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Showing posts from February, 2014

Michael Bay producing The Birds remake

And somewhere, in the state of Florida , Jeb Bush is eating a live puppy. That's how I feel about a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds . I know I've said each remake should be judged on its own terms, but remaking The Birds is as stupid an idea as remaking Psycho , and look how that turned out. Some movies should be left alone, and The Birds is one of them.

Time for a Hillbilly Horror Show

Well, almost.   Blu de Golyer 's comedic horror-anthology web series Hillbilly Horror Show doesn't officially hit until tomorrow, but we thought we'd give you a gentle reminder in anticipation of the show's launch. And yeah, yours truly got a sneak peek to make sure the premiere episode is Basement worthy. So is it, you ask?

Jason versus V/H/S 2

The original V/H/S was a flawed but entertaining piece of work that I thought would be the final nail in the coffin for the found-footage genre. Surprise! It wasn't. In fact, they made a second one. And I watched it. Does it surpass the first? Stick with me. Searching for a missing student, two private investigators break into his house and find a collection of VHS tapes . Viewing the horrific contents of each cassette, they realize there may be dark motives behind the student's disappearance.

Fast and Furious 7 resumes filming in April

There's no doubt that Fast and Furious fans are going to miss Paul Walker , but cameras are almost ready to roll again on the latest instalment in the blockbuster franchise. Word hit the Interwebs today that production resumes on Fast and Furious 7 in April, just five months after Walker died in a fiery car crash .

Jason Statham officially on for Susan Cooper

We first reported on the possibility of Jason Statham starring alongside Melissa McCarthy in the action\comedy Susan Cooper back in October . Now we can make it official. Jason Statham is starring alongside Melissa McCarthy in the action/comedy Susan Cooper. There. You happy?

Jason versus The Purge

I avoided The Purge when it hit theatres last summer because of the mixed word of mouth . . . and my tendency to avoid going to the theatre. Strange for a critic, I know. But, with the sequel looming, I figured it was high time to catch up with this Blumhouse production. How does it rate? Stick with me! In the future, a wealthy family is held hostage for harboring the target of a murderous syndicate during the Purge, a 12-hour period in which any and all crime is legalized.

The Conjuring spinoff opens in October, loses title

That's right, The Conjuring spinoff Annabelle isn't called Annabelle anymore. It's now called Untitled New Line Horror Film , which means it isn't called anything at the moment. But the flick is coming to theatres later this year, and it's still about the Annabelle doll featured in last year's horror hit The Conjuring. And it still stars hottie Annabelle Wallis (pictured with creepy ass doll), so all is not lost.

Sequel to The Equalizer in the works

Bet you didn't know the popular 80s TV series The Equalizer was being made into a movie. Well, you might have. I shouldn't make an assumption like that, because then I make an ass of you and numption. But The Equalizer will indeed hit the big screen this September, with Denzel Washington in the title role and his Training Day director Antoine Fuqua behind the camera. This alone gives me hope.

Blair Witch Project co-director brings Bigfoot to SXSW

Eduardo Rodriguez is no stranger to the found-footage genre. Hell, he and Daniel Myrick pretty much invented it with The Blair Witch Project back in 1999. Now Rodriguez is at it again with the upcoming flick Exists. Exists isn't just another Paranormal Activity or haunted-house movie though, it's a Sasquatch movie. Sure, the last found-footage Bigfoot film was The Lost Coast Tapes, but I still believe some good can come of the combination.

The Conjuring 2 will spook audiences Halloween 2015

That's right, Warner Bros. is bringing horror to the Halloween season as a sequel to their highly successful fright flick The Conjuring is scheduled to hit theatres Oct. 23, 2015. This is great news for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren are ripe for a spooky franchise. There any number of potential movies that can spring from their real-life investigations.

Godzilla strikes in this epic new trailer

Oh man. That's all I can say about this official trailer for the new Godzilla flick. It's beyond awesome. Really. It is. In fact, I'm gonna shut up and let you witness it for yourselves. Right now. Kudos to Matt Bellamy for letting me know it hit this morning.

And now a few words from Godzilla

The roar is one of the most recognizable sounds in all of moviedom, especially for us nerds who grew up watching the Toho flicks of 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Yup, that's a long legacy of awesomeness. With just three months to go, Warner Bros. is really ramping up Godzilla fans' anticipation for Gareth Edwards ' take on the big, green guy. And it's good to know he's not only kept the general look of the King of the Monsters , but his trademark "yo!" as well.

Scream queen Jessica Cameron finds evil in Utero

Recent Basement guest/scream queen Jessica Cameron is a busy gal. Her directorial debut , Truth or Dare, is still making the festival rounds, and she's already back in front of the camera in the new baby themed horror flick Utero. Utero is about an agoraphobic , unwed mother who finds her psyche unraveling as she becomes convinced that her unborn child is more monster than human. I think my wife kinda thought that about our son at one point during her pregnancy . . . and still does from time to time.

Jason revisits Se7en

Right off the bat, it must be acknowledged that Se7en is one of my Top 5 favourite movies. Which pretty much negates the need to write anything further. But this is my site (and Shawn 's of course) and I'll do whatever the fuck I want. Wanna fight about it? No? Good. Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his modus operandi.

Jason versus The Wolverine

No argument here that Wolverine is one cool cat and Hugh Jackman is the only man alive who can play him. But the character's last solo outing was X-Men Origins: Wolverine , and the less said about that the better. How does James Mangold 's spin on the popular bad ass rate? Stick with me. When Wolverine is summoned to Japan by an old acquaintance, he is embroiled in a conflict that forces him to confront his own demons.

Dead Shadows comes home in April

We're big fans of the French apocalyptic sci-fi/horror film Dead Shadows here in The Basement. The fact our bro John Fallon is one of the stars makes the viewing experience all the more awesome. So we're very pleased to hear the movie is hitting North America via DVD and Blu-ray . Scream Factory releases David Cholewa's flick April 29 -- just in time for Mike S's birthday -- with a slew of extras that include the theatrical trailer , a special effects featurette, deleted scenes and an interview with the director.

RoboCop (2014), The Penny Dreadful Picture Show and an interview with Mike Mendez

Big Ass Spider was not only a surprise hit with audiences, but it quickly won over Jason and Shawn to become a Basement favourite. Plus the episode in which The Basement Boys reviewed the flick is one of the more popular in the Basement archive. So it's only fitting Jason and Shawn interviewed Big Ass Spider director Mike Mendez in what turned out to be a lively 15 or so minutes of film conversation about the movie , its origins, and how it fits in with Mike's other work: the supernatural thriller The Gravedancers and the horror/comedy The Convent. What does the man have to say? Stick with us!

Check out all five Guardians of the Galaxy character mini-featurettes

I hearby dub this week Guardians of the Galaxy Week in The Basement. The movie really has been the big entertainment story of the week. Guardians went from zero to 60 within the two minutes it took people to watch the trailer. Peeps I've talked to say they can't wait to see it. Now we've got five, count 'em five, short featurettes teasing each of the Guardians and the official poster. For your eye holes. I can't wait to buy my ticket for Aug. 1. In the far reaches of space, an American pilot named Peter Quill finds himself the object of a manhunt after stealing an orb coveted by the villainous Ronan. Guardians of the Galaxy stars Chris Pratt , Zoe Saldana , Dave Batista , Vin Diesel , Benicio del Toro , and Bradley Cooper . Warning, these featurettes are uber short. Even shorter than Anthony Michael Bosa.

House of Good and Evil screenwriter crafts a Hillbilly Horror Show

Half the fun of The Basement is meeting cool and creative people and seeing their projects come to life. We've met several, John Fallon and Brooke Lewis to name just two, and enjoy cheering them on. House of Good and Evil screenwriter Blu de Golyer is no exception, and we're happy to announce his latest project, Hillbilly Horror Show, is about to enter the spotlight.

The new Godzilla gets a new poster

And me like. Very much. A version of this will hang in The Basement one day. Mark my words, it will. It's probably safe to assume the anticipation level for Gareth Edward's new Godzilla flick is running high. The trailers look awesome, the cast is stellar, and who doesn't want to see the King of the Monsters stomp the tar out of some city and do battle with a host of other creatures? I'd say anyone with half a brain.

Jai Courtney will be Kyle Reese in the new Terminator

It's official, Terminator : Genesis has its Kyle Reese , and he will be played by A Good Day to Die Hard 's Jai Courtney . Courtney joins Emilia Clarke (Sarah Connor), Jason Clarke (John Connor) and the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger in the new flick, which is intended to kick off a trilogy of Terminator films.

Kurt Russell's two bits on remakes

In particular, Kurt Russell shared his thoughts with the folks at IGN about the long gestating Escape from New York remake that still may or may not happen. Russell has starred in at least one remake , John Carpenter 's 1982 redo of The Thing , and, in my opinion, his views are bang on when it comes to remaking movies .

The Guardians of the Galaxy trailer

You gotta love when shows air three hours earlier in the east, because we get shit like the Guardians of the Galaxy trailer early. So now you don't have to stay up late and watch Jimmy Kimmel Live! All I'm gonna say is watch . . . NOW!

The 1954 Godzilla stomps way back to U.S. theatres

It's news like this that makes me rue the day we moved to French Polynesia! But a few lucky souls who live in some select cities in the United States can catch the original 1954 Toho Studios Godzilla (American version with Raymond Burr) on the big screen right before the new Warner Bros. flick hits theatres.

20 seconds of the Guardian of the Galaxy trailer

Movie marketing is such a cock tease these days. Teasers for trailers. Previews for previews. Bah, says I. But, being the total hypocrite that I am, the following 20 seconds of the Guardians of the Galaxy trailer are pure awesome. No complaints. Show me more. See:

Guardians of the Galaxy trailer lands tomorrow

Marvel 's upcoming sci-fi/comic-book flick Guardians of the Galaxy could be the latest home run for the comic-company-turned-movie giant, or it'll flop hard. There will be no middle ground. Given that Slither and Super director James Gunn is at the helm, I'm hoping it's the former and not the latter.

Jessica Alba, Thomas Jane to star in cult flick The Veil

Cults are a real world evil that are about to get a little more love from the horror community. A segment in V/H/S 2 dealt with cults, and now Blumhouse Productions has a cult-themed flick on the way with The Veil . What's groovy is genre fave Thomas Jane and some hot chick named Jessica Alba are set to star. Alba has worked herself into a nice B-movie niche with the Machete films, and it's always good to see Jane get a shot at the big screen instead of the direct-to-DVD fare he's turned up in lately.

Vampire Diaries, Hemlock Grove star has The Fear of Darkness

Iron Sky was a crowdsourcing phenomenon and is a Basement favourite. So it's very good news that producer Mark Overett has a new flick headed in our direction, with The Vampire Diaries and Hemlock Grove star Penelope Mitchell (pictured) among the cast. Pandala Films Pty announced today that production is ready to begin on The Fear of Darkness, a supernatural thriller directed by Chris Fitchett. The film will shoot for four weeks in March on Australia 's Gold Coast .

Trailer for Showtime's Penny Dreadful series delivers

I'm probably one of eight people on the planet who didn't mind the film adaptation of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen . I thought Sean Connery owned the flick, and enjoyed the concept. Never read the comic. Didn't care to. Showtime 's upcoming Penny Dreadful TV series is a horror riff on the idea, with some of literature's most terrifying character coming together to battle evil in Victorian London . Suffice to say, some groovy and creepy shat goes down.

Jason versus Prisoners

Prisoners is a movie I resisted watching for quite some time. Given that I'm a relatively new parent, the subject of child abduction proved daunting for someone who is more in line with traditional Friday night viewing. But more than a few encouraging words from my bro Matt Bellamy convinced me to give the flick a watch. How'd it stack up? Stick with me! When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?

Mike Flanagan's Oculus gets an official poster

Based on the strength of Absentia, we Basementites are pretty pumped for director Mike Flanagan 's upcoming horror flick Oculus. Abesntia is pure creepy, and the teaser trailer for Oculus is more of the same, which is a good thing in our book. If you didn't catch the preview, here's our previous post on the movie. Now we've got the official poster for the Blumhouse release, and it's just great:

Independence Day 2 possible release date!

Shawn here. Basement fans should know by now that I'm a huge fan of Independence Day.  So when I read the news of a 2015 "release date", I was elated. I read it here ! Do I care that Will Smith is in it, then not in it, then in it, then not? No I do not. Two things about this news: 1)  I love that they have had it set it up for a sequel that isn't just a "cash grab", but sad that they waited so long.

Win a chance to hang out with Matt and Ben

Or is it Ben and Matt? Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to be exact. I'm not really sure. But Basementites and all you other people out there in Interweb land could win a chance to hang out with these two superstars at a Hollywood party and support a couple of good cause at the same time. Sound like fun? I think so.

Wanna chat with a ghost hunter?

By now regular readers and listeners should know we're big supporters of writer/director Jonathan Chance's upcoming feature film The Rectory, which is about the most haunted house in England . Jonathan's Shriekfest nominated screenplay focuses on ghost hunter Harry Price , who held the keys to The Borley Rectory in 1937. It's a true story, and one that should delight horror fans.

RoboCop reboot outgrosses The Lego Movie

To be clear, the RoboCop remake made $2.8 million on it's opening day , which was a Wednesday , while The Lego Movie took in $2.1 million, it's sixth day of release. There are a couple of ways to look at this. One, the reboot beat out the No. 1 movie in American , which made almost $70 million in three days. If The Lego Movie, which has uber strong word of mouth and is loved by everyone I know who's seen it (child and adult alike) then RoboCop could do quite well this weekend. Thursday and Friday numbers will tell the tale.

First teaser for The Purge: Anarchy promises just that

I still haven't seen the Ethan Hawke vehicle The Purge, but it was a pretty big hit on a very small budget, so logic dictates we get a sequel. The teaser for said sequel, The Purge: Anarchy, hit the web today, and we've got it for you in all it's chaotic glory. Without further adieu:

District B13 remake Brick Mansions actually looks good!?!

Yeah, I said the District B13 remake Brick Mansions actually looks good. That's not saying the final product will be, but this trailer shows some potential. It doesn't hurt that District B13 star Davide Belle is in it, essentially playing the same character he played in the original. The late Paul Walker takes over for Cyril Raffaelli . Luc Besson is back as co-writer. And there's a lot of parkour .

Don't let Universal destroy the original Psycho house

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is a horror classic, and the house Norman Bates called home a veritable landmark of terror. I've done the Universal Studio's tour a few times, and seeing the set used in the movie was a thrill each time. Which is why it pains me just a titch to think the studio is considering tearing it down. I get progress, I get that there's new things that appeal to the younger generation, but dismantling the Psycho house feels wrong. It's a landmark in it's own right. A piece of history.

Pilot for CW's The Flash series features a familiar face

I gotta admit, I've never watched CW's The Arrow TV series, an adaptation of DC Comics' Green Arrow . Word is it's a pretty decent show, and has gone the Smallville route and introduced other characters from the DC universe. The Flash is the most recent hero to appear on The Arrow, with Grant Gustin bringing the Barry Allen incarnation to life. Apparently the CW network wants to turn Gustin's Flash into a TV series of his own and a pilot is in the works.

Scarlett Johannson gets naked in this Under the Skin trailer

That headline is pure tease. Although I have no doubt the sexy star of Jonathan Glazer 's thriller Under the Skin gets naked in the film, there is only a suggestion of such in the preview below. Sorry. Well, not really. For the record, this doesn't look like my kind of flick. It looks very weird and Kubrik. But some folks are into that kind of thing. Maybe if I'm in the mood for some naked Scarlett Johannson . . .

Jason versus Night of the Creeps

Of all the 80s horror flicks I missed growing up, Fred Dekker 's Night of the Creeps is the one I'd been most dying to see. I have no idea why. It just felt right. Thank Jebus Basement contributor Matt Bellamy owns the flick, and was willing to lend it to me. Did Night of the Creeps meet my expectations? Stick with me! Alien brain parasites, entering humans through the mouth, turn their host into a killing zombie. Some teenagers start to fight against them.

Wanna see The Shadow of Death?

A couple of seasons back, Shawn and I put Gav Chuckie Steel's directorial debut The Shadow of Death on the chopping block and enjoyed the hell out of it. Regrettably, it's a tough film to find, so few on our side of the world (Gav is from the U.K.) have seen it. That's about to change as The League of Extraordinary Podcasts hosts a live watchalong with Gav on the group's Facebook page. All you gotta do is ask to join the group and you can take part in the watchalong.

Horror and martial arts collide in Minion

A martial arts horror movie ? Now this is something we can get behind! We dig horror. We dig martial arts. Let's bring these two bad boys together and make it sing! That's the premise behind the new movie Minion, which sees a good-bye party for a martial arts instructor go horribly wrong when it turns out said instructor is possessed. One can only imagine what comes next.

Jason revisits Lockout

Back in July of 2012 I reviewed the Guy Pearce/Maggie Grace sci-fi/action flick Lockout and gave it a Bad. You can catch my original review right here . Now, a Bad traditionally means we never sit down and watch the movie again. But I recently bumped into Lockout on Netflix after one too many beers and something . . .  magical happened? Stick with me! A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates.

Actress and Basement friend Leah Cairns needs your help!

Our good friend Leah Cairns , (Battlestar: Galactica) has a cause.  This is hers, please help if you can! Posted from her YouTube: Just after their first birthdays both Savannah and Seattle were diagnosed with rare, incurable, potentially life threatening disorders. Savannah with Mitochondrial Disease and Seattle with Transverse Myelitis . Neither was expected to walk or speak yet they beat all odds and made amazing recoveries.

It's a Hellions of a contest

Everyone in The Basement -- and out, we don't exclude here -- who wants to make a short horror film and have it shown everywhere, raise your hand. That many? I thought so. Then give this video a watch, mofos:

Jason revisits The Gravedancers

Long before The Basement existed, I ended my work week with a movie double bill over a six pack or two. One flick was chosen from the mainstream, the other from obscurity. On one such Friday night I selected Mike Mendez's The Gravedancers as my obscure title, and there was much rejoicing. Does the flick hold up today? Stick with me! After a night of drunken exploits, Allison, Harris, and Kira are chased and terrorized by the ghosts of a child pyromaniac, an ax murderer, and a rapist.

End the week with a bang, the Sabotage red-band trailer

The more I witness of Arnold Schwarzenegger's upcoming action flick Sabotage, the more I'm primed to see it. This red-band trailer pretty much sealed the deal -- I'm on for March 28. For one, this is a return to the heyday of Schwarzenegger movies, with foul language and violent action, but it puts the Austrian Oak among a talented ensemble cast that should introduce him to a modern audience.

Big Ass Spider and Open Grave

The Basement is back with two, count 'em two, reviews for your ear holes plus the return of esteemed movie opinionists Jon Cross and Moe Porne of The After Movie Diner and Drunk on VHS fame. First up, Jason and Shawn tackle the horror/comedy Big Ass Spider from director Mike Mendez. Starring the great Ray Wise and Greg Gunberg, this flick features a giant alien spider that escapes from a military lab and rampages through Los Angeles . When a massive military strike fails, it's up to a team of scientists, and one clever exterminator, to kill the creature before the city is destroyed.

Ready the jokes, it's zombie beaver time

That's Zombeavers to you, bucko. Yup. I'd say the zombie genre has run its course, because filmmakers are resorting to zombie beavers . And I love it! At least the idea of it. I'll let the preview speak for itself.