And let's not forget The Cabin in the Woods. If you grew up in the 80s, you likely saw the original Red Dawn, which featured an invasion of the good 'ole U.S. of A. by those damn Russians. Now the bad guys are from North Korea. Well, why not? Excuse my cynicism, but I could give two shits about this Red Dawn. I dig Hemsworth and am a tireless fan of Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who takes over for Powers Booth. But aside from a few explosions, a couple of hotties and the use of Filter's Hey Man Nice Shot, there is nothing in this trailer that will put my ass in a theatre seat to see it. But watch the trailer and judge for yourself.

Jason reviews The Bourne Legacy

We've been pretty critical of Universal's attempt to continue its action franchise without star Matt Damon and the character for which the series is named. Then previews appeared showing The Bourne Legacy to fit nicely into the Bourne universe while expanding on it at the same time. But how does it all hold up? In the wake of Jason Bourne's dismemberment of Operation Blackbriar, the CIA decides to dispose of their other black-ops programs, which includes the termination of field agents. However, Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), an agent from Operation Outcome, escapes and, with the help of an Outcome scientist (Rachel Weisz), sets out to get even with those who tried to kill him. I'm going to start with the obvious: The Bourne Legacy isn't as good as the other Bourne films. It comes close at times, mostly during the action scenes, but it takes too long to warm up and doesn't come to a satisfying conclusion. The door is left wide open for more, which jus

Beware of Dragon Wasps

Movies like the upcoming Direct-to-DVD flick Dragon Wasps are the modern equivalent of the B-grade, drive-in, creature features of the 1950s. They're the Mihmiverse movies of today, only not loving throwbacks to films of old.  This is modern crap, pure and simple. Yet we love these movies in The Basement. And to director Joe knee's credit, he's pulled off some half-assed convincing CGI monster wasps. We'll know more about the final product when Dragon Wasps hits DVD on Sept. 24. When her father mysteriously disappears on an expedition, beautiful entomologist Gina Humphries (Dominika Juliet) and her fiery assistant, Rhonda (Nikolette Noel), set out to search the rain forests of Belize. Due to numerous robberies and assaults in the jungle, they are escorted by heavily-armed soldiers. Guerillas, lead by the infamous Jaguar, ambush the convoy and incite a bloody shootout. Just when things can’t get worse, a horde of murderous Dragon Wasps, massive flyin

Wanna write for The Basement?

Jason, Shawn, Mike S, Matt Bellamy, Anthony Michael Bosa and Game Time With Greg. All these names should mean something to regular listeners and readers. They are the names that make The Basement tick. Not content to stick with the status quo, The Basement is always looking to expand and improve. To do that, we need help. We're looking for people willing to volunteer their mad writing and reviewing skills in order to provide content for The Basement, be it through movie reviews, news stories or editorials. If you've read the site, you know exactly what we're looking for. This isn't Shakespeare, it's The Basement. We like quick and breezy text that gets to the point and shows intelligence, attitude and wit. As stated above, this is volunteer work. We'd love to shell out some cash dollars, but we're not there yet. However, we're willing to throw a little something your way once in a while for your troubles. And you will get credit where credit is d

The Month of Horror returns

Last October, Basement contributor Matt Bellamy sat down and watched 31 horror movies -- a horror movie a day -- to celebrate Halloween. And we presented his thoughts on each for you here on the site. Because Bellamy is awesome, he's agreed to come back and do it all over again, watching and reviewing 31 new films from Oct. 1 until All Hallows Eve. There will be no repeats from last year -- it's a whole new batch of fright flicks. Bellamy is working on his last as we speak, promising to touch on the Child's Play and Paranormal Activity movies and maybe even a selection from the Nightmare on Elm Street series. So prepare yourself, not only is October The Month from Hell here in The Basement, but it's The Month of Horror as well. Stick with us!

Get a chill with this creepy clip from The Awakening

The Basement hasn't delivered any info on the upcoming period ghost story The Awakening for almost a year, but we're breaking the silence with the creepy little clip below. Sure, there's a moment right out of the great 80s Canadian horror flick The Changeling, but rehashed here it's still surprisingly effective. In fact, this whole clip is effective, from the beauty of star Rebecca Hall to that crazy ghost with the shotgun. I'm up for seeing this. For shizzle. Hall stars as a ghost hunter who travels to a countryside boarding school to investigate rumors of an apparent haunting. Just when she thinks she has debunked the ghost theory, she has a chilling spectral encounter that defies all her rational beliefs. The Awakening was released in the U.K. last November and is scheduled for a limited release here in North America Aug. 17. Look for our thoughts some time in Season Four.

Helicopter vs. motorcycle in this Expendables 2 clip

And really, what more needs to be said? Oh, a water tower is used to wipe out a bunch of bad guys. There. Now nothing more needs to be said. All this cool shit has me totally psyched for the release of The Expendables 2 next Friday (Aug. 17). It's great to see old-school action alive and well, largely thanks to Sylvester Stallone's Rambo sequel and the original Expendables. This follow up continues the trend, and hopefully Hollywood is paying attention and there's many more years' of cool shit to come. Like it matters, but The Expendables 2 sees Mr. Church reunite the team for what should be an easy paycheck. But when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat. The cast? It stars every action star that's mattered during the last three decades save for Steven Seagal, who's too busy eating for things such as this.

The Basement and The Diner: the podcast cliffhanger

It's no secret that we in The Basement are proud members of the 2nd Unit Podcast Network, a collection of groovy and talented podcasters intent on world domination via entertaining the masses. We also like to spam their Facebook page with our content, but what are friends for? On Saturday, after months of planning, Shawn and I sit down with 2nd Unit brethren Jon Cross of The After Movie Diner to record two parts of a podcast-cliffhanger experiment. We're going to review two movies, featuring one on The Diner and the other in The Basement. In order to hear our complete thoughts on each film you'll have to listen to both shows. Bastards we are. What movies will we be reviewing? Cross has picked a couple of 1970s car chase classics to thrill and chill you and hopefully make for interesting chatter. First up is the 1974 Peter Fonda/Susan George epic Dirty Larry Crazy Mary. Then we time travel to 1975 for more Peter Fonda . . . this time alongside Warren Oates in Race

Jason revisits The Bourne Ultimatum

Leading up to the release of The Bourne Legacy , The Basement will take a look back at the groundbreaking franchise that made an unlikely hero out of Matt Damon and changed the way action movies were made forever. Jason Bourne dodges a ruthless CIA official and his agents from a new assassination program while searching for the origins of his life as a trained killer.  My favourite of the Bourne films; a fast-paced and thrilling conclusion to the trilogy. I especially dig how the first three quarters of the movie play out before the end of The Bourne Supremacy. Clever, boys clever. It's that cleverness on the part of screenwriter Tony Gilroy that gives me hope The Bourne Legacy won't suck. But back to this film, there isn't one thing in here I don't like. This is a race against time, with Bourne rushing headlong toward his return to the United States. There's more Julia Styles, which is not a bad thing, a great foot chase and an even better car chase

The Hurt Locker director takes us to Zero Dark Thirty

The Basement likes to take credit for The Hurt Locker's success. We reviewed the movie on our very first podcast back in January 2010 and then, about a week later, it was nominated for a slew of Academy Awards and went on to win Best Picture. You're welcome. No need to thank us. Really. Now the writing-directing team of Mark Boal and Kathryn Bigelow are coming at us with Zero Dark Thiry, a film about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. The Project actually had to be stopped and re-written days before it was set to shoot when U.S. Special Ops found and killed the terrorist leader because, you know, that kinda changed the whole story. The teaser below doesn't say a lot, but it's fucking effective. Given Bigelow's talent for gritty action, and a talented ensemble cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong and Kyle Chandler, Zero Dark Thirty could be a strong Oscar contender. If it's even half as good as The Hurt Locker, this will be one of the year's be

Trailer for Bigfoot thriller The Lost Coast Tapes is here

We've been talking about the upcoming found-footage Bigfoot movie The Lost Coast Tapes for more than a year now and FINALLY we've got a trailer upon which to pass judgement. As far as found-footage movies go, this looks pretty decent. We've got scares, a hot chick, the obligatory asshole TV-show host, and yes, Bigfoot.  But . . . and this is a heavy but . . . the only movie to do anything interesting with the rapidly fading found-footage genre as of late is V/H/S. Whether or not The Lost Coast Tapes can justify another entry we won't know until the film's release later this year. The Lost Coast Tapes stars Drew Rausch, Ashley Wood, Rich McDonald, Frank Ashmore and Noah Weisberg. As for the plot crunch: after a "Bigfoot Hunter" claims to possess the body of a dead Sasquatch, a disgraced investigative journalist stakes his comeback -- and the lives of his documentary film crew -- on proving the find to be a hoax.